← Back to sermon library

Well, you can turn with me in 
your Bibles to the book of Ephesians. We're in Ephesians chapter 5. 
Verses 1 and 2 is our focus this evening. There's some question 
as to whether 5, 1, and 2 go with what follows or with what 
precedes. I side with the commentators 
that say it goes with what precedes. So it sort of caps off that conduct 
of the new man that we see addressed beginning in verse 25. So I'll 
read from chapter 4 at verse 17 to chapter 5, verse 2. So beginning in chapter 4 at 
verse 17, this I say therefore and testify in the Lord that 
you should no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles walk, 
in the futility of their mind, having their understanding darkened, 
being alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance 
that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart, who 
being past feeling have given themselves over to lewdness, 
to work all uncleanness, with greediness. But you have not 
so learned Christ, if indeed you have heard Him and have been 
taught by Him, as the truth is in Jesus, that you put off concerning 
your former conduct the old man which grows corrupt according 
to the deceitful lusts, and be renewed in the spirit of your 
mind, and that you put on the new man which was created according 
to God in true righteousness and holiness. Therefore, putting 
away lying, let each one of you speak truth with his neighbor, 
for we are members of one another. Be angry and do not sin. Do not 
let the sun go down on your wrath, nor give place to the devil. 
Let him who stole steal no longer, but rather let him labor, working 
with his hands what is good, that he may have something to 
give him who has need. Let no corrupt word proceed out 
of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that 
it may impart grace to the hearers. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit 
of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Let 
all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be 
put away from you with all malice, and be kind to one another, tenderhearted, 
forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you. Therefore, 
be imitators of God as dear children, and walk in love, as Christ also 
has loved us and given himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice 
to God for a sweet-smelling aroma. Amen. Well, let us pray. Our 
gracious God, we thank you for the New Testament epistles, we 
thank you for the instruction to the Church, not only the doctrine 
of our salvation, how you called us, how you saved us, how you 
blessed us, but also how we're to live as new men and women 
in Christ Jesus. Guide us now by the presence 
and the power of your Holy Spirit, cause us to take seriously this 
admonition to be imitators of God Most High, and as well to 
walk in love and do all that we do for your glory and for 
your honor and for the benefit of our brothers and our sisters, 
and even to a lost and dying world. Again, forgive us for 
all sin and transgression. Cleanse us in the blood of the 
Lamb, and we pray in Jesus' name. Amen. Well, as we look at this 
particular sackshed, as I said, verses 1 and 2 of chapter 5 sort 
of conclude the previous sackshed. It is certainly related to the 
following section, but it is a conclusion of what Paul has 
been dealing with beginning in chapter 4 at verse 17. So in 
chapter 4 at verse 17, he describes the characteristics of the new 
man. So in 17 to 24, specifically 
in verses 20 to 24, notice in verse 22 that you put off concerning 
your former conduct the old man which grows corrupt according 
to the deceitful lust. This is not a command. This is 
not an imperative. This is not something you're 
supposed to do. This is something that has been done by God's grace. We don't have the wherewithal 
and we don't have the ability to put off the old man. God does 
that in regeneration. God does that in saving us by 
His grace. And then we see we are being 
renewed in the spirit of our mind, according to verse 23. And then verse 24, and that you 
put on the new man, which was created according to God in true 
righteousness and holiness. So that describes or characterizes 
what we are in Christ Jesus. So on the heels of that, he then 
embarks on a section where he tells us how our conduct is to 
be consistent with that characterization. In other words, we have died 
in terms of the old man, we're being renewed in terms of the 
spirit, and we are putting on the new man. Well, what does 
that look like in practical, concrete terms? Well, that's 
what he does in verses 25 to chapter 5, verse 2. And remember, 
there was a particular order. He would give a prohibition. 
