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Children can be great mimics.  They see the adults around them and gradually pick up their habits, their quirks of behaviour, even sometimes the way they speak.  It can be amusing to watch – less so if you are the one being imitated.  We might see some things about ourselves that we would prefer not to see.  Since we are all imperfect, we would not want anyone to imitate us too consistently.  It is very different, however, in the Christian life.  We consider now Ephesians 5:1-14 Imitators of God.

1. The motive of love

In v1 we have an amazing command: ‘Be imitators of God’.  A staggering demand is being made of Christians – here in this world we are to show what God is like.  We are to behave like ‘dearly loved children.  The family likeness is to be seen in us.  The likeness of our Father is to be reproduced in us, a process empowered by the Holy Spirit.  The image that was marred by the fall is being restored in the Christian.  We are changed from enemies of God into imitators.  We are called to reproduce the holiness of God in practical everyday living.  Note – ‘live a life of love’ (v2) – that is our motive for imitation.  Love produces the kind of life that meets the standards of God’s law.  Our love for God and for others is fundamentally a response to his love for us.  As a result of his love, we are ‘called children of God’ (1 John 3:1).  In particular, in regard to redemption, Christ in love has given himself up for us (v2), and we are to imitate his self-giving love, seeking what is best for others.

2. The seriousness of sin

There is to be a determined clean sweep of our lives: ‘there must not be even a hint of…’ (v3).  There is no ‘acceptable level’ of sin in a Christian.  We must be ruthless in response to sin.  Purity is required in word and action (v3-4).  Sexual purity is a key area where Christian standards and those of Christians differ radically.  With the Lord’s strength, we must ‘not be conformed to this world’ (Romans 12:2).  We are to live differently and so set an example especially to young believers who may be under great peer pressure to conform to the world.  We dare not dabble in filth – it is ‘improper for God’s holy people’.  No person who lives a life of sin ‘has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God’.  We have a solemn warning regarding the nature of sin (v5-6).  Note ‘such a man is an idolator’ – he makes worldly pleasure his god.  Exclusion from the kingdom entails ‘God’s wrath’ (v6).  As a consequence, we have the warning of v7 ‘do not be partners with them’.

3. The power of light

We have a reminder of the transformation that has taken place: ‘you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord’ (v8).  To live in obedience is ‘to walk as children of light, characterised by ‘all goodness, righteousness and truth’ (v9).  We will progressively ‘find out what pleases the Lord (v10).  There must be separation from ‘the fruitless deeds of darkness’ (v11), and more – ‘rather expose them’.  That requires wisdom and discretion so that we do not publicise sin and give it an air of attractiveness, yet we cannot be silent.  We seek to show people the true nature of sin, so that they may be awakened from sleep by the grace of God.

Sometimes the only solution is a ‘deep clean’ – a room or an entire building has got into such a terrible state that regular cleaning is insufficient.  What is needed is a thorough clean that gets into all the corners and removes all the dirt.  Spiritually, as saved sinners, Christians are in need of an ongoing ‘deep clean’ – not just once, but as a constant part of life.  The sin that remains in us must be rooted out, to be replaced with positive godliness.  We consider now Ephesians 4:25-32 Radical holiness.

1. Holy speech

Scripture lays great stress on the proper use of the tongue (as in James 3:1ff).  Paul here begins with the need for honesty – ‘put off falsehood and speak truthfully’ (v25).  Every kind of dishonest speech should be alien to a Christian, particularly within the Christian community.  Thus v29 condemns ‘unwholesome talk’, including topics of conversation and humour.  All our words should be tested by God’s Word.  We are always in Christ’s presence – would we be ashamed to speak as we do before him?  The word ‘unwholesome’ is used in Matthew 13:48 of the fish thrown away.  It is not enough to avoid evil – the bad must be replaced by the good – ‘what is helpful for building others up’ (v29).  Our words can bring great benefit – ‘grace’ according to v29.  We need to discern the needs of others.

2. Holy attitudes

The way we view and treat others is transformed by the working of the Spirit.  Thus v26 ‘In your anger do not sin’.  There is a place for righteous anger at sin (as in God himself, Psalm 7:11), but our anger (often self-centred) when cherished is dangerous – ‘do not give the devil a foothold’.  Quarrels should be settled quickly.  If not, the result can be bitterness, rage, anger, brawling, malice (v31).  The answer is to be positive – ‘Be kind and compassionate…forgiving one another’ (v32).  This is to be a continuous way of life.

