Imitate God

Outline

Don’t Lie speak truth (25)

Don’t have unrighteous anger but make sure your anger is righteous. (26-27)

Don’t steal but work to give (28)

Don’t speak evil but speak grace (29-30)

Don’t be unkind but imitate God (4:31-5:2)

Introduction:

Halloween was a fun time as kids wasn't it? We got to take off our normal everyday clothes and put on a cool costume of a power ranger or batman or a pirate. That was one of the coolest feelings that you placed the mask over your head and you became Batman fighting crime and getting candy. Nothing better. This is sort of what it is like for the Christian. A better example of what happens to the Christian is seen in the 1993 classic movie The Mask starring Jim Carrey. In the Mask a bank clerk finds a mask in the river. This banker places it on his face and he is transformed into a crazy energetic superhero. He becomes what the mask intended him to become, another person.

This is what Paul is saying in verse 22. To take off the old self and put on the new self. The new self takes over who you are and how you live. Our minds have been renewed. The old nature, that was marred because of sin has been renewed and Now our new nature has been created after the likeness of God in truth, righteousness and holiness.

Now in the next ten verses Paul is going to outline practically what the taking off and putting on for the Christian Community should look like. Getting rid of the old nature and living in the new nature.

What I don't want you to hear today is what we find in a lot of modern day preaching. I don't want you to hear Moralist therapeutic deism preaching. Let me define what Moralistic therapeutic deism is: Where If I do these things, such as being nice to others or good to them, then God will be pleased with me. Then when I die if I am a good person I will go to heaven. This is a pollution of the gospel. The issue is seen in the fact that You can do all these things that I am about to go through and not be a follower of Jesus.

This is why theology and study of the word of God is important for the Christian. We can put on mask that is made after the likeness of humanity and act like a follower of Christ without being a follower of Christ. When we reach heaven and stand before the throne of Judgment the Lord Jesus will tell us depart from me I never knew you. We must understand Paul has laid out a foundation for the church. We have been saved by God’s merciful grace through faith in Jesus. Because we have been saved we as the church, must maintain holiness and righteousness.

So for us today, I want us to see that we (those who follow Christ) must imitate God in all you do.

Read Ephesians 4:25-5:2 “Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another. Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and give no opportunity to the devil. Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor, doing honest work with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with anyone in need. Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you. Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.”

First thing that I want you to see in our imitation of God is: Don’t lie but speak truth. (25)

Paul writes, Ephesians 4:25 “Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another.”

Paul is making the application of our new nature simple for us. He tells the church to get rid of falsehood or lying. Then he tells us what we should put in its place, which is the speaking of truth. Then its like he is anticipating the little kid in the back that asks why for everything.

Why do we do put away falsehood and speak truth, because we are members one of another. Unity in the church cannot function if there is lying in place. Lying disrupts relationships between one another. It brings about issues of trust within the relationship.

Paul gives us a good reason for the fact that we are to put away lying. Because we are members to one another. Truthfulness should be a characteristic of the Christian in the church. Truthfulness for us is based off of our new nature that we have in Christ. Remember our old nature, Paul outlines it in Ephesians 2:1-3. We were dead in our trespasses and sins. We followed the devil. We followed the passions of our flesh.

Our old nature is being cast away and our new nature has been created in the likeness of God himself. Brothers and sisters, Our God is a God of truth. He cannot lie. Therefore since we are to be like him in our new nature, we must also be Characterized by this truth.

I want you to notice something else that is seen in this truthfulness. Paul says to speak the truth with his neighbor. Who is our neighbor, I think Jesus makes it clear who our neighbor is in the parable of the good Samaritan. Everyone is our neighbor. This means for us we speak the truth no matter who we are speaking with. We should tell the truth no matter where we go, no matter who we are around, no matter the subject.

Stott writes, “ The follower of Jesus should be know in their community as honest, reliable people whose word can be trusted.” In the Christian community truth telling should be our main priority. Remember church, we are not being called to something that is outside of our new nature in Christ. Because we have put on Christ we are able to be holiness and righteous. Our Putting on was something that happened in the past when we were saved and it is a continual action that we do every day. Because our nature has changed lets speak truth to our neighbor.