and then he would give a positive sort of rejoinder to that, or 
an exhortation, and then a motivation. So notice in verse 25, put away 
lying, that's the prohibition, and then positively let each 
one of you speak truth with his neighbor, and then the motivation 
is, for we are members of one another. Same thing in the rest 
of those things that follow. But when we come to verses 1 
and 2 in chapter 5, there's no prohibition. There's simply an 
exhortation and then motivation in terms of that character or 
in terms of that conduct. So it's the conduct becoming 
or the conduct of the new man. And so there are two things to 
look at in verses one and two here. First, the exhortation 
to imitate God in verse one, and then secondly, the application 
by walking in love. I don't think there's two different 
things, imitate God and walk in love. I think it's imitate 
God, by walking in love. How do we imitate God? We do 
so by walking in that sphere or orientation of love, both 
to God and to man. So let's look first at this exhortation 
to imitate God. As I mentioned, some take it 
with the following, and I think there's good reason or rationale 
for that. If you notice, we're to walk 
in love, according to verse two, we're to walk in light, according 
to verse eight, and then we're to walk in wisdom, according 
to verse 15. So there is an overarching theme, 
but that goes back to chapter 4 and verse 1. So I take it, 
as I said, with the preceding, that therefore that begins verse 
1 of chapter 5 is an implication drawn from the last statement 
there in verse 32. So in 4.32, and be kind to one 
another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ 
forgave you. And then notice he says, therefore 
be imitators of God. So that's the exhortation. This 
isn't the only place in the New Testament where the idea of imitation 
is held forth. In fact, when you search the 
New Testament epistles, you'll see a heavy emphasis on imitation. Imitate those things that are 
good. Obviously don't imitate the devil, don't imitate the 
world, don't imitate those lusts of the flesh, but rather imitate 
those things that are godly and upright and positive. The church 
in Thessalonica became imitators of the churches in Judea, according 
to 1 Thessalonians 2.14. Churches, and when I say churches, 
I mean the individuals in the churches, churches were to imitate 
the Apostle Paul. He says that in 1 Corinthians 
4.16, 1 Corinthians 11.1, Philippians 3. In fact, turn to Philippians 
3 just to see this fleshed out in a particular context. Notice 
what he says in verse 17. Brethren, join in following my 
example, and note those who so walk, as you have us for a pattern. So the apostle says, follow my 
example or imitate me. Again, that doesn't mean in his 
sin. It doesn't mean when he's gone off the rails. It means 
rather insofar as he imitates Christ, follow him, follow his 
example and imitate him. But also look at what he says 
there in verse 17, join in following my example and note those who 
so walk as you have us for a pattern. In other words, note those who 
so walk in the context of the local church. And don't always 
wait for them to set up a coffee date so they can pass on their 
virtue to you, but rather if you note those who so walk, you 
see them as imitators of Christ, you see them as godly models, 
godly patterns, godly paradigms, godly examples, you can contact 
them and say, you know, brother, you know, sister, I could use 
a bit of help in my Christian walk. There's nothing untoward 
about that. In fact, over in Titus chapter 
2, we know that the older women are to instruct the younger women. 
I don't know that that means there's an obligation upon every 
older woman in the context of the church to go through her 
address book and her iPhone and call every single one of the 
younger women and give them exhortation. No, there's a duty and a reciprocity 
and there is that connection on the part of everybody. You 
don't get upset and frustrated because somebody never calls 
me. You can pick up your phone and call them too. It's a two-way 
street. Friendship and camaraderie and 
fellowship isn't a passive activity. I'm just going to sit on my couch 
and whine until everybody from the church calls me and encourages 
me and tends to my soul. Pick up the phone. Initiate that 
conversation. Invite people over for coffee. 
So back to verse 17. Brethren, join in following my 
example and note those who so walk, as you have us for a pattern. Now notice the rationale or the 
reason. for many walk, of whom I have told you often and now 
tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross 
of Christ. So why do you note Paul's example? Why do you look 
for good examples and positivity in the church? Because there's 
a lot of negative example. Because there's a lot of wickedness 
and lawlessness around us. because there's a lot of people 
serving their bellies instead of the living and true God. So 
you look out actively for good examples, and you're supposed 
to initiate contact with them so that you can benefit from 
their example. As well, 1 Thessalonians 1, verse 
6, the people of God are to imitate Paul, and then 2 Thessalonians 
3, verses 7 and 9. Now obviously the churches, the 
people within the churches were to imitate Jesus Christ. We see 
that in 1 Thessalonians 1 and verse 6. The only place where 
we are called specifically to be imitators of God is here in 
Ephesians 5. Though in the Gospels Jesus does 
say, be perfect as your heavenly father is perfect in Matthew 
5.48 and in Luke 6.37 he says, be merciful as your heavenly 
father is merciful. But in terms of a specific admonition 
or exhortation to be imitators of God, Ephesians 5.1 is that 
text. Now notice in terms of the emphasis, 
there's a general emphasis, be imitators of God. We talk about 
this, we call it godliness. Right? Ungodliness is identifiable 
in the wicked, in the lawless, in those who do not walk in a 
manner consistent with God's holy word. So godliness, contrary 
to that, means to identify with God. It means to be like God. 
Again, not a participant in the divinity, not a participant in 
the divine essence, but in terms of imitation. We're to be godly. 
godliness in terms of a general emphasis, but I would say specifically, 
in our context, it is to be connected very intimately with verse 32. So, be kind to one another, tender-hearted, 
forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you. Therefore, be imitators of God. So be the kinds of persons that 
forgive one another. Be the kinds of persons that 
are filled with tenderheartedness to their fellows. Be kind to 
one another. Godliness is demonstrable. Godliness 
is manifest. Godliness is revealed in the 
way that we love one another. In fact, John Gill mentions this 
in terms of the imitation of God, not in his works of infinite 
wisdom and almighty power, which is impossible. We're not told 
to imitate God in his almighty power and infinite wisdom. He 
says, but in acts of righteousness and holiness, and particularly 
in acts of mercy, goodness, and beneficence, as in forgiving 
injuries and offenses, and in freely distributing to the necessities 
of the saints. So this particular admonition 
or exhortation, be imitators of God, generally be godly, but 
specifically have a large heart of forgiveness toward those who 
sin against you. If your brother sins against 
you, go to him. If he hears you, you've won your 
brother. That's the pattern. That's the example. You're supposed 
to be forgiving when it comes to the sins of your fellows, 
even as God in Christ forgave you. You shouldn't hold grudges. You shouldn't avoid persons. 
You shouldn't say, well, I'll never have any truck with them 
ever again. They're dead to me because they had the gall to 
sin against me. Do you know that, brethren, in 
the Christian church we have a mechanism to deal with that? 
We have a mechanism in place to deal with that. In fact, twofold. 
