Be imitators of God, walk in love

Ephesians 5 from the daily reading in the One Year Bible

Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children; ² and walk in love, just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma.

³ But immorality or any impurity or greed must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints; ⁴ and there must be no filthiness and silly talk, or coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks. ⁵ For this you know with certainty, that no immoral or impure person or covetous man, who is an idolater, has an inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.

⁶ Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. ⁷ Therefore do not be partakers with them; ⁸ for you were formerly darkness, but now you are Light in the Lord; walk as children of Light ⁹ (for the fruit of the Light consists in all goodness and righteousness and truth), ¹⁰ trying to learn what is pleasing to the Lord. ¹¹ Do not participate in the unfruitful deeds of darkness, but instead even expose them; ¹² for it is disgraceful even to speak of the things which are done by them in secret. ¹³ But all things become visible when they are exposed by the light, for everything that becomes visible is light. ¹⁴ For this reason it says, “Awake, sleeper, And arise from the dead, And Christ will shine on you.”

¹⁵ Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise, ¹⁶making the most of your time, because the days are evil. ¹⁷ So then do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. ¹⁸ And do not get drunk with wine, for that is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit, ¹⁹ speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord; ²⁰ always giving thanks for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God, even the Father; ²¹  and be subject to one another in the fear of Christ.

²² Wives, be subject to your own husbands, as to the Lord. ²³ For the husband is the head of the wife, as Christ also is the head of the church, He Himself being the Savior of the body. ²⁴ But as the church is subject to Christ, so also the wives ought to be to their husbands in everything.

²⁵ Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her, ²⁶ so that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, ²⁷ that He might present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she would be holy and blameless. ²⁸ So husbands ought also to love their own wives as their own bodies. He who loves his own wife loves himself; ²⁹ for no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ also does the church, ³⁰ because we are members of His body. ³¹ For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and shall be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh. ³² This mystery is great; but I am speaking with reference to Christ and the church. ³³ Nevertheless, each individual among you also is to love his own wife even as himself, and the wife must see to it that she respects her husband.

In today’s text Paul begins saying:  Be imitators of God, as beloved children; and walk in love, just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us.  Christians are often criticized for not loving as Christ loved and as Paul exhorts us to love. In the text Paul continues to describe what it means to be imitators of God, and so how we are to love the world. He says:  Immorality or any impurity or greed must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints; and there must be no filthiness and silly talk, or coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks. For this you know with certainty, that no immoral or impure person or covetous man, who is an idolater, has an inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.    Previously Paul said we are to be filled with the fullness of God. Along with love then, we are to imitate God through holiness and righteousness. Paul continues saying: Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. Therefore do not be partakers with them; for you were formerly darkness, but now you are Light in the Lord; walk as children of Light (for the fruit of the Light consists in all goodness and righteousness and truth),  trying to learn what is pleasing to the Lord. Do not participate in the unfruitful deeds of darkness, but instead even expose them; for it is disgraceful even to speak of the things which are done by them in secret. But all things become visible when they are exposed by the light.   Many today deceive and are deceived by the empty words of a gospel that speaks only of love and grace with no need for repentance and holiness. We are to love others, but as Paul says, we should not be partakers of their sinfulness and immorality. Paul says not only should we not participate in darkness, but that we should expose it.  Paul says:  It is disgraceful even to speak of the things which are done by them in secret. But all things become visible when they are exposed by the light.   This is where Christians often make the biggest mistake. It is not through our words of judgment, through our words of condemnation, speaking of the immorality and sinfulness that we are to expose the darkness. We are to expose it to and by the light. In Matthew 5:14-16 Jesus says: “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden; 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. Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.”  1 John 1:5 says:  God is Light, and in Him there is no darkness at all.    If we are imitators of God, it is not through condemnation that we expose sin, it is by shining His light that we expose and overcome darkness.

The text says:  Be careful how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise, making the most of your time, because the days are evil. So then do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.  Jesus knew and did the will of the Father. Jesus surely made the most of His time. In three short years, through His life, His words, His death and His resurrection He changed the world more than anyone before or after Him. At the beginning of His ministry Jesus said: “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” (Matthew 4:17) Jesus was criticized for associating with sinners in love. Answering those who questioned His association and love He said: "I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance." (Luke 5:32) Romans 5:8 says:  God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.  The demonstration of the love of God is that Christ died for our sins, not that we would remain in sin, but rather that being forgiven we would become like Him, that we would repent and be imitators of God, as beloved children; and walk in love, just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us.   We cannot save the world or those we love simply by loving them and by offering grace without repentance, but rather that we point them to the cross, the demonstration of the love of God. True love will not be unwise and participate, accept, embrace or condone sin. It will not though talk about the sinfulness of the world, but rather will expose it through light and love.

Heavenly Father, Lord Jesus Christ precious Holy Spirit; thank You that I am forgiven through the cross and filled with and empowered by the Holy Spirit to walk in love. May I be an imitator of You. May I know Your will and be a carrier of Your light in the darkness.   Amen.