Be Godly

Ephesians 5:1-2   

‘Therefore’ always indicates that what the author is saying is in some way connected with what he has previously said. This follows on from, chapter 4:32, And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you. Christians will be LIKE CHRIST, – in that they practice kindness, out of compassionate hearts, and that will be worked out in the way they readily forgive others, – as we have been forgiven. Therefore, he goes on, – Be GODLY PEOPLE! Be followers of God!

1 Followers of God. Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children;

The word that the AV translates as ‘followers’ is μιμητής (mimētēs) – from which we get our English word ‘mimic’ – it means to imitate. We are to be imitators of God! In Ephesians 4:31-32, we noted in passing that children tend to grow up with similar attitudes, similar mannerisms etc to their parents. We are the children of our father in heaven, albeit adopted, – but living in his presence should mean that we become like him in our ways.  Even more so, when we note that Paul describes us here as ‘DEAR’ children! We not not neglected children, or ignored children – we are the children who are dear to His heart! The child who feels especially loved will always emulate the parent who loves him/her.   Yet that must challenge us! How can WE be LIKE HIM? He is Almighty God – we are finite sinners! Yet we CAN in some finite sense imitate him, because… 

• We are created in his image! We are MADE with the purpose of glorifying God, and enjoying his presence forever. Genesis 1:26-27   Having the image and likeness of God means, in simple terms, that we were made to resemble God, to imitate him. Paul is simply teaching us that in Christ, the original purpose of creation is restored in the Christian, – we are to be Godly – to imitate our heavenly Father.
• Because we have His Holy Spirit to enable us. Because we are his through redemption, and because we have been given new life, through the work of the Holy Spirit we are able to follow God. In fact, Wm Hendriksen argues that it is only when we reach an understanding of who God is, holy, transcendent, almighty, etc, and who we are, only then, in newness of life can we begin to imitate God.
• Because we can imitate his love. As those who have experienced his love, in saving us, we can demonstrate that same love and forgiveness, that kindness and compassion to others.  1 John 4:10-11.  

It is to that third form of imitation of our heavenly father, to which Paul now turns in verse 2:-

2 Walking in Love. 2 And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us,

We are to ‘walk in love.’ – Love is to characterise our lives. The word walk here is περιπατέω (peripateō) – a continuous walk in love, not a single act of love, or a stop-start walk, – but a continuous line of loving and serving others, every moment of every day, for the rest of our lives. Galatians 2:20   Walk in love, demonstrating to others, even our enemies, the love that Christ has shown to us. 

How deep is that love? Paul is telling us in verse one to be followers of God, but in verse two, when he tells us to walk in love, as Christ has loved us, he includes himself. YOU become US. He loved US. That includes Paul, who calls himself, the chief of sinners, in 1 Timothy 1:15. It’s so deep that it reaches down to the worst of humanity.

A word of warning – do not confuse ‘love’ with ‘tolerance!’ You’ll hear people say, if you love me as you say you do, then you must accept my lifestyle, you must accept my religion, – whatever. That’s not being loving, that’s leaving people’s never dying souls in eternal danger. Remember that our love is to reflect Christ’s love, we are to ‘walk in love, as Christ loved us.’ How did he love us? Not by overlooking our sin, but by ‘giving himself for us.’ By making a way for us to be forgiven, and to be made right before God, through his own self-sacrificial love demonstrated on the cross.  We LOVE our neighbours best by walking in love towards them, – by showing self-sacrificial kindness to all, by introducing them to the loving Saviour, by being Christlike in our walk.

3. Living God-Pleasing Lives.  and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour.

One final thought and it is a challenge. Now that I am forgiven, and I am grateful to God for my pardon, my forgiveness, am I living my life in such a way that I am consciously trying to please God, in all my ways, every day of life? 

Paul refers us to the OT Testament sacrificial system. In the OT, animals were sacrificed upon an alter, and their flesh burned. All day long the smell of burning meat rose up from the temple, and it could be smelled all around. It was an aroma that pleased the LORD. But no matter how many offerings were made on those altars, they could never remove the stain of sin. READ Hebrews 10:11 Those OT sacrifices pointed forward to another sacrifice, to “The Lamb of God, which taketh away the sins of the world.” That Lamb was Jesus, who has given himself an offering and a sacrifice for our sins, who became both the sacrificial victim and the priest, – in that he offered himself. Hebrews 10:11-12 His atoning work is finished, he has sat down, salvation is accomplished for us, and no more sacrifice is required. And now Paul says, that Christ’s sacrifice was well pleasing unto God, – it was a sweet smelling savour!   

To live like Jesus, we must at least attempt to live lives that are pleasing to God. Demonstrating to others our willingness to forgive.  Everything that we do, out of love and gratitude to God is pleasing to him.  2 Corinthians 2:15-16 

In this lesson we have seen how Paul exhorts the Ephesians to imitate God, as children imitate their parents, and we can do that by living lives that are loving, demonstrating to others the forgiving love that we have experienced in Christ, love that points them to the only way of salvation, so living lives that are pleasing to God, our heavenly father.

© Bob McEvoy April 2024