If I go to the altar to offer up my sacrifice to God, and there 
I remember that my brother has a problem with me, what am I 
supposed to do? I'm supposed to leave my gift 
at the altar, I'm supposed to go and seek reconciliation with 
him, and then I present my offering unto the Lord." In other words, 
fix your horizontal problems before you come to the Lord God 
Most High in the vertical sphere. And as well, I've already alluded 
to it, Matthew 18, if your brother sins against you, don't write 
him off, don't count him as dead to you, but go to him. If he 
hears you, you've won your brother. So there is a mechanism in place 
for the sins of God's people in the church, in the family, 
and in their interpersonal relations. Giannini makes this observation 
in terms of imitating God. They cannot be imitators of God 
as Creator. They may resemble Him as the 
God of Providence in feeding and clothing the indigent, but 
especially can they copy Him in His highest character as Redeemer 
when, like Him, they pardon offenders and so imitate His royal and 
lofty prerogative. So generally, godliness, specifically 
in the way that we relate to one another. So that's the exhortation, 
be imitators of God. Now notice the motivation, as 
dear children. Now we're not left to wonder 
what Paul means here. because in a wonderful way, He 
has brought us or led us to this point. Go back for just a moment 
to chapter one, as we consider our entrance into the family 
of God. Notice in chapter one at verse 
three, blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, 
who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly 
places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him. before the foundation 
of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before 
Him, in love, having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus 
Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will. 
See, God chose us in Him before the foundation of the world. 
In love, God predestined us unto adoption as sons by Christ Jesus. So it is the entrance into the 
family of God by sovereign election, by predestination, by God's discriminating 
choice, not based on the creature, but according to His good pleasure. 
But then as well, turn over to chapter 2. How do we enter into 
that family of God? We've been chosen from before 
the foundation of the world. In love, we have been predestined 
to adoption as sons. But as Paul says in chapter 2, 
verses 1 to 3, we're lifeless and hopeless and helpless apart 
from salvation in Christ. So in verse four, he says, but 
God, who is rich in mercy because of his great love with which 
he loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive 
together with Christ by grace you have been saved and raised 
us up together and made us sit together in the heavenly places 
in Christ Jesus. that in the ages to come He might 
show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward 
us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you've been saved 
through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of 
God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. So we've been predestinated 
according to God's love in Christ Jesus, and in time and space, 
and through the ministry of the Holy Spirit coming to us through 
the Word, by the power of the Word, We are born again. We are 
saved by grace. We believe on Jesus. We are forgiven 
of our sins. We receive that righteousness 
by which we can enter into the presence of a holy God. So when 
Paul says, be imitators of God as dear children, we know what 
he's talking about. So we see the entrance into the 
family of God, but notice as well in the book of Ephesians, 
the privilege of inclusion in the family of God. Drop down 
to chapter 2 at verse 18. For through him, Jesus, we both 
have access by one spirit to the Father. Now therefore you 
are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the 
saints, and notice, and members of the household of God. So there 
is that blessed privilege of being members in the household 
of God. We have access to the Father 
through Christ by one spirit. So we have this blessed privilege 
belonging to the family of God. But as we follow Paul's trajectory 
in Ephesians 5.1, we also see there's responsibility attached 
to belonging to the family of God. So it's not just our entrance 
that we celebrate, it's not just the privilege that we rejoice 
in, but it's the responsibility that we take seriously. So notice what he says, be imitators 
of God as dear children. Now, in our studies in John's 
gospel, we've seen where Jesus speaks very powerfully against 
the unbelieving Jews, especially in John chapter 8 at verse 44. 
He says, you are of your father, the devil, and the desires of 
your father you want to do. He was a liar and a murderer 
from the beginning. When he speaks lies, it's according 
to his nature. And then in that very context, 
we see them ape or imitate or follow the lead of their father. 
They lie about Jesus. They deceive concerning Jesus, 
and they want to murder Jesus. Remember, John 8 ends on that 
note. They pick up stones to throw 
at Jesus because he had just asserted that he is the I Am 
that Abraham rejoiced to see. And so sons imitate their fathers. The sons of the devil walk according 
to the devil. Paul says that in Ephesians chapter 
two, notice in verse one, and you he made alive who were dead 
in trespasses and sins, in which you once walked according to 
the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of 
the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience. 
See, there is this family resemblance amongst the ungodly. There is 
this family resemblance amongst the lawless. And there is to 
be a family resemblance amongst the people of God. We're supposed 
to be imitators of God as dear children. This is a consequence 
of inclusion into the family by the grace of God. It's not 
a requirement. Remember, the religion of man 
says, obey and then you'll get. Obey God and then you'll be saved. That's not how the gospel proceeds. Notice in verses 22 to 24 in 
chapter four, it is what we call the indicative. These are things 
that are true. You, by the grace of God, have 
put off the old man. You, by the grace of God, are 
being renewed in the spirit of the mind. You, by the grace of 
God, have put on the new man. This is what God's grace has 
done. Now, based on that indicative, 
engage in this imperative. Don't lie, don't steal, and speak 
well and kindly to one another. And so be imitators of God as 
dear children. In other words, this is the reflex. This is what is consequential 
for inclusion into the family of God. Stephen Baugh says, as 
in 432, it is vital to see that believers do not become children 
or acquire God's love by imitating Him, but they are children and 
so, in consequence, imitate Him. There's a big difference. Paul 
is not saying imitate God so that you can be saved. He is 
saying you've been saved. And one of the responsibilities 
attached to salvation and being included in the family of God, 
yes, there's privilege. You have access into the very 
presence of the throne room. You have access into the very 
presence of God Most High. There's also responsibility. 
