Ephesians 2:1-3
How we Were ’Before’ Salvation
Ephesians 2:4-10
How He Works in Us ’After’ Salvation
Ephesians 2:11-13
My Position in Christ As a Gentile
Ephesians 2:14-18
We Are One Body in Christ
Ephesians 2:19-22
Fellowship Needs to Be a Priority
Ephesians 3:1-6
Missionary to The Gentiles
Ephesians 3:7-13
Mystery of God’s Grace
Ephesians 3:14-21
Prayer For God’s Power And Love
Ephesians 4:1-6
Spiritual Unity
Ephesians 4:7-16
Gifts From The Risen Messiah
Ephesians 4:17-22
Walk As a New Person in Christ
Ephesians 4:23-29
Be Holy And Not Sinful
Ephesians 4:30-32
Grieving God’s Spirit by The Way we Live
Ephesians 5:1-7
Who do You Try to Imitate?
Ephesians 5:8-14
Walk as Children of Light
Ephesians 5:15-21
Evidences Of a Spirit-filled Life
Ephesians 5:22-24
Instructions to Wives
Ephesians 5:25-33
Instructions to Husbands
Ephesians 6:1-4
Training Children to Obey
Ephesians 6:5-9
Living Under Authority
Who do You Try to Imitate?
Ephesians 5:1–7
» View this passage in NIV (Bible Gateway)
President Calvin Coolidge invited some people from his hometown to dinner at the White House. Since they did not know how to behave at such an occasion, they thought the best policy would be just to do what the President did. The time came for serving coffee. The President p … More
Paul continues his discussion on the conduct of believers. He says that each Christian should be an imitator of God because he is a child of God (v. 1). Just as children imitate their parents, so should a believer imitate God. This should begin by walking in Christ-like love (v.2). Love is the Christians’ standard for daily conduct. As Christians we have the opportunity of imitating God by loving others, even to the point of death if necessary.
If we are going to walk in love we must abstain from evil practices (v. 3). He warns us against the sexual sins (fornications) which were so prevalent in that day and still are today. Then he lists covetousness which is only a different expression of the same basic sin which is an uncontrolled appetite. People who have sinful appetites usually also have sinful speech. Warren Wiersbe says, “two indications of a person’s character are what makes him laugh and what makes him weep.” This means conversation that is offensive to Christian decency and makes light of sin. The gift of wit is a blessing but attached to a sinful mind it becomes a curse. Don’t use dirty or foolish or filthy words. Instead, say how thankful you are (v. 4).
At the time Paul was writing this there were false Christians who argued that believers could live in sin and get away with it. He makes it clear that people who deliberately live in sin will not share in God’s kingdom (v. 5). These warnings deal with the habitual practice of sin and not a one time act such as David. Don’t let anyone trick you with foolish talk (v. 6). God punishes everyone who disobeys him and says foolish things. So don’t have anything to do with anyone like that (v. 7).Application
On a scale of 1 to 10 how do I rate myself as to being an imitator of Christ by loving others?
Ephesians 5:1-7 (English Standard Version)
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