Mimic God, Love like Jesus

Ephesians 5:1-5

We begin chapter 5 of Ephesians where chapter 4 left off: exhorting us in a new way of life.  Paul reminds his brothers and sisters (and us) in Ephesus that the source and model of the new life is Christ, which not only brings us certain present realities, but also gives us different perspectives and principles.



1 Be ye therefore imitators of God, as beloved children, 2 and walk in love, even as the Christ loved us, and delivered himself up for us, an offering and sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling savour.  3 But fornication and all uncleanness or unbridled lust, let it not be even named among you, as it becomes saints; 4 and filthiness and foolish talking, or jesting, which are not convenient; but rather thanksgiving. 5 For this ye are well informed of, knowing that no fornicator, or unclean person, or person of unbridled lust, who is an idolater, has inheritance in the kingdom of the Christ and God. Darby NT, 1884



1 γινεσθε ουν μιμηται του θεου ως τεκνα αγαπητα 2 και περιπατειτε εν αγαπη καθως και ο χριστος ηγαπησεν υμας και παρεδωκεν εαυτον υπερ υμων προσφοραν και θυσιαν τω θεω εις οσμην ευωδιας 3 πορνεια δε και ακαθαρσια πασα η πλεονεξια μηδε ονομαζεσθω εν υμιν καθως πρεπει αγιοις 4 και αισχροτης και μωρολογια η ευτραπελια α ουκ ανηκεν αλλα μαλλον ευχαριστια 5 τουτο γαρ ιστε γινωσκοντες οτι πας πορνος η ακαθαρτος η πλεονεκτης ο εστιν ειδωλολατρης ουκ εχει κληρονομιαν εν τη βασιλεια του χριστου και θεου WHNU

DNA is an amazing part of our creation.  Some of you may know that I explore the Outlaw Trail of the American West as a hobby.  This unofficial "trail" represents a series of hideouts and routes used by Butch Cassidy, Hole in the Wall Gang, and the Wild Bunch.  As seen in the movie, "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid", Butch and Sundance meet their end in South America.  Local newspapers of the day hailed the demise of the "yankee bandits".  Enter DNA.  In 1992, a team of scientists exhumed the alleged bodies of  Butch and Sundance.  They took DNA from the bone marrow.  They attempted to match the DNA to living relatives of Butch Cassidy.  There was no match.  What happened to Butch and Sundance?  There are tales of other endings to their stories, but I leave that for you to explore.  Is not amazing that the identity of one who had supposedly died some 80+ years earlier could be identified by DNA from the present generation?  The physical marking of DNA can be detected for many generations.

If it so with the physical, which is temporal, should not there be a similar marking in the spiritual, which is eternal?  Indeed there is -- the indwelling of the Holy Spirit -- and our lives are thus forever marked with the "DNA" of our Father.

Verse 1: Be ye therefore imitators of God, as beloved children...γινεσθε ουν μιμηται του θεου ως τεκνα αγαπητα  Darby writes "be ye imitators of God",  the Greek, "therefore become mimickers (μιμηται) of God", "as beloved children".  Who do children first learn to imitate?  Their parents, and sometimes to our embarassment (because they are mimicking a behavior of which do not otherwise take notice).  Children grow out of that behavior, to a large degree, because of other influencers in their lives.  In the Greek, we are exhorted to "become" -- imperative present middle voice -- transform ourselves to mimic God -- do the things He does, and not "grow out of it".

Verse 2: and walk in love, even as the Christ loved us, and delivered himself up for us, an offering and sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling savour...και περιπατειτε εν αγαπη καθως και ο χριστος ηγαπησεν υμας και παρεδωκεν εαυτον υπερ υμων προσφοραν και θυσιαν τω θεω εις οσμην ευωδιας  The phrase "walk in love" does not mean to walk about adoring everything and everyone you see.  Rather, it is to be seen as walking in a realm of love, with love being an evident part of your being all the while you are going.  To what extent is that love?  As Christ loved us, Paul explains, as a self-surrendered sacrifice to God, which is a sweet fragrance -- a good smelling odor -- unto the Lord.  We chose to mimic Him or not, in all aspects, especially in love; just as Christ chose the cross -- obedient to the Father, love toward us.

Verse 3: But fornication and all uncleanness or unbridled lust, let it not be even named among you, as it becomes saints...πορνεια δε και ακαθαρσια πασα η πλεονεξια μηδε ονομαζεσθω εν υμιν  καθως πρεπει αγιοις   We change the way we live, walking in love, not in our former ways, which included sexual sin, unclean behavior, and greed in many forms.  Of these things, πορνεια, ακαθαρσια, and πλεονεξια, Paul exhorts that the Ephesians (and us) should no longer let them be named among them (us).  The old life was full of such behavior.  We were slaves to them.  Now, in Christ, we are free; why run back to that which destroys and enslaves?  The Greek verb πρεπει, present (durative action) third person singular of πρεπω, meaning "to be becoming of, be seemly of, is fit or proper for".  Paul says not permitting such things to be named among is an appropriate expression of who and Whose we are.

Verse 4: and filthiness and foolish talking, or jesting, which are not convenient; but rather thanksgiving...και αισχροτης και μωρολογια η ευτραπελια α ουκ ανηκεν αλλα μαλλον ευχαριστια  Verse four expands verse three, including other "lessor bad behaviors" (as one might judge compared to the first three) we should avoid because they are not fitting.  As Darby writes "which are not convenient", a late 19th century phrasing we perhaps do not appreciate in the 21st century, is the rendering of the Greek α ουκ ανηκεν, which today might be more accurately rendered "which are not fit, not worthy of attainment".  Paul contrasts these behaviors with "BUT (strongest word in the Greek indicating contrast, αλλα) rather give thanks".  To the extent that we often in the flesh take "filthiness, foolish talking, or jesting", we are to go the other way just as far if not more so with thanksgiving.  Try it some time.

Verse 5: For this ye are well informed of, knowing that no fornicator, or unclean person, or person of unbridled lust, who is an idolater, has inheritance in the kingdom of the Christ and God...τουτο γαρ ιστε γινωσκοντες οτι πας πορνος η ακαθαρτος η πλεονεκτης ο εστιν ειδωλολατρης ουκ εχει κληρονομιαν εν τη βασιλεια του χριστου και θεου  What is the habit of our lives?  This is what Paul confronts with in this verse.  Our habits come from whom we are mimicking.  The expression of our lives is the result of the Life (or lack of) within us.  The present/durative verb tense is used here.  We all fall, we all will sin, but it does not mean we are not His children.  That is durative.  Is it a durative fact -- an ever present part of your being -- that you are one who commits sexual sin, one who is unclean, one who is greedy, one who is an idolater?  If true, you have no inheritance in Heaven, according to God's Word, not mine.  Some fit that description yet hide among the children of God.  Beware of them, that we might walk in love, a reflection of Whose we are...

Grace and peace of Christ to you.