You need to imitate God. you need to be godly. Now, brethren, 
that's not going to be perfection. There's always going to be a 
proneness to wander and a proneness to leave the God that we love. 
There's always going to be the Roman 7 sort of battle in our 
hearts, the good that we wish to do, we don't do, and the evil 
that we don't want to do, we find ourselves doing. There's always 
the Galatians 5.17, the flesh lusts against the spirit and 
the spirit lusts against the flesh, and these are contrary 
to one another so that you don't do the things that you want. 
There's going to be that. We can't expect perfection from 
any of the people of God. When Jesus says, be perfect as 
your heavenly Father is perfect, He's probably speaking more in 
terms of wholeness and consistency. He's not speaking about sinlessness. There's only a few in the history 
of the Protestant Church that have taught that there is a sinlessness 
achievable by God's people on this side of glory. And that 
is not a good position. That does not take seriously 
The Bible, the New Testament, the passages that I mentioned, 
Romans 7 and Galatians 5. So it is the consequence of inclusion 
into the family by the grace of God, and it is the responsibility 
of inclusion into the family of God. A responsibility that's 
a consequence. not a responsibility that is 
a requirement for salvation. You've been saved, therefore 
be imitators of God as dear children. Look at 4.1, I therefore, the 
prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling 
with which you were called. In other words, you've been called 
into this salvation, now you're to live in a manner that is consistent 
with that salvation. He says the same thing in Philippians 
1.27, "...only let your conduct be worthy of the gospel of Christ, 
so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear 
of your affairs, that you stand fast in one spirit, with one 
mind, striving together for the faith of the gospel." But that 
emphasis, let your conduct be worthy of the gospel of Christ. 
A.T. Lincoln says, believers have 
been adopted into God's family and should exhibit the family 
resemblance. Pretty obvious, right? Be imitators 
of God as dear children. The godless are imitators of 
their father, the devil. They engage in deception and 
lies and destruction. They traffic in that. That's 
what makes them happy. Sin, pain, misery, and destruction. 
That is typical behavior of the godless. with reference to the 
people of God, were to engage in those things that are pleasing 
to our Heavenly Father. One final passage before we move 
on. Look at Matthew chapter 12. Matthew chapter 12, where Jesus 
illustrates this fact for us in a most glorious way. Matthew 
chapter 12 at verse 46, while he was still talking to the multitudes, 
behold, his mother and brothers stood outside seeking to speak 
with them. Then one said to him, look, your mother and your brothers 
are standing outside seeking to speak with you. But he answered 
and said to the one who told him, who is my mother and who 
are my brothers? And he stretched out his hand 
toward his disciples and said, here are my mother and my brothers, 
for whoever does the will of my father in heaven is my brother 
and sister and mother. So inclusion in the family of 
God bespeaks responsibility to imitate God the Father. Now let's 
look secondly at that next verse in verse 2. Again, some take 
it as imitate God and walk in love, as if it's two separate 
things. Imitate God and then walk in love. I think it's imitate 
God by walking in love. How do we imitate God? Walk in 
love. So what does that mean? We know 
first of all in terms of the nature of God The Son is to resemble 
the Father and the Father is love That's how John describes 
God in 1st John 4 at verse 8 and then again at verse 16 now with 
reference to God God is his perfections All that is in God is God. So 
it's not that God has love. It's not that God has the capacity 
to love. It's not that God sort of stumbles 
onto love once in a while. Definitionally, God is love. That's His nature. So how do 
we imitate Him? It's by walking in love. If God 
is, in fact, definitionally love, then the way that we imitate 
that God is by walking in love. As well, what we have here in 
terms of the object of our love. Notice, walk in love. Doesn't 
specify in terms of who we are to love. The rest of the Bible 
does. The rest of the Bible tells us we're to love God and we're 
to love man. We're to love God and we're to 
love our fellows. Turn back to Matthew's gospel in Matthew chapter 
22. Matthew chapter 22, Jesus echoes the Old Testament teaching 
concerning the Decalogue or the Ten Commandments. And if you 
notice in Matthew 22 at verse 34, but when the Pharisees heard 
that he had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together. Then 
one of them, a lawyer, asked him a question, testing him and 
saying, Teacher, which is the great commandment of the law? 
Jesus said to him, you shall love the Lord your God with all 
your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This 
is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it. You 
shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments hang 
all the law and the prophets. It's a summary statement. When 
you take love to God and love to man, what does that describe 
or summarize? It summarizes the Ten Commandments. 
The first four commandments, rather, in the first table of 
the law show us our love to God. And then the latter six laws 
in that second table show us our love to man. So when we see 
this statement, be imitators of God as dear children and walk 
in love, we know that we're supposed to love God with all our heart, 
soul, mind, and strength, and we're supposed to love our neighbors 
as ourself. So the Bible teaches this very 
clearly. It's not confined simply to Ephesians chapter 5. It's 
all over the Bible. I think I've mentioned before, 
Leviticus 19 is the love chapter in the Old Testament. We typically 
think of 1 Corinthians 13 as the love chapter, and it is. 