We must be speaking truth and not lying. We are to speak truth when asked “how we are doing spiritually”. It goes further than I missed a couple of days of prayer or I didn't read my scriptures. We speak truthfully about the sins that we are dealing with so that we may help one another grow and we can bear one another burdens. This isn't something that our individualistic culture condones. It would be easier to come to the gathering of the body and to prayer meetings without confessing our sins and trials to one another. We are to be truthful.

Truthfulness goes past just speaking of words. Truthfulness also flows into integrity. when we say we are going to do something and we will follow through. This is seen in our responsibilities in our jobs, commitments outside of church, financial commitments such as loans. In the church, we show integrity and truthfulness by following through with the covenant that we have made with one another to be the church here at Macedonia. We show integrity by gathering together not just on Sunday mornings but that evening and Wednesdays. We show integrity by fulfilling the needs of the ministries here. We show integrity and truthfulness that when we say we will pray for someone, we do it. Truthfulness is part of our new nature. Remember, We have a new nature that is in the likeness of God, so we should look like him.

Therefore, do not lie but put on speaking truth.

Second, Don’t have unrighteous anger but make sure your anger is righteous (26-27)

Paul continues, Ephesians 4:26-27 “Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and give no opportunity to the devil.”

If you notice Paul does say Be angry. It is okay for us to be angry for the things that God is angry about. This is what is called righteous anger. Righteous anger is okay as long as it doesn't produce sin. When this anger produces sin it turns into unrighteous anger.

Christians are allowed to have righteous anger. We can be angry at the things that anger God. We as Christians should be angry concerning injustice, racism, abortion, abuse, lies, and other sins. However, we don't let this anger produce bitterness. In our anger we should remember our fallenness. Because we are still battling with our sinful flesh, we have to be on guard that our righteous anger does not flow into unrighteous anger. Righteous anger toward abortion does not mean that you produce violence against the doctors.

This is why Paul writes that we are not to let the sun go down on our anger. Anger, even righteous anger can cause us to sin if we are not careful. We need to be careful that in our anger it isn't fueled by pride malice or revenge. Unrighteous anger can cause us not to love like we are supposed to love. We are not to keep long accounts of righteous anger but short accounts because if we have short accounts of righteous anger we will not give opportunity for the devil. The devil is seeking to steal kill and destroy unity in the church.

These verses should click in our mind back to Cain and Abel. Cain was angry at God and Abel remember what God told Cain. “sin is crouching at the door.” This is the like the cautious rebuke that Paul is giving here. The last thing that Satan wants is a unified church. Unrighteous anger can disrupt the unity and there is nothing that the devil would love more than to disrupt unity.

Therefore, do not have unrighteous anger, but put on righteous anger.

Third, Don’t steal but work to give (28)

Paul writes Ephesians 4:28 “Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor, doing honest work with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with anyone in need.”

This command should be simple for us to understand. Do not steal. We are not supposed to take what doesn't belong to us. We are not supposed to take money or possessions, we do not rob the government of their dues, we do not steal time from our employer or take office supplies, we don't give into the attitude of I have been here the longest, now it is the others who need to work hard.

Paul is making it clear to the church that we are to work honestly. The way the Greek is set up here it means that we are to work or labor to the point of weariness. We are to work hard. We are to work till we are tired in honest work. For what purpose? That we would use the resources that we have acquired to share with anyone in need.

This should be our main motivation for work. Not only to provide what we need but also for others. We use our resources for the kingdom. Stealing is more than just taking what doesn't belong to me but it is also seen in storing up resources for ourselves out of fear. It begets a nature of not trusting God for the resources that he provides for us.

We remember that these resources are not our own, but they belong to God and we give them generously. When we see a need from someone, the christian helps. This is even seen in our own community. There are needs to be met here. It doesn't take long or a quick turn off of the pristine main road throughout town to see the needs that our community has. There is a giving characteristic that embodies the new nature. Remember that we are to be like God, God provides for us, therefore we provide for others.

Therefore, do not steal but give.

Fourth, Don’t speak evil but speak grace (29-30)

Paul writes Ephesians 4:29-30 “Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.”