3. Holy labour

The Lord is concerned with our work, whatever form it takes.  It is part of our Christian service.  In the congregation were former thieves – hence ‘steal no longer’ (v28).  Theft can take many forms, including stealing time from employers or doing a second-rate job.  All such sins are covered by the Eighth Commandment.  On the positive side, a Christian ‘must work, doing something useful with his hands’ – a general description of the use of whatever abilities the Lord has given.  We are then ‘to share with those in need’, not self-centred.

4. Holy motives

It is vital to do the right thing for the right motive.  Several are presented by Paul:

            (a).  ‘we are all members of one another’ (v25), each affecting all the others.

            (b).  ‘do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God’ (v30) as he seeks to make us holy.

            (c).  ‘as in Christ God forgave you’ (v32) – thus we reflect God himself.

Both actions and motives are to be sanctified gradually by the working of the Holy Spirit.

As we get older, we may find ourselves saying, ‘I’m not what I used to be.’  Usually that is not meant in a positive sense.  We are admitting that our faculties are not as sharp as they once were, we don’t have the energy we once did, and so forth.  Occasionally we may be grateful that we are not as we once were – we have wisdom and experience that we did not have when younger.  Spiritually the Christian should be able to say in a positive sense, ‘I am not what I used to be.’  Consider now Ephesians 4:17-24 A transformed life.

1. Walking in darkness

Paul gives a grim description of life lived apart from God and his Word.  Human nature is corrupt at its root (Psalm 51:5).  Though not as bad as they could be, no-one is as good as he should be.  Note v17 ‘the futility of their thinking’ – the whole way of life of the unbeliever.  ‘Futility’ indicates emptiness and gives God’s view of man’s achievements and philosophies without his revelation.  The reason they are futile is that the Source of meaning – God – is missing.  They are ‘darkened in their understanding’ (v18) – unable to grasp the meaning of life, all their thinking twisted.  Since they are ‘separated from the life of God’ they are dead spiritually.  They are guilty for their ignorance – Paul speaks of ‘the hardening of their hearts’, the same idea as Romans 1:18 ‘who suppress the truth by their wickedness’.  Thus they have ‘lost all sensitivity’ (v19), losing the capacity to be shocked.  It is a matter of choice – ‘have given themselves over’.  Sinners spiral downwards, never finding satisfaction.

2. The turning point.

But ‘You…did not come to know Christ that way’ (v20).  A decisive change has taken place in these people.  They now ‘know Christ’ – describing a relationship of love and commitment (see John 17:3).  It is described further in v21 – in place of darkness and futility they have ‘the truth that is in Jesus’.  The truth has come in a person.  Through God’s revelation, ‘you heard him and were taught in him’, as we too are.  We are united to Christ by God-given faith (2:8-9) and a definitive change has taken place.  Whatever sins a Christian falls into, he is in a fundamentally different position from the unsaved – he is ‘born again’ and given a new heart (Ezekiel 11:19).  We are to live no longer in the old ways (v17).

3. Walking in light

This is the concern of the rest of the chapter and is stated in general terms in v22-24.  There are 2 aspects mentioned:

            (a).  We are to ‘put off your old self’.  There must be a decisive turning away from ‘your former way of life’.  There will still be temptations to wrestle with.  A definitive ‘putting off’ must be worked out in lifelong practice.  This may be painful, yet it must be done since all the old life offers is corruption by ‘deceitful desires’ (v22).

            (b).  We are to ‘put on the new self’.  This is the ‘clothing’ suitable for new creatures in Christ.  Conversion demands a new lifestyle, a changed direction in values, priorities, and plans.  All are to be reshaped by our relationship to Christ.  We are ‘created to be like God’, in particular ‘in true righteousness and holiness.  Salvation requires a transformed life.

When we preach the gospel, we rightly emphasise the need for a response of faith and repentance.  That, however, is just the beginning of the Christian life.  The Lord requires growth in his people and also provides all the resources we need.  Our goal is maturity in Christ, making progress until the completion that we will experience when Christ returns.  Consider now Ephesians 4:14-16 Grown-up Christians.