But there's a love chapter in the Old Testament, and it's Leviticus 
19. It's we're supposed to love our fellows. We're supposed to 
love all men, to be sure. Jesus teaches that in the Sermon 
on the Mount. We're even to love our enemies, we're even to pray 
for our enemies, bless those who persecute us, that sort of 
thing. But in this particular context, 
the walking in love certainly has primary reference to the 
people of God around us, to the people of God that we fellowship 
with, to the people of God that we identify with, to the people 
of God that we are most likely at some time or other going to 
have to forgive because they've sinned against us, or we're going 
to have to seek forgiveness because we've sinned against them. We're 
supposed to walk in love. Now, in terms of the manifestation 
of our love, it's an evidence of our regeneration. In fact, 
you can turn to 1 John. 1 John has something to say about 
this very clearly in terms of love to brethren and hatred for 
them. Look at 1 John chapter 3. 1 John chapter 3, specifically 
at verse 14. He says, we know that we have 
passed from death to life. Why? Because we love the brethren. We know that we have passed from 
death to life. How? Why? Because we love the brethren. And again, love there doesn't 
mean we always have coffee with everybody at all times. We always 
bring flowers to everybody at all times. We're everybody's 
BFF. It's just this big love fest. 
All we do is sit in the building and love on one another. No. 
Romans chapter 13 indicates that love is the fulfillment of God's 
law. We don't murder each other. We 
don't commit adultery against each other. We don't steal from 
one another. We don't assassinate one another's character. And 
certainly we can bring flowers to each other. We can hang out 
with each other. We can fellowship with each other and that sort 
of thing. But notice what he says. We know that we have passed 
from death to life because we love the brethren. He who does 
not love his brother abides in death. And then look over to 
chapter 3 at verse 10. In this, the children of God 
and the children of the devil are manifest. Whoever does not 
practice righteousness is not of God, nor is he who does not 
love his brother. And then back in chapter 2 at 
verse 9. He who says he is in the light and hates his brother 
is in darkness until now. He who loves his brother abides 
in the light and there is no cause for stumbling in him. But 
he who hates his brother is in darkness and walks in darkness 
and does not know where he is going because the darkness has 
blinded his eyes. So when we look at Paul in Ephesians 
5 and he tells us to walk in love, the nature of God is love. Therefore, we are to imitate 
Him and therefore walk in love. Love to God, love to our brethren. 
When we actually engage in this love, it manifests or demonstrates 
our regeneration. We know that we've passed from 
death to life. Why? Because we love the brethren. 
We love to be with each other. We love to talk. We love the 
fellowship. As well, as I mentioned, it is 
the fulfillment of the law. Turn back to Romans 13. Romans 
chapter 13. Again, not in the context of 
do this and you will be saved, but rather you've been saved, 
now therefore do this. Romans 12.1, Therefore, by the 
mercies of God, I beseech you, brethren, to present your bodies 
as a living sacrifice. And then he gives concrete application 
of what it looks like to engage in that sort of sacrificial living. 
And then he comes to chapter 13, in verse 8, he says, Oh, 
owe no one anything except to love one another. For he who 
loves another has fulfilled the law. For the commandments, you 
shall not commit adultery, you shall not murder, you shall not 
steal, you shall not bear false witness, you shall not covet. 
And if there is any other commandment are all summed up in this saying, 
namely, you shall love your neighbor as yourself. Guess where that 
comes from? It comes from Leviticus 19. Love does no harm to a neighbor, 
therefore love is the fulfillment of the law. The other ones come 
from Exodus 20. In other words, this is the normative use of 
God's law. It's not saying, do this to be 
saved, but you've been saved in order to do this. That's the 
emphasis in the New Testament. Sanctification is not ambiguous. It's not vague. It's not left 
up to the sanctified to try to figure out what does please God. 
God's revealed that to us in the Ten Commandments in terms 
of what pleases Him, such that our Lord in John 17, 17 can say, 
sanctify them by thy truth. Thy word is truth. He doesn't 
leave it up for grabs. He doesn't leave it up for consensus. Well, what do you think God wants 
in terms of sanctification? Well, what do you think? What 
does this mean to you? No, we don't have to be left guessing. 
We have concrete application in terms of God's law relative 
to the Christian life. So it is a manifestation of the 
evidence of our regeneration, the fulfillment of the law, and 
then ministry to our brethren in distress. I mean, let's not 
leave it all in the abstract. Turn back to 1 John. 1 John 3, 
once again, just to see this is not an abstract concept, but 
it is to be concretized. It is to be applied. It is to 
be put into practice. As Luther famously said, God 
does not need your good works, but your neighbor does. God does 
not need your good works, but your neighbor does. Notice in 
1 John 3 at verse 16. By this we know love because 
he laid down his life for us. This is how Paul is going to 
motivate us in Ephesians 5. Walk in love. Why? Because Christ 
has given himself for us. This is always the motive. This is always the thing that 
seizes the conscience of God's people. When you look at what 
Christ has done in terms of our salvation, it makes perfect sense 
that these are the requirements in terms of the life of sanctification. 
And again, not requirements in order to be saved, but requirements 
in terms of consequence in us having been saved. So verse 16, 
"...by this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. 
