1. The Epistle to the Ephesians Ephesians 5:1,2 – “Be Imitators of God”
Eph 5:1 – “Therefore be imitators of God as dear children.”
What’s it therefore?
Eph 4:32 - And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.
What does it mean to be (ginomai, become, imperative) imitators (followers) of God, looking like Jesus or walking in His footsteps?
This same word mimētēs is used often in the epistles:
1 Cor 4:16, 11:1; 1 Thess 1:6, 2:14; Heb 6:12; 1 Pet 3:13.
How do you do this?
How are you doing?
as dear children
Is this simply like a child/father relationship?
Perhaps verse 2 will help us here? 1
Sept 23, Bob Eckel 1

2. The Epistle to the Ephesians Ephesians 5:1,2 – “Be Imitators of God”
Eph 5:2 – “And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma.”
And walk (conduct one’s life) in love (agape)
What kind of walk and love is this?
as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us
2 Thess 2:16 – Now may our Lord Jesus Christ Himself, and our God and Father, who has loved us and given us everlasting consolation and good hope by grace,
Rev 1:5 - And from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler over the kings of the earth. To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood,
What’s different here than what God commanded of Israel?
Deut 30:16 - “in that I command you today to love (ahab) the Lord your God, to walk in His ways, and to keep His commandments, His statutes, and His judgments, that you may live and multiply; and the Lord your God will bless you in the land which you go to possess. 2
Sept 23, Bob Eckel 2

3. The Epistle to the Ephesians Ephesians 5:1,2 – “Be Imitators of God”
What kind of love is ahab?
Human love!
And if Israel couldn't do it how can we?
We can’t!
What kind of love is agape?
Unequivocal, unconditional, infinite, eternal
It’s Christ’s love for us!
So what kind of walk is this?
Phil 1:21 – For to me, to live is Christ ……
And how do we do this?
Rom 8:2-4 - For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh, that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.
And what is this law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus?
for us is huper hēmōn which is instead of or in behalf of 3
Sept 23, Bob Eckel 3

4. The Epistle to the Ephesians Ephesians 5:1,2 – “Be Imitators of God”
Wuest – It does not merely mean that Christ died for us, for our benefit, but He died instead of us.
But isn’t the cross more than that?
Rom 6:3,4 - Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.
an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma
A contrast to the past.
Heb 10:4 - For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and goats could take away sins.
Heb 10:8 - Previously saying, “Sacrifice and offering, burnt offerings, and offerings for sin You did not desire, nor had pleasure in them” (which are offered according to the law),
This one is sweet-savoring, as is our walk.
2 Cor 2:15,16 - For we are to God the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing. To the one we are the aroma of death leading to death, and to the other 4
Sept 23, Bob Eckel 4

5. The Epistle to the Ephesians
Ephesians 5:1,2 – “Be Imitators of God”
the aroma of life leading to life. And who is sufficient for these things?
So what’s the proverbial bottom line?
Remember from whence our study began - Ephesians 1-3!
Let’s begin with rest:
Heb 4:9 - There remains therefore a rest for the people of God.
Now let’s accept our citizenship
Phil 3:20 - For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ,
And reckon on this position
Rom 6:11 - Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Then walk in His nature and His love will be manifested:
Gal 2:20 - I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.
This is imitation, His life in us! 5
Sept 23, Bob Eckel 5