Ephesians

Be God-like

The task of Christianity is not primarily to get us ready for heaven—that is the easy part. We achieve salvation by grace through faith in Jesus Christ. The tough part is not heaven but earth. The major task of the Christian faith is to equip us for life here on this planet. So the theme of the Scriptures is how we are to handle life, with all its stress and pressure, temptation and allure, heartache and suffering, confusion and fear.

We are not here, either as a collective church or as individual Christians, primarily to make the world a better place to live in. Instead, we are to be better people in a terrible world—and as a by-product of becoming the kind of people God wants us to be, we will make the world a better place. And we have been given the secret that makes us the kind of people God wants us to be. Paul states the great secret of Christian living in the next two verses:

Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. (Ephesians 5:1-2)

What does Paul mean, “Be imitators of God”? In the original text, the word for imitators is the Greek word that means, “to mimic,” to be a mimicker of God. Mimics are those who follow the pattern or the example of God. That is what we are to be. In a word, we are to be “God-like.” We are to be God-like people in an ungodly world.

Paul adds to this word “imitators” the word-picture “as dearly loved children.” This suggests the idea of the little child who looks at Daddy’s example, Mommy’s example, and wants to follow those big footsteps. If you’re a parent, you remember the day your child came up to you, perhaps with Daddy’s big shoes on his feet or Mommy’s big hat or scarf on her head, and said, “Look! I’m going to be just like you!” Remember how your heart went out to that child? That is how God looks upon us, His dearly beloved children, when we put on His characteristics—His love and forgiveness, for example—and we come up to Him and say, “Look, Heavenly Daddy! I’m going to be just like You!”

How are we to be God-like? Obviously, this does not mean we are to be like God in terms of His omnipotence, omniscience, or omnipresence—we are limited by our humanity in those regards. Some religions and cults would have you believe we can be like God in those ways, imbued with supernatural powers and knowledge—but that is all a lie of the devil. We cannot be like God in those ways, but we can be like God in terms of His character. That is how we are to mimic and imitate God. We are to be holy, righteous, forgiving, kind, and loving as He is. Ephesians 5:2 explains that the key to living God-like lives is to “live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.” That is the key: Self-sacrificing love.

Do you know what it means to love? It means that you begin to see others as people instead of things—people with needs and feelings, people who are made in the image of God. Instead of seeing people as either objects of usefulness to you, or obstacles that hinder you, you put yourself in their place, realize that they have difficulties, heartaches, problems, joys, annoyances, yearnings, and aspirations just as you do.

When you begin to truly love, you become aware that the individual who seems so poised, confident, and maybe even arrogant is really just a scared child inside, putting up a big front. That enables you to understand and even reach out to this person who may be an annoyance or an obstacle in your life. You find that it is possible to look past the abrasiveness and see that person’s need of love and understanding.

When you begin to truly love, you become aware that the cruel, cold, callous person who intimidates you may have once been badly hurt by life. His rough exterior may be a defensive shell to prevent him from being hurt again. He’s not tough, he’s wounded. He needs love and understanding as much as anyone you’ve ever known.

When you begin to truly love, you begin to see qualities and worth in people you once wrote off as weak or boring or not worth your time. You take an interest in people you never noticed before. You appreciate people not just for what they can do for you or how attractive you find them, but simply because they are God’s children, uniquely made in His image. You discover that you want to help them, to uphold them, to take an interest in their lives—and in the process, you discover that your life has become enriched by their presence.

Paul closes this with a wonderful illustration: “Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God” (Ephesians 5:2). The Lord Jesus Christ revealed to us what a God-like life is all about, in that He is truly God and truly human. As the Son of God, He emptied Himself and endured the cross in order to save us. That is love to the utmost, love that sacrifices all for the sake of another. Obedient to God, thinking of you and me, forgetful of Himself, Jesus stretched Himself out upon the rugged beams of that instrument of torture and took your place and mine beneath the righteous judgment of God. That is love to the Nth degree.

That is the pattern we are to imitate. There is no room in the God-like life for the ugly attitudes and sins that belong to the old life—bitterness, rage, anger, brawling, slander, and malice. These are poisonous to your soul. Rid yourself of those poisons now. Paul’s message to us is clear:

Forgive, love—and live!

Study Questions

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