1. Stability in belief

Progress is essential as we engage in mutual ministry: ‘Then we will no longer be infants’ (v14).  There is to be a leaving behind of the early stages of Christian experience and there is something wrong if we remain at that point.  Spiritual infancy is characterised by instability – we are not strong enough to walk without staggering.  Paul uses vivid language – ‘tossed back and forth by the waves and blown here and there by every wind’.  When spiritually immature we may be uncertain about the truth, so that when we meet various types of false teaching, we may be tempted to follow them.  We can become more and more confused, resulting in a kind of spiritual seasickness.  We may also be unstable in our practice, inconsistent with what we do know of the truth.  An example is Peter refusing to eat with Gentiles (Galatians 2).  The pressures of others pushing us to and fro can produce inconsistency.  There are those whose aim is to deceive – ‘The cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming’ (v14).  We must be on our guard – we face ‘the devil’s schemes’ (6:11).  Stability comes through mutual ministry, helping us to be ‘rooted and built up in [Christ]’ (Colossians 2:7).  Our focus is to be on him, not on the wind and waves (Matthew 14:30, Peter sinking).

2. Integrity in life

As believers make use of their gifts to minister to each other, our entire lives will be affected.  We will be different from the world, for example ‘speaking the truth in love’ (v15), which involves every part of life, not just our words.  Here is a life of integrity, so different from the false teachers.  It is a life open to scrutiny, walking in the light (1 John 1:7).  In all their dealings Christians will be entirely trustworthy (Psalm 15:4).  The area of speech is especially important.  We will not bend the truth in any way.  Sins of speech are to be carefully avoided (1 Peter 2:1).  Instead, we are to be people of truth, communicating God’s truth in its fulness.  Note ‘in love’ – love for others springing from our love for the Lord.  We are to speak truthfully, but not in a harsh, unloving way that hurts rather than heals.

3. Growth in Christ

We have a comprehensive picture in v15 – ‘in all things grow up into him who is the Head’.  All of life is to be developing in the likeness of the Lord.  Note the imagery of the body – with Christ as Head, a description that implies his authority over his people (see 1:22).  Mutual ministry is again to the fore: ‘the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament’.  Each Christian has a particular place assigned by the Lord.  Thus the body ‘grows and build itself up in love’.  Each part of the body is united to Christ and draws strength from him, and so ‘each part does its work’.

The New Testament stresses the unity of the church of Jesus Christ, and we must seek in practical ways to secure or maintain whatever visible unity is possible.  We are not to treat unity as a trivial matter.  That, however, does not mean that the church is to manifest a dull uniformity or that Christians are to think or behave as clones with no individuality.  Instead, the church is a richly varied community.  Consider now Ephesians 4:7-13 Unity in diversity.

1. The Giver of gifts

In v7 Paul points to the basis of the church’s diversity – ‘grace has been given as Christ apportioned it’.  He refers to the gifts that the Lord graciously gives.  It is the same theme that Paul considers in 1 Corinthians 12:14ff.  Christians are not all the same – they have a diversity of gifts.  As v8-10 demonstrates, the gifts flow from the victory of Christ as he rose from the dead, having made atonement for his people.  Paul quotes from Psalm 68:18, changing it (under the Spirit’s inspiration) to fit his argument more exactly.  The original context was God’s victory, as the ark returned to Jerusalem.  Victory was fulfilled in the empty tomb, when Christ ‘led captives in his train’.  Christ ‘has ascended higher than all the heavens, in order to fill the whole universe’.  He has obtained not only salvation, but all the gifts we need to serve him. He sovereignly distributes gifts to all his people.

2. The gift of leaders

One of the Lord’s gifts is leaders for his church – men qualified by the Holy Spirit for leadership.  Not all offices are of the same type.  Thus ‘apostles…prophets’ are not permanent roles.  They were part of the foundational order for the church (2:20) and are no longer needed.  The work of ‘evangelists’ is not clear – perhaps itinerant preachers of the gospel.  Finally, ‘pastors and teachers’ – the wording indicates a single office with various functions.  They teach and shepherd the flock of God.  Faithful leaders are God’s gift to his church.

3. The work of ministry

The task of leaders is to ‘prepare God’s people for works of service’ (v12), or for ‘ministry’.  The word used for ‘preparing’ is used of repairing nets – encouraging and restoring by expounding and applying the Word and coming alongside to help.  It is God’s people who are to do the ministry, using their God-given gifts.  The range of tasks is matched by the variety of gifts (Romans 12:6-8).  Mutual ministry ensures that ‘the body of Christ may be built up’.  All have a responsibility to be active in the ministry of the church.

4. The goal of maturity

Note the ultimate goal: ‘until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God’ (v13).  As each Christian grows, there is a growing together of the members of Christ’s body.  Perfect unity will not be found in this life, but it is a goal to be aimed for.  We are to ‘become mature’, with the pattern ‘the whole measure of the fulness of Christ’.  It is a staggering description of growth to maturity and unity in Christ by the enabling of God.