And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. But 
whoever has this world's goods, and sees his brethren in need, 
and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide 
in him? My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, 
but in deed and in truth." So it is an evidence of our regeneration, 
it is the fulfillment of the law, it is the ministry to our 
brethren in distress. God doesn't need your good words, 
but your neighbor does. And then I would suggest finally, 
under this head, that it's the pinnacle of godliness. It is 
the pinnacle of godliness. God is definitionally love. If God is love, 1 John 4.8, 1 
John 4.16, then those who are godly, those new men and new 
women who are imitators of Him, that primary sort of representation 
will be in this act of love. Love for God and love for man. 
Colossians 3.14 tells us, but above all these things, Put on 
love. But above all these things, and 
it's a list of virtue that Paul includes there in Colossians, 
similar to what he's doing here in Ephesians. But above all these 
things, put on love. Or consider the apostle Peter 
in 1 Peter 4, 8. And above all things, have fervent 
love for one another, for love will cover a multitude of sins. 
Again, it's couched in the context of interpersonal relationships 
that perhaps have gone sideways or sour because one or the other 
has sinned against one or the other. See, again, brethren, 
we are never guaranteed in the life of the Christian church 
that no one's ever going to sin against us. We're never guaranteed 
in the life of the Christian church there's never going to 
be an offense. We're never guaranteed in the life of the Christian 
church or in our Christian families or in our Christian marriage 
that we're never going to sin against each other. Of course 
we are. I'm not endorsing it, I'm certainly 
not encouraging it, but I'm able to read the Scripture, and I'm 
able to meditate upon my own lack of performance, and the 
lack of performance at least that I've witnessed in terms 
of some others, not here of course, but there is that shortcoming 
in the people of God at every step of the way. And so in the 
context of sinning against each other, look at where the apostles 
plant love. Love one another. Have fervent 
love for one another. Why? Because love will cover 
a multitude of sins. Husbands and wives, bring that 
into your marriage. Let love cover a multitude of 
sins. Don't get your noses bent out 
of shape by every single offense. Now, there's certainly offenses 
to get your noses bent out of shape over. I'm not suggesting 
otherwise. Well, you know, he's out committing 
adultery, but I've got enough love, so I'm just going to cover 
that. that particular sin. That's folly and foolishness, 
and that's not what I'm endorsing. But the garden variety, day in 
and day out, sort of interpersonal relationship in the marriage 
situation? You better have a thick skin. 
You better have the ability to let some things slide. You better 
have the ability to turn the other cheek. I don't mean literally, 
as if you're going to get popped in that one too. But the bottom 
line is, is that we sin against each other. And when that is 
looked upon by the apostles, what do they do in terms of addressing 
it? Love one another. Be kindly affectionate to one 
another. Bear with one another. Be long-suffering 
toward one another. Why? Because if you're not, you're 
going to dissolve relationships. If you're not, you're going to 
ruin churches. If not, you're going to get divorced because 
you just can't reconcile over these things. Brethren, the Bible 
authorizes or permits divorce on just two occasions. And not 
picking up your socks on a regular basis is not one of them. Cooking 
and burning the food, you know, five times out of seven in a 
week is not one of them. You know, except for bad cook. 
Then, you know, all bets are off. You go right ahead, write 
her a certificate of divorce and find somebody that's a bit 
more familiar in the kitchen. No, that's not it. So the bottom 
line is, is when it comes to interpersonal relationships, 
which is what we're in, in terms of 25 to 5-2, it is love. Be imitators of God by walking 
in love. Now notice the motivation in 
2B. And again, I've already tipped my hand. It was sure handy that 
we read Numbers 29. It was sure handy that we looked 
at Leviticus 1 on Wednesday night. Leviticus 1 is something of a 
parallel passage to what we find here in Ephesians 5.2. You say, 
Butler, that seems odd and weird and bizarre. No, Leviticus 1 
foreshadows, typifies, and points forward to the Lamb of God who 
takes away the sin of the world, who's become that sweet-smelling 
aroma to God the Father. You saw that there in the reading, 
didn't you? Unless you were not paying attention. 
Perhaps you tuned out from Numbers 29. You shouldn't have. But when 
they offer up that sacrifice to God, what do we see? It's 
a sweet-smelling aroma. Leviticus chapter 1, sweet-smelling 
aroma. Leviticus chapter 2, sweet-smelling 
aroma. A soothing aroma to Yahweh when 
these sacrifices are offered up to Him. So look at what Paul 
says. He speaks of the love of Christ. 
Walk in love as Christ also has loved us. Now, the as there does 
not point to equality. We'll never love as Christ loved. In fact, look at Ephesians 5.25. 
Husbands, love your wives just as Christ also loved the church 
and gave himself for her. That's not equality. There's 
never gonna be that kind of quality in terms of our love as men for 
our wives, but there is that standard or that comparison or 
that sort of benchmark as to how it is we're supposed to love. 
