Imitating God As Dear Children

Therefore, be imitators of God as dear children.

Ephesians 5:1

The latter portion of Ephesians is full of New Testament commandments. Our text this morning puts a very familial construction upon what has gone before and what follows. It encourages us with, ‘be imitators of God as dear children.’ Here is a graphic image of our Christian walk. It also leads us directly to Christ. While Christ is, the only Redeemer of God’s elect, He is also the Great Exemplar of the Christian life. How is it that our own dear children, learn to behave? They do so by imitating us. What Daddy and Mommy do, they imitate. So, their patterns of behavior emerge as little versions of the adult examples before them. This is of the utmost importance when we see all these commands set forth in the context of our text. An adherence to the letter of these commandments will produce a barren self-righteousness, devoid of compassion. It is the imitation of Christ that makes the following of these commandments more than a dead letter exercise. As a dear child of God, I must look to Christ to see how these commandments translate into everyday spiritual behavior. There is no true obedience apart from the imitation of Christ. Although it has become a trite and passé cliché, ‘What would Jesus Do?’  The phrase has a validity which we should carefully consider. As we contemplate Christ, so we shall learn to imitate Christ, as dear children. Look to Christ today.   Imitate Him, dear child, the Holy Spirit will conform you to His Image.

Our most Holy and Faithful God,
Enable us today by the power of Your Spirit,
To both contemplate and imitate our Dear Savior.
Make us daily to more closely resemble Jesus Christ.

Tomm Tice
Where the Bush Burning