Paul now addresses the need for the church to put off corrupting talk and put on speaking grace. These words for corrupting talk can also be seen as evil talk. We must put off the talk that is rotten and unkind. Talk that hurts those who hear it. In its place we are to put on talk that builds up and shows grace to those who hear it. Corrupting talk was part of our old nature. Evil talk is deadly to the hearer and to the one who speaks. We all know what evil talk it. profanity, gossip, slander. Use the test of if I couldn't say it in front of momma then I shouldn't say it. Or better yet, if Jesus was standing right beside you, could you say it in front of him.

Proverbs 12:18 “There is one whose rash words are like sword thrusts, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.”

So we must put it off. For our contemporary hearers, this also includes what we place on social media. We must put off derogatory words of opposite political parties, videos that are down right vulgar, words that are spoken out of pride, anger and selfishness. The question we must ask ourselves when we decide to post something on Facebook or twitter, snapchat, or whatever we are using to access the world.

First, Could I say this to their face? Second, If I write this will I still be able to sit down with them and share the gospel or will it impact the way that they see me? When we are at work, are we indistinguishable from those around us?

One of the funniest things that pastors experience is the conversation before someone finds out your a pastor and the change that happens after, especially in the south. The language is filthy and vulgar and then they ask what you do, its saint like and clean. There should be a change in us. Not when we find out if someone we are speaking to Is a Christian or a pastor, but the change has happened when we put off our old self and our nature has been changed.

This putting on of speaking grace extends to our music. What about the music that we listen to? I like rap. I grew up listening to gangster rap. The question that I had to ask myself was, and in turn we must ask ourselves concerning the music that we listen to is this: does it build up, does it show grace to those who hear?

The same needs to happen concerning the movies that we watch. Are they building me up? or are they making me go back to the world to our old nature.

Paul wants to make sure that the unity of the church isn't destroyed because of our speech. James is right in writing James 3:3-6 “If we put bits into the mouths of horses so that they obey us, we guide their whole bodies as well. Look at the ships also: though they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are guided by a very small rudder wherever the will of the pilot directs. So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great things. How great a forest is set ablaze by such a small fire! And the tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness. The tongue is set among our members, staining the whole body, setting on fire the entire course of life, and set on fire by hell.”

The words that produce out of our mouth as Christians should not mirror locker room talk, but talk that builds up one another. Stott comments on this saying, “If we are truly a new creation of God, we shall undoubtedly develop new standards of conversation. Instead of hurting people with our words, we shall want to use them to help, encourage, cheer, comfort and stimulate them.”

Lets leverage our new nature in Christ to help encourage, cheer, comfort, and stimulate people to loving good works.

Paul reminds us that we have the Holy Spirit in our new nature. Remember the test we used a few moments ago. If Jesus was standing beside me? You are indwelt by the Holy Spirit. Brothers and Sister, The Holy Spirit helps us in our new nature and the continued putting on of it. Therefore, he is grieved when we sow disunity based on un-Christlike actions. If we harden ourselves to the word and do not obey it grieves him. Any action that we partake in, or evil word that we speak that is outside of his nature grieves him.

Grieving the Holy Spirit does not mean that he has left you. It is seen in the fact that he knows the damage that you are doing to yourselves, your relationships, and the sin against God. He is the one that helps us see and know that these things are wrong. this is good news for us, while we still battle with the flesh, we have not lost our salvation.

Brothers and sisters, We have been Sealed with the holy Spirit. We do not obey to be sealed, we have been sealed. We have a new nature. We are able to obey now because of What he has done in our own hearts. We have been washed by the blood of Jesus. We have been stamped as the Child of God. This is our assurance. We have assurance of our salvation because we have been saved by grace and sealed with the Holy Spirit. We have been redeemed but we still battle with the flesh. we await the day of redemption where our old nature that we battle daily, is forever put off and we put on for the last time, Christ’s full holiness and righteousness.

Fifth, Don’t be unkind but imitate God (4:31-5:2)

Paul writes Ephesians 4:31-5:2 “Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you. Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.”

Finally, Paul lists 6 more things that we need to put off. Bitterness is seen in a sour puss attitude, a negative and cynical personality, or a resentful spirit that refuses reconciliation. one commentator writes, “Bitterness is that attitude that looks only to the immediate and not to the past great gift of God in Christ, nor to the future resurrection and glory shared with Christ”.