So in verse two, walk in love as Christ also has loved us. Look over at Ephesians chapter 
three, verse 18, that you may be able to comprehend with all 
the saints what is the width and length and depth and height 
to know the love of Christ, which passes knowledge. And as well, 
consider the fact that we have this love of Christ for us. Think about that. In verse 32, 
he says, to forgive one another, even as God in Christ forgave 
you. So Christ has forgiven us of 
all of our sin, all of our lawlessness, all of our wretchedness, all 
of our identification with our father, the devil. He's forgiven 
us. The blood of Jesus Christ, his 
son, cleanses us from all sin. So should we hold on to things 
that our fellows do to us? Should we say, oh no, that person 
did this and I will never forgive that. No, that's not to be like 
Jesus. We're to love as Christ loved 
us. But notice he fleshes that out. Again, he moves from the abstract 
to the concrete. As Christ also has loved us, 
it's a great contemplation, a great consideration. Christ is the 
second person of the Trinity. He, as God, loves But that's 
not what Paul is pointing to. He's pointing to the redemptive 
work of our Lord Jesus Christ and His function as mediator. So He has loved us, and notice, 
given Himself for us, and offering a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling 
aroma. So the nature of His work is 
for us. The nature of his work is substitutionary 
atonement. The nature of his work is penal 
substitutionary atonement. This is the supreme demonstration 
of Christ's love. You see it in John 15, 13. He 
says, greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one's 
life for his friends. Paul says in Romans 5, 6 to 8, 
for, you know, people will scarcely die for a righteous man. If somebody lobbed a grenade 
in here, I hope it doesn't come to that, but if somebody lobbed 
a grenade in here, would you jump on it immediately? It might 
be a little hesitation there. And we're righteous people. I 
don't mean godly, perfect, wonderful specimens of humanity, but we're 
not people on subways threatening to kill others. That would be 
the unrighteous man that we probably wouldn't jump on that grenade 
for. But for righteous men, there'd be a hesitation. Again, the grenade 
goes rolling down the hill, rolling down the aisles. Everybody jumping 
on that thing? It might be a moment of reflection. I don't know. 
I don't know if these guys are that righteous after all. I'm 
the hit for the door. But Paul says, God commendeth 
his own love toward us, and that while we were yet sinners, Christ 
died for us. So we've got the supreme demonstration 
of Christ's love. Charles Hodge says the greatest 
evidence of divine love is the death of Christ. So walk in love 
as Christ also has loved us and given himself for us, the substitutionary 
nature of Christ's atoning work on our behalf. Again, we looked 
at several passages in the book of Leviticus on Wednesday night. And you see certain features 
in that burnt offering in chapter 1. The burnt offering is to be 
a male. And the burnt offering is to 
be blemish free. And one of the things that I've 
explained to the brethren is that there's some ambiguity in 
that series of sacrifices in Leviticus chapters 1 to 6. Doesn't 
always give us all the why. Doesn't always give us every 
bit of content and detail about these sacrifices. So what should 
we do? we should appreciate that these 
are typical. In other words, they point forward to the Lord 
Jesus Christ. And if we live in the days of 
the Lord Jesus Christ, we can ask Him for help on how to interpret 
those passages. So when God says to the children 
of Israel, in terms of the herd or in terms of the flock, bring 
a male, What is the Lord God highlighting there? It is pointing 
toward that male, that man, that seed of the woman of Genesis 
chapter 3. The deliverer would be a man, 
and the deliverer would bring victory through his own suffering 
and death. Of course, it goes on to say 
that that animal must be without blemish. Well, again, what does 
that point forward to? It points forward to the one 
who's identified in Hebrews 7 as being wholly harmless and undefiled. 
When God comes to deal with us in terms of our sin, He doesn't 
hold back. He provides His Son, the Son 
of His love, His only begotten Son, as to the sacrifice for 
us. And so when it comes to this 
particular statement, we're to walk in love as Christ also has 
loved us and given himself for us. It is the doctrine of penal 
substitution. John, and again, there are many, 
many passages that I cited on Wednesday night, many passages 
that I could cite tonight. I'll just give you a few in a 
moment. But Gil says Christ was both priest and sacrifice. He 
offered himself a a propitiatory sacrifice for the sins of His 
people to expiate them and make reconciliation and satisfaction 
for them. Matthew 20, 28, the Son of Man 
came to give His life a ransom for many. John 1, 29, behold 
the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. We've got 
Romans 5, 8, I've already said it, God commends His own love 
toward us and that while we're sinners, Christ died what? for 
us, the just for the unjust, 1 Peter 4. We have all these 
emphases throughout the New Testament that the life, or the death rather, 
of Jesus was not first and foremost exemplary. It wasn't simply to 
function as an example for us. Oh, go live in such a sacrificial 
way that you're willing to die for people. No, the primary referent 
was blood atonement. The primary referent was a satisfaction 
to divine justice through the holy and righteous Lord Jesus 
Christ. John Eadie in his commentary 
on Ephesians gives a wonderful summary statement concerning 
the language of the New Testament. He died for our sins, 1 Corinthians 
15, 3. He died for us, 1 Thessalonians 
5, 10. He gave himself for our sins, 
Galatians 1, 4. He died for the ungodly, Romans 
5, 6. He died for all, 2 Corinthians 5, 14. And a brother is one on 
whose behalf Christ died, 1 Corinthians 8, 11. His death is an offering 
for sin, Hebrews 10.18. One sacrifice for sin, Hebrews 
10.12. The blood of Him who offered Himself, Hebrews 9.14. The offering 
of His body once for all, Hebrews 10.10. His death makes expiation, 
Hebrews 2.17. There is propitiation in His 
blood, Romans 3.25. We're justified in His blood, 
Romans 5.9. We're reconciled by His death, 
Romans 5.10. He gave Himself a ransom, 1 Timothy 2.6. He redeemed 
us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us, Galatians 
3.13. And Christ, our Passover, was 
sacrificed for us, 1 Corinthians 5.7. I mentioned on Wednesday 
night that there are actually people in the Christian church 
that deny the doctrine of penal substitution. Well, that's to 
take almost a lot or, you know, a big significant portion of 
the New Testament and throw it off to the side. Again, the primary 
referent in terms of Christ coming into this world to live, to die, 
and to rise again was so that he could save us from our sins. 
