“Imitators of God”
Introduction. Read:
Ephesians 5:1-21. In his beautiful letter to the Ephesians
•
Paul had just talked to the brethren about the relationship they
shared with each other as members of the “one body” that is the Lord’s church
(Eph. 4:4; cf. 1:22-23).
•
He will go on later to talk to them about the relationship
Christians should maintain within their families,
o
With husbands demonstrating headship (Eph. 5:23),
o
Wives acting with loving respect in submission (Eph. 5:22, 33),
o
Children obedient to their parents (Eph. 6:1).
Yet, before this he talks to them about the most important
relationship humans can enjoy—the relationship that makes fellowship within the
church possible—the relationship that sets the patterns for family
relationships—a relationship with God. He charges them “be imitators of God, as
dear children” (Eph. 5:1, NKJV).
I. “Followers” or
“Imitators”?
A. Since
the translation of the American Standard Version in 1901, most modern
translations have rendered the Greek noun mimētēs in this text
(from which our word “mimic” is derived) with the word “imitators.”
1. Prior
to this most English translations used the word “followers,” probably because
it seems unnatural to think of human beings imitating Deity.
2. Man
is not God, and no efforts to mimic Him can change that!
B. This
hesitation to accept the clear sense of this text, however, may miss the
modifier—“as dear children.”
1. All
of us have seen little children look at the mature actions of their parents and
try their best to imitate them.
2. Whether
it is the little boy stretching to look in the mirror and act like he is
shaving, or the little girl stirring a spoon pretending to mix food in an empty
bowl...
II. Children who love their parents seek to be like
them.
A. Much
of the focus of the verses that follow may reflect this objective.
1. Why
are Christians charged to “walk in love” (Eph. 5:2a)?
2. Because
beloved children of God should imitate God in the flesh who “has loved us and
given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice” (Eph. 5:2b).
B. Paul
names six sinful behaviors that are “not fitting” (Eph. 5:4d). In the context
why should such things “not even be named among” Christians (Eph. 5:3d)?
Because God would not practice such things!
1. Would
God engage in fornication, uncleanness, or covetousness (Eph. 5:3a-c)? Of
course not—a “covetous man” is “an idolater” (Eph. 5:5)!
2. Can
we picture God engaging in “obscenity” (Eph. 5:4a,NIV)—the NKJV puts this
“filthiness”—can we picture God engaging in “foolish talking or coarse jesting”
(Eph. 5:4b-c, NKJV)? Of course not—our Father in heaven doesn’t talk that way!
III. Disobedient children
don’t imitate their parents.
A. Earlier
in the epistle Paul reminded the Christians in Ephesus what they used to be.
Read: Ephesians 2:1-3
1. When
they were “children of wrath” (Eph. 2:3)...
2. Living
as “sons of disobedience” (Eph. 2:2).
B. If
Christians fail to imitate the character and virtue of God our Father...
1. “The
wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience” (Eph. 5:6) who...
2. Surrender
“any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God” (Eph. 5:5).
C. Imitation
of our heavenly Father is not just an idealistic aspiration that’s an option no
one will every really attain, it is the heart and soul of what shapes the
behavior of a child of God. (cf. 1 Corinthians 11:1). Go back to Ephesians
chapter five.
IV. If we don’t Imitate
God, we are partners with His enemies.
A. There
is another relationship that the apostle also explores in the midst of this
appeal for imitation of Deity. Paul has just spoken of God’s wrath coming upon
the “sons of disobedience” (Eph. 5:6).
1. To
this, he adds the warning, “Therefore do not be partakers with them” (Eph.
5:7).
2. The
word translated “partakers” in the Greek is summetochos. The prefix sum-
adds the sense of “with” or “together” to the noun metochos, which
Thayer tells us is a “a partner (in a work, office, dignity).”
B. The
Hebrew writer used this word a number of times of the special relationships the
Christian enjoys in Christ. He tells us through the Holy Spirit that Christians
are...
1. Read:
Hebrews 3:1-2 “Partakers of the heavenly calling” (Heb. 3:1).
2. Read:
Hebrews 3:12-15 “Partakers of Christ” (Heb. 3:14), and...
3. Read:
Hebrews 6:4-6 “Partakers of the Holy Ghost” (Heb. 6:4, KJV). Go back to
Ephesians chapter five.
C. In
our text in Ephesians it is a different partnership Paul has in mind. To
fail to imitate our Father makes us partners with the “sons of disobedience”
who practice the “unfruitful works of darkness” (Eph. 5:11b). What a
striking thought! Do we want to be counted as “partners” with God’s
enemies? Of course not!