Wrath and Anger can be characterized as rage or hostility that burns forth from unrighteous anger. The Christian should understand that full wrath for sins of fellow believers have been placed on Christ, and for the unbeliever, God will have justice.

Next, clamor can be described as those who shout and scream at each other, are quick to raise their voices and quarrel with one another.

Slander is speaking evil of others behind their backs in a manner that destroys their reputation.

Finally, Malice is plotting evil against others.

There is no place for these in the Christian community. Each of these disrupt unity in the church and should be put off. What we should put on is kindness, tenderhearted which shows compassion, and forgiveness. If we put on these things then there will be no place for bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, slander, and malice. We have been forgiven of everything that we have done, are doing and are going to do. Christ’s mercy and grace is great. Because of him we should live a forgiving lifestyle. I like how Jarrod C. Wilson puts it “The gospel frees you to chill out”. This is true for us. We don't have to make noise to get our point across. but we can be kind because we have been shown kindness. We can be compassionate because we have been shown compassion. We can forgive because we have been forgiven.

For those of you here visiting, and may be seeking out religion or trying to see what Christianity is about. You may hear what I am saying as a bunch of rules. Dont do this, but do this. and you may be thinking we are a bunch of hypocrites. Which honestly as I studied this section I felt that way too. But the glorious news of the gospel is seen here in verse 32. God has forgiven me in Christ for all my sins. Christ can forgive you also. Christ went to the cross and bore my sins and your sins upon himself. he suffered the wrath of God that you and I deserve. He died and three days later he rose again, defeating sin and death. That those who place their faith in Jesus will be saved. We will fail and fall into sin. but Christ has died for those sins also. We have been given a new nature one in the likeness of God. We are able to do these things because of our new position with God through Jesus. The question you must ask yourself isnt is the church full of hypocrites, because it is. The question that you should be asking yourself do I believe in the one who saved these hypocrites?

Church, I want you to notice 3 things here at the end now that we have finished going through this list of put offs and put ons.

First, All of these put offs are focused primarily on ourselves. Put off lying. Put off unrighteous anger. Put off stealing. Put off evil talk. Put off bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, slander and malice. Each of these put offs are self or inwardly focused. We do these things because we think that It is about me. We are to put off our old self. and put on the new self. The new self is outwardly focused. we speak truth with others because we are together, members of one another. We have righteous anger at injustice and sin. We labor to give to those in need, We build others up and speak grace to one another. We are kind, compassionate and forgiving. Each of these focuses on others. It is a humble, selfless way of living. It is a representation of Christ.

Second, I don’t want you to leave here feeling completely horrible. There is an instance where, yes you need to feel bad because of your sin. But see the grace in Christ. This section is after the spiritual blessings that we have in Christ, This section is after the understanding that we have been saved by Grace. There are beauties of Christ that are to be heralded to ourselves. John Owen says, “We have to be killing sin, or it will kill us”. In that killing of sin, we confess it to Jesus and we look to him. He is our righteousness, he is our holiness, he is our advocate. Our performance is a good indication of where our loyalties lie. However, our assurance is not rooted in our performance. Jared C Wilson, “If your performance is the root of your assurance of salvation, you will always be insecure.“ Our assurance is rooted in Christ, secured and sealed in the Holy Spirit.

Finally, Paul says that we are to be imitators of God and to walk in love. Pastor Chris will walk us through this passage fully next week. Our natures are made to be imitators of God who walk in love. This is our new nature. I remember growing up and seeing the WWJD bracelets. Do you remember them? What would Jesus Do? It was a reminder for the wearer that when they placed them on their wrist they were supposed to act like Jesus. I think the reason that these were not effective is because we could get into this mentality as I described in the opening as If I act like Jesus I will be saved. The heart behind these bracelets were there.

It wasnt an acting like jesus saves you but a I have been saved by Christ so I must live in a means that I imitate Jesus. This is what Paul is getting out here throughout this whole ethnical section in 4 and 5. Be Like Jesus. Imitate God in all you do. Imitate God in your truthfulness, in your anger, in your resources and giving, in the way you speak to one another, in your kindness love and forgiveness.

Brothers and sisters, Let be imitators of God in all we do.