Not simply set an example for us to follow. It was penal substitution. Without the shedding of blood, 
there is no remission. And that's the standard. That's 
the benchmark. That's how Christ loves us. And 
therefore, we are called to walk in love. Therefore, we are to 
exercise that mindset to others. And then finally, notice the 
efficacy of His work. It's not just the nature He gave 
Himself for us, but the efficacy. An offering and sacrifice to 
God for a sweet-smelling aroma. This is Old Testament language 
applied in a New Testament situation. We've got the typical and the 
anti-type. We've got what was told and what 
was fulfilled in and through our Lord Jesus Christ. The sacrifice 
of Christ was not a ransom paid to the devil. The sacrifice of 
Christ was to satisfy divine justice. Notice, this was an 
offering and a sacrifice. To God, not to the devil. This is the problem with the 
lion, the witch, and the wardrobe. The payment is made to the white 
witch. That's not biblical. As good 
a writer as C.S. Lewis is, that theology is terrible. This was held by some in the 
early church, the ransom to Satan theory. It is unbiblical. The 
offering and the sacrifice was to God. It was to the Father. This was the reference point. 
This was the wrath that must be appeased. This was the justice 
that must be satisfied. Christ was the antitype of the 
old covenant sacrifices. The sacrifice must be a male. 
The sacrifice must be without blemish. In Leviticus, we see 
reminiscent of, or rather we see in Genesis chapter eight, 
when Noah comes out of the ark, it says, Noah built an offering 
to the Lord and took of every clean animal and of every clean 
bird. and offered burnt offerings on the altar, and the Lord smelled 
a soothing aroma. Then the Lord said in his heart, 
I will never again curse the ground for man's sake, although 
the imagination of man's evil heart is evil from his youth, 
nor will I again destroy every living thing as I have done. 
It's not as if this spirit being who is God, God is spirit, it's 
not as if he has a physical nostril or olfactory system and there's 
a, you know, wonderful, pleasing scent to barbecued meat. I mean, certainly we can understand 
that and that's what you should think, this soothing aroma. I 
mean, when there's that kind of meat being cooked and, you 
know, presented up to God, it was probably smelling very good. 
It's not that God has some sort of, again, old factory sense, 
that He approves of that. It's the language of acceptance. It's the language of appeasement. It's the language that the sacrifice 
was, in fact, good, that God was pleased, God smiled upon 
it, God accepted it, and God's wrath was, in fact, averted. Well, in conclusion, we are to 
imitate God. That shouldn't surprise anyone, 
and we're to imitate God specifically in the way that we walk. We're 
to walk in love, and as we see as we move through chapter five, 
we're to walk in the light, and we're to walk in wisdom. In other 
words, that orientation of the believer's life is to be consistent 
with what we are as new men and new women in Christ Jesus. The 
old man has been put off, we're being renewed in the spirit of 
the mind, and we have, by grace, put on the new man. Secondly, 
let us never forget privilege of membership in the household 
of God. But that privilege carries with 
it responsibility. It's not just what we get, but 
we're able to give, we're able to comply with instructions, 
we're able to do those things that are pleasing to God and 
pleasing to our fellows. And then finally, we ought to 
appreciate the glory of Christ's sacrifice. It was penal substitution. The just stood for the unjust 
so that the unjust might have everlasting life. It is a most 
glorious thing. Paul says, he loved me and he 
gave himself for me in Galatians 2.20. Now, listen to how Paul 
phrases that. He doesn't say, he loved us and 
gave himself for us, though he does elsewhere in the scripture, 
but he highlights the personal pronoun. I don't want to get 
all pronoun-y, but the Christian religion is one of personal pronouns. He loved me and gave himself 
for me. Can you say that tonight? Have 
you by grace partaken of that sacrifice? Have you by grace 
been cleansed by the blood of Jesus? Is it good news to you 
that Christ came, that Christ lived, that Christ died, that 
Christ was raised again, so that you and I might have everlasting 
life? Don't go, well, I'm going to 
go out and imitate God and I'm going to go walk in love without 
having first come to the cross. It's there where we learn. It's 
there where we're saved. It's there where we're conformed 
into the image of our blessed Savior. So if you have not participated 
in that blessed sacrifice, look to Him in faith. It's not go 
out and do this and earn it, but rather it is to look and 
to live and receive it. Well, let us pray. Our Father 
in heaven, we thank you for your word and we thank you for the 
clarity of the apostles' exhortation here. And give us grace as your 
children to imitate you and to walk in love, love for God and 
love for our fellows. Go with us now and watch over 
us in this coming week and be glorified in our lives and be 
glorified throughout the churches, throughout the world. And we 
ask this in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen. We'll close 
with a brief time of meditation.