1. Christians
must “have no fellowship” with such things, or those who practice them (Eph.
5:11a).
2. All
were “once darkness” (Eph. 5:8a), but...
3. The child
who imitates His Father in heaven may “walk as children of light” (Eph. 5:8c).
4. Paul
used this same language to the church in Thessalonica. Read: 2 Thessalionians
5:1-6.
5. How
does this continue the idea of imitation of Deity? Remember what we know
about God! Read: 1 John 1:5-7.
V. “Fruit of the Spirit”
or “Fruit of the Light”?
A. The
issue of textual evidence.
1. The majority
of Greek manuscripts, including with the second (or possibly even first)
century Chester Beatty papyrus (P46) preserve the wording
“fruit of the Spirit” in Paul’s description of this walk as “children of light”
producing “goodness, righteousness, and truth” (Eph. 5:9, NKJV).
2. Most
modern translations, following the Sinai, Vatican, and Alexandrian Greek
manuscripts, and most ancient translations read instead “fruit of the light”
(ASV, NASB, ESV).
3. At
some point in the transmission of the text a scribe either repeated the wording
of Galatians 5:22 “fruit of the Spirit” or blended the figure of light that runs
throughout this passage into this description—“fruit of the light.”
B. Those
in Christ, having left darkness now “are light in the Lord” (Eph. 5:8b).
1. They
reject “fellowship” (another word for a partnership) with “the
unfruitful works of darkness” but “rather expose them” (Eph. 5:11)—that’s what
light does.
2. How
could an imitator of God practice such things?—“it is shameful even to speak of
those things which are done by them in secret” (Eph. 5:12).
3. Instead,
“all things that are exposed are made manifest by the light”—imitators of God
expose the errors of darkness “for whatever makes manifest is light” (Eph.
5:13).
4. Those
who leave darkness may, “arise from the dead” in assurance that “Christ will
give you light” (Eph. 5:14).
•
Note: There are a number of different theories about this verse.
Some believe it is a paraphrase of some OT text. Some have understood it to
have been a statement revealed to the apostles and prophets during NT times.
Paul cites it, almost as if it would have been familiar to his readers. This
has led some to theorize that it could have been a song sung among 1st
Century Christians. If so, it was an inspired song.
•
Whatever the case it reflects what happens to the one who turns
to Christ—Christ gives them the light of life, the light of truth, in the light
of the gospel.
VI. “Look carefully.” Read: Ephesians 5:15-21
A. Divine
imitation?
1. It
may be that by this point in the text Paul is no longer emphasizing imitation
of Deity, but a case could be made that this theme runs until Paul shifts to
instruction on the family in verse 22.
2. He
has explained that “children of light” who bring forth the “fruit of the light”
(or “of the Spirit”) seek to find “out what is acceptable to the Lord” (Eph.
5:10).
3. Picture
that little child looking up intently at his father or mother, carefully
studying every move his parents make. That may be the idea Paul continues.
B. An
imitator of God will “look carefully” (Eph. 5:15, RSV, cf. ASV)—NKJV puts it “circumspectly”—
how he should walk.
1. He
will “not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is” (Eph. 5:17).
2. It
is possible to understand “what is acceptable to the Lord” (Eph. 5:10) and what
“the will of the Lord is” (Eph. 5:17b).
3. How
can we know “the will of the Lord”? Paul hear is not talking about God’s
providence (we can’t always know that)—he is not talking about matters that God
has determined but not revealed (e.g. Judgment Day—no one knows the “day and hour”
(Mark 13:32).
•
Paul is talking about God’s revealed will. We learn our
Father’s will and character through looking to His word.
C. Our
behavior must reflect the character of our Father.
1. Our
Father in heaven would never “be drunk with wine” (Eph. 5:18a). We should be
filled, with what fills Him.
2. As
we come to understand His will in looking to His word we come to be “filled
with the Spirit” (Eph. 5:18c).
D. Christians
“speaking to one another” in song “making melody in your heart” (Eph. 5:19a)
may not reflect imitation of Deity—man sings to God and of God. Does
God sing?
1. Even
so, children who imitate their heavenly Father offer worship “to the Lord”
(Eph. 5:19b).
2. Their
interest is not “what’s in it for me?”—They are looking heavenward,
“giving thanks always for all things to God the Father” (Eph. 5:20).
E. The
imitator of God will not splinter the unity of his brothers and sisters of
light through selfish self-interest.
1. He
or she will be too busy, “submitting to one another in the fear of God” (Eph.
5:21).
Conclusion. The
soul who looks to God with loving respect, as our Father who loves us and cares
for us will willing look to the character and will of God, because such a soul
wants to be just like his Father in heaven.