Ephesians 5: 1-2  (Imitating Christ)

            Summary:  Paul is returning to providing the Ephesians with directly applicable things to do in order to become more like Christ.  He now urges the church to be imitators of God just like favored children.  He also continues in urging the church to walk in love furthermore following the example of Christ because this pleases the Father.

Note: Beloved is translated from agapetos which literally means “to be worthy of love, or favorite”

            Timeless Principle:  The first command issued by Paul in this text is that of a calling to be imitators of God, following after Him as beloved children.  We are to imitate God.  Is that even possible?  It may not possible to the furthest degree at least not until the time of the returning of “our blessed hope, savior Jesus Christ.”  However this gives us no excuse to become, through the power of the Spirit that lives within us, more and more like Christ.  We are to cut our losses upon becoming a Christian and toil with all our might counting everything as loss such that in the end we may gain Christ.  This, at least when looking at the lives of those who have done this in the past, implies one thing.  It is not easy to count all as loss, to give up relationships, to willingly die, and to suffer seemingly in vain (but in fact with a divine cause).  All of these things have one huge thing in common being that they all directly relate to the life of Christ, and it is this life for which we focus all our efforts.  How then should we approach this obvious pain might be one question that presents itself?  We should be as beloved children. The word for beloved here literally means as “favored” children.  What then does this imply?  When a child is favored that means that he/she is obedient to the father in all things doing them eagerly and without complaint.  So despite the obvious result, meaning obvious pain, it should be our joy to go follow Christ even unto death so that as favored child also receiving our allotted inheritance.  This is not be confused with the idea works earn God’s favor but rather simply highlights a truly Christ-centered life that has committed all to the name that is above all names.  We should go there for as children who are striving with all strength to progress in God’s will.

            The second brought out is that we should walk in love as Christ did.  What does this mean? Perhaps an example of this in Christ’s life should be looked at so that we can see can get a better grasp on what this implies.  In Matthew 9 a beautiful picture of Christ’s love is painted.  Christ comes into Capernaum and begins doing miraculous things, as was his style.  He healed, cast out demons, performed miracles, and turned the town upside down so much so that the locals were talking about Him regularly, proclaiming, “Never [has there been seen] anything like this in Israel.”  He continued this until he had healed every disease and affliction in the area.  But despite this physical miracle something troubled Him and caused Him great sorrow.  He looked out unto the crowds and then turns to His disciples and says the something that echoes through time.  He perceived that the crowds on which he stared were harassed and helpless as sheep without a shepherd.   He had just healed every disease and affliction and still he was driven to sorrow for the spiritual bankruptcy of the crowds.  He loved them so much that he cared for every need they had and then labored diligently for them and even was driven to sorrow for them.  It was for them that he willingly drank a cup filled with the wrath, fury, and sulfur on the cross for their (and our) sake.  So should we weep for the souls of men and walk in this making it our goal to stand out of this world not in a way that is prideful but in a way that offers "a pleasing aroma to God."