Ephesians 5:1

NASB	NLT	VOICE
1 Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children;	1 Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are his dear children.	1 So imitate God. Follow Him like adored children,

Imitation: Ultimate Flattery

In a biblical perspective, imitating God involves living a life that is holy, loving, and righteous. Imitating God is a form of discipleship. Christians learn about living a godly life by observing and replicating the behavior of their teacher, i.e. Jesus. It’s taught all throughout the Bible too. The Old Testament focuses on holiness as a reflection of God’s nature. The New Testament furthers this through the earthly life of Jesus. We are to imitate God as a child imitates their parents. In the cultural context of Ephesus, children were expected to learn from and copy their parents. Us, as children of God, are expected to learn from and copy God.

Three Modes of Imitation

Imitating God involves practical steps towards holiness. Remember, to be holy is to be set apart from everyone else. Christians are called to live an upside down life from the world. It starts with three key things: loving others, practicing forgiveness, and living righteously. 

Love Others

Our call to love others is to love as God loves us. God loves us as broken as we are. God knows that none of us will be perfect and will have moments where we mess things up. Yet, through his Sacrifice of Jesus on the cross, we have been atoned for our sins. Jesus paid the price for our sins. Now we are allowed a right relationship with God. We also have a place in the eternal Kingdom of Heaven.  

Forgive Others

God’s mercy allows all to be forgiven. It’s a weird juxtaposition of our reality. We often struggle with forgiveness. The hurt someone causes us can kill any relationship and good standing we once had. I struggled with this for a while. Then God led me to this conclusion: “God’s children are humans; their actions show their spirit, not the human.” We’re all people. We deserve to be treated with the same love and forgiveness that God gifted to us. You can despise, disagree, and hate what someone does, but your hatred focuses on their actions, not the person. We must keep that boundary tight because it allows us to create growth, reconciliation, and love for each other. 

Live Righteously

Living righteously is not a common mindset that we think about when it comes to doing good. How many of you wake up and think, “I am going to live right.” The majority of you will think: “I want to do good.” Living right is about living in a way that aligns with God’s will and plan. It’s living to abide by God’s principles taught through Jesus’ ministry. There will be a still small voice that is inside you to help guide you through this path. You will find extraordinary energy and momentum toward doing what is right. The Holy Spirit guides you on the path that God has for you. 

Ultimate Goal

We share the true image of who God is when we love others. Forgiving others and living righteously also show this image. 

Reflection Questions:

1. Have you ever had your child, a sibling, or generally someone younger follow you around and imitate your actions? How did that make you feel? 
2. The world is often divisive. In this time of discussion, how do you forgive? 
3. Do you practice the three tenets of imitating God? Which are you strongest at? Which do you need help with?

Call to Action

Today, reflect on Ephesians 5:1. Check with God to see if you are properly imitating who God is. Talk with God about what ways you can better imitate him. 

Next slice of manna: Manna for the Mind #275