EPHESIANS 5:1-10 - OUR BEHAVIOR SHOULD IMITATE OUR SAVIOR

Ephesians 5:1-10

OUR BEHAVIOR

SHOULD IMITATE OUR SAVIOR

Ephesians 5:1 Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children;

We both prefer the Amplified Classic Version of this verse:

Ephesians 5:10 (AMPC) Therefore be imitators of God [copy Him and follow His example], as well-beloved children [imitate their father].

We’ve all seen children try to be a “mini-me” of their parents. They try to walk like dad, pretend to work on the car like dad, pretend to vacuum the house like mom, etc. We watched a cute video this morning of a baby pretending to talk on the cell phone, mimicking the hand motions, leaning on her elbow, just as her mom would do. How do we imitate God? Imitate – be a mini me – or walk in the shadow of Christ’s walk. Conduct yourself in the same manner as He does. His love is a sacrificial and intimate affection. A child mirroring their parent is a copy-cat. You want to be a carbon copy of Jesus. Essentially, we are “carbon” copies of Jesus.  We talk about leaving a small carbon footprint on the earth, but in this case, we want our footprint to be large, large enough to love sacrificially. We want an enormous, gigantic, impossible to miss witness for our Lord. Some examples of how we can imitate Christ: Jesus gave thanks before he fed the multitudes from a few loaves and fish, and we should give thanks before our meals. Jesus used words to benefit others rather than tear them down. Jesus was humble and came to serve rather than to be served (Philippians 2:5-11 and Matthew 20:28). Jesus lived in complete obedience to the Father. Jesus was God in the flesh, so we are to imitate Him. We are now Jesus’ earth expression to bring light to a dark, dark world. In our earth-suits, we can be the hands and feet of the Lord to minister to people in practical, everyday ways.

Ephesians 5:2 And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling savour.

John 13:35 (NASB) By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”

Our love for members of the family of faith is Jesus’ certification stamp on us, like USDA Choice on a package of steak (and I know my steaks!) Christ’s love for us was demonstrated by His sacrifice on the cross to redeem us. Love almost always involves sacrificing our own desires for the benefit of others. Sacrificial love is another way we imitate God.

Ephesians 5:3 But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints;

We need to define “fornication” since we do not use that word in every day conversation:

Webster’s 1828 American Dictionary of the English Language

FORNICA'TION, noun [Latin fornicatio.]

1. The incontinence or lewdness of unmarried persons, male or female; also, the criminal conversation of a married man with an unmarried woman.

2. Adultery. Matthew 5:32.

3. Incest. 1 Corinthians 5:1.

4. Idolatry; a forsaking of the true God, and worshipping of idols. 2 Chronicles 21:11, Revelation 19:2.

Let’s just put this out there plainly. Fornication is sexual immorality of any kind, including having sexual relations with someone before marriage. Sexual immorality, impurity in relationships or coveting someone else’s spouse should not even be suspected of a Christian. When we call ourselves “Christians,” we represent Christ. We are ambassadors, witnesses for Him. He is who we are here for, not ourselves. We are not our own because He paid the price for our redemption. We should not participate in anything that is not honoring to His name.

1 Corinthians 6:18-20 (NASB) Flee immorality. Every other sin that a man commits is outside the body, but the immoral man sins against his own body. 19 Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? 20 For you have been bought with a price: therefore, glorify God in your body.

Sexual immorality is an epidemic in the USA, and unfortunately is even a problem in the church. A friend recently shared that she is required to sign an affidavit stating that she refuses to have her 15-yr-old vaccinated against an STD. Our world assumes teenagers will be sexual active! This should not be!

Ephesians 5:4 Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks.

We like the Amplified Version for clarifying verse four:

Ephesians 5:4 (AMP) Let there be no filthiness and silly talk, or coarse [obscene or vulgar] joking, because such things are not appropriate [for believers]; but instead speak of your thankfulness [to God].

Do not engage in conversation about those who participate or engage in perverse activities. Don’t even speak of their exploits in jest. Don’t even make jokes about it. Making jokes about immorality opens the door to thinking lightly about this kind of sin, and is completely “unbecoming,” as my grandmother would say, or inappropriate in today’s terminology, for believers’ conversations. Instead, we should be giving thanks to God for what He has done, continues to do, and will be faithful to do until we meet Him face to face. Our focus should be on all God has given us rather than what our fleshly desires covet, and our conversations should reflect that.

Ephesians 5:5 For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.

The behaviors above are associated with those who are apart from Jesus, who have never received His gift of salvation. They should not be practiced by those who have trusted Jesus for salvation. That is not to say that a single immoral incident causes one to lose his/her salvation. Once we belong to Jesus, we are permanently adopted into His family. However, His Holy Spirit inside the believer will draw them back to obedience; but the believer may have to suffer consequences of their behavior. A believer’s life will not be characterized by willful sin.

Ephesians 5:6 Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience. 7 Be not ye therefore partakers with them.

People find ways to justify their behavior, but do not let them influence you when you know something is against what the Bible teaches or would in any way harm your witness. This goes back to being imitators of God – would Jesus do these things? Would you participate with that friend if Jesus was in room with you? Especially beware of the friend who professes Christ but lives in perpetual disobedience to Him. God is a God of love, but He cannot and does not tolerate sin.

Ephesians 5:8 For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light: 9 (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;) 10 Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord.

Matthew 5:14-15 (NASB) You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden; 15 nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house.

Jesus Himself called believers the light of the world. In the Christian life, we walk not with our feet, but decision by decision, choice by choice. We are to walk in the same manner of Jesus. Jesus is THE Light, and we as lesser lights, like the moon reflects the sun, are to reflect the Son of God to the world.

Galatians 5:22-23 (NASB) But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.

Light grows crops, the fruit grown by the Light of Jesus, is the fruit of the Spirit in the passage above. We need to allow the Master Gardener, the Father, to cultivate this fruit in our lives (John 15:1-2). The Lord may need to prune some behaviors, and sometimes even influences, out of our lives in order to make us more like Jesus.

Romans 12:1-2 (NASB) Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. 2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.

As the Lord renews our minds, we are able to present evidence in our own lives, like exhibits in court, of good and acceptable behavior.

Remember the song, “Be careful little eyes what you see…”? It went on to address ears, lips, and hands (actions). It is not just for children. We need to remember that “the Father up above is looking down in love” and behave accordingly. We need to be Jesus’ mini-me by imitating Him as a child imitates a parent. Sometimes we have earthly parents who are not the best role models. However, our heavenly Father is the perfect example. Each day we need to ask ourselves whether or not our speech, interests, and actions are something that would bring honor or dishonor to our Father.