"1Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children; 2and walk in love, just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma." - Ephesians 5:1-2 (NASB)
“Here in Ephesians 5:1, Paul urges believers to imitate God. This is a Present Middle (deponent) Imperative signifying a command for believers to intentionally imitate1 God. The English word “mimic” comes from this Greek root ‘mimētēs’. The concept of imitation or mimicking was not an uncommon theme in early Christian literature.2 It was often discussed in terms of how an actor skilfully mimics someone else.
In the context of Ephesians 4:32 and 5:2, an imitator of God is defined as one who is holy, just, and wise. It could also refer to imitating Christ, whom Paul sees as divine. The main idea is to love as God in Christ who walks in love and selflessness, one who has a thankful heart (vs 4). Paul employed a similar language of emulation to exhort the Corinthians to imitate his conduct as he imitates Jesus (see 1 Cor 11:1; also refer to 1 Thess 1:6; 1 Pet 2:21).
“as beloved children” – Paul suggests the idea of children emulating their loving parents. Believers of Jesus are described with the same important title as Jesus himself (i.e., “beloved,” see v 6). They are loved because Jesus is loved by the Father, and they are supposed to show the same loving characteristics as the Father (cf. Luke 6:36; Matt 5:44). We must realize that the kind of love the Father shows in providing his Son as an offering for sin is unexcelled.
The restored relationship believers have with God through the new covenant gives them a strong reason to imitate God. Christians are now seen as God’s ‘beloved children,’ not because they earned this status, but because they have been adopted as God’s children (cf. Rom 8:15; Gal 4:5) by putting their faith in Jesus Christ. This new relationship allows God to pour His love into the hearts of believers through the Holy Spirit (Rom 5:5), giving them the ability to love others more than they ever thought possible.
The constant demonstration of love, especially in self-sacrificial ways, towards one another in the community of faith represents the highest ideal of being a Christian. Overflowing and selfless love is at the core of God’s own nature. Therefore, Paul encourages followers to imitate their God and reflect the image of their Father, as demonstrated by Christ.
“gave Himself up for us an offering and a sacrifice to God” – This clause explains the meaning of ‘Christ loved us’ as His self-giving sacrifice. Paul uses similar terminology when he tells husbands to love their wives ‘just as Christ loved the church and gave himself for her’ (Eph 5:25). Christ is described as having given Himself as an offering or sacrifice. The words used convey that Christ offered Himself as the sacrifice that fulfills all the offerings and sacrifices of the Old Testament. Christ’s once and for all sacrifice, renders the old sacrificial system obsolete. A new covenant has been established between God and man – forgiveness and reconciliation with God are made possible for those who believe in Christ.
“As a fragrant aroma” – This particular expression is recurrent in the Old Testament, often associated with the pleasing scent of the sacrificial offerings routinely presented on the altar. These offerings were regarded as a “pleasing aroma” to the Lord (see Leviticus 1:9, 13, 17; 2:2).
This was a recurrent Old Testament sacrificial imagery used to show that God accepted a sacrifice (cf. Gen 8:21; Exo 29:18; Leviticus 1:9, 13; Ezekiel 20:41; 2 Co 2:14; Phil 4:18). When the sacrifice burned in the altar, it created smoke that rose up, symbolizing its journey from the visible to the invisible realm, from the physical world to God’s realm.
Paul emphasizes the truth that “Christ willingly gave Himself as an offering for sin and God accepted this offering. Christ’s sacrifice was therefore effective for the forgiveness of sins.
The Bible portrays Jesus as “the express image of His (God’s) Person” (Hebrews1:3). Jesus is the exact representation of the invisible God. This means that the character of Jesus is identical to the character of God, revealing God as not only a symbol of awesome power but also as love. This sacrificial love defines God’s character, allowing us to entrust our lives and aspirations to a loving God. As we extol His perfect qualities, we become more aware of our limitations and sins, humbly bowing before Him and feeling incapable of ever resembling Him. However, God sets the standard for excellence, and we can only achieve excellence by emulating His Son. We can be like Him by loving others like Christ loves us (cf. John 13:34-35;1 John 4:7). Every aspect of our lives must be infused with love. The love of God is the most extraordinary revelation of the gospel, and it is the most important thing in all the world. It is our be-all and end-all!
- “The verb “imitate” simply means to “emulate” or “follow after.”“E. Larsson, “,” EDNT, 2.428.”
↩︎ - “The language of imitating God appears a handful of times in Philo. For instance, in commenting on what Moses says in Deut 8:18 (“for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth”), Philo says, “And in another place also the lawgiver gives this precept, which is most becoming and suitable to a rational nature, that men should imitate God () to the best of their power, omitting nothing which can possibly contribute to such a similarity as the case admits of” (Virtues 168). What Philo means is that since God has empowered people to make wealth, they should follow his example by helping others. – “Alleg. Interp. 1.48; Sacrifices 1.65, 68”
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