Some believe that the first two verses of chapter 5 belong with the material which has been treated in the previous chapter. However, it fits just as well with the thought the Apostle develops in the verses 3 to 14 of chapter 5. He will speak of the manner of life to which believers are called in distinction from unbelievers. Therefore let them imitate God!

To say that we cannot imitate God because He is elevated far above us is to miss the meaning of the words which Paul is addressing to these Christians in Ephesus. He would not tell them to do the impos­sible and then cause a whole way of life to be depend­ent upon it. Of course we must imitate God. As a child imitates his father so must the believer imitate His God. He is His child! He will not be able to do the things God does — neither can a child do the things his father does. Still, he imitates him. That is the call­ing of believers, as beloved children, to imitate God.

Walk in Love⤒🔗

The manner of our imitating God is found in the next verse: Walk in love. So we imitate God. Our whole manner of life must be characterized by love, i.e., the kind of love Christ manifested to us. This is true love and it is the kind which is approved of God. God showed His love to us in Christ and Christ has shown His love to us in our redemption. He gave Him­self up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma. His love to us was sacrificial! That is the pattern for our love! This is well-pleasing to God as a sweet fragrance.

This manner of life must be well understood by those who are members of the body of Christ. They must realize that their salvation is indeed dependent on their belief, but this belief must give rise to a life which is in accordance with the will of God. Through­out the history of the church there has been the danger that men would stress true beliefs even at the expense of a true lifestyle. Paul warns his people concerning this error. They are living in a world which not only ridicules the cross, they are also living in a world where the fumes of Satan's breath are in evidence wherever they turn. Immorality fills this world. All the talk of the present day that we are free from the law is denied by Paul and he shows the peo­ple of his day how dangerous it is to minimize but one of God's commandments. Fornication and unclean­ness are the terms he uses to cover all the immorality that is found in the world of the Ephesians. These things are common in the world of sin, but they should be unheard of among believers. They are imi­tators of God! Covetousness or greed too is totally out of place in the life of a child of God. Redemption does not only save from eternal damnation, it also changes every aspect of life in the here and now. They are saints!

Their minds should not have place for filthiness of thought which will result in filthy language or deed. Their minds are to be pure, and if the thought is pure, the language and deed will also be pure. Their speech must not be the speech of fools. This is empty speech which enriches no one. They must not make them­selves guilty of language which has double meaning because such talk is not fitting for believers. Lan­guage is a good gift and must be used as such. Speech is a wonderful gift of God and must be used for the giving of thanks. Then the believer shows that "his mouth, too, has been redeemed" and that he is sensi­tive to the demands of the third, seventh and ninth commandments.

Needed Warning — Exclusion from Christ's Kingdom←⤒🔗

Those who do not believe on the Lord Jesus Christ have no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. Neither do those who are fornicators or unclean persons or covetous men who are idolaters! So impor­tant is the walk of life to which the believer is called. It must be emphasized that the Apostle always makes a distinction between falling into sin or living in it. Therefore, those who live an adulterous life, a life of uncleanness, have no part in the kingdom of Christ. The covetous man, or the greedy man, is here identified with idolaters. Greed leads to idolatry. They serve Mammon rather than God! For such there is no place in His kingdom! When will the church stop compromising on these things? You surely know it to be true, says the Apostle! Let no one, therefore, de­ceive you with empty words. Anyone who teaches that believers need not be concerned about these ethical matters is deceiving them. The wrath of God rests on the immoral acts of men and also rests on those who teach falsehoods.

Paul has bestowed a great deal of labor on the church at Ephesus and does not wish to see those labors to be of no effect. But, Christ has a far greater "investment" in this church. Surely, His labors may not be in vain! Therefore the Apostle tells believers not to be partakers with the unbelievers in a life which goes contrary to the demands of the Christ. Christ's demands are always in perfect harmony with the law which God gave so many centuries before. Paul warns this people so that they may not be led astray. Before the gospel came to Ephesus these peo­ple, to whom he is writing, were in darkness and did the works of darkness just as the others. However, when the gospel came and the Spirit applied the Word to their hearts, they were changed. They became "light in the Lord." Is it, then, not logical that they should now walk as children of the light? It is a beau­tiful expression which he uses, i.e., they are children, or the offspring, of light. They must now be true to their new nature and so walk before Him. It is very easy for them to know whether or not they are walk­ing as children of light. The fruit of the light is in all goodness and righteousness and truth. Their walk of life will not save them, but their walk of life will be the fruit of their salvation! Paul and James are often contrasted by men today as though they are in total disagreement with each other. Paul emphasizes faith and its content and James emphasizes the fruit of that faith. Each one has a different emphasis, but both speak of faith and both speak of the life as the result of faith. There is no disagreement but perfect harmony!

Fruit of the Spirit←⤒🔗

How can a child of God be sure that he is really a child of God? This is the question which has plagued many people through the ages. Is there a possibility that He will speak directly to us to assure us of the fact that we belong to Him? Are there certain expe­riences which I must have before I can be sure? No, He has spoken in His Word and that is enough! When these Ephesian Christians believe the gospel as Paul has declared it to them and walk according to the demands of that gospel, they have the assur­ance of faith! This proves what is well-pleasing to the Lord! That is all they need.

No Fellowship with Works of Darkness←⤒🔗

Once more Paul refers to the deeds of the unbe­lievers as he had spoken of them in the early part of this chapter. The believers must not have fellow­ship, must not partake, of these deeds. Really, they cannot have fellowship with these deeds because they are works of darkness while the believer is a child of light. Besides, they are unfruitful works while the believer's life must be fruitful. He is called to reprove these works of darkness. Yet, the things which the unbelievers do in secret — it is even a shame to speak of them, says Paul. If you cannot speak of them, how can you reprove them? Precisely in the way he had outlined in the previous verses. By their walk, their godly walk, they will reprove the works of darkness. Men will be able to see the emptiness of the unbeliever's life in the light of the godly walk of believers. Here, as in so many places, Paul teaches the antithesis! There is no compromise possible between light and darkness; between the life of the believer and the unbeliever; between good and evil. The lines are drawn sharply! The gospel of Jesus Christ cannot and may not be tied to the mis­taken notions of other religions!

Only when the lines are sharply drawn will the works of darkness be exposed for what it really is. Only the light which believers have and are is able to expose the evil. Whenever God's people compro­mise their beliefs, the gospel is obscured and the un­believer is left in the dark. The true light of the gos­pel makes visible the true character of sin. For his own welfare the believer must walk according to the principles shown him in the Word of God, but also for the welfare of his fellowman. The child of God is doing no one a service by minimizing the sin of others. Only the light makes things manifest — let it then shine!

Rise and Shine←⤒🔗

The words found in verse 14 are a quotation but we do not know the source of this quotation with any certainty. Many believe that the Apostle is quoting Isaiah 60:1, but it certainly is not a verbatim quota­tion. Nor is this of much importance. He quotes with approval and makes clear that it is the Word of God. That's all that is necessary to know. He is, by means of these words, calling to the unconverted to awake. But, he is also calling to those already converted but not living the consistent Christian life to awaken. The unbeliever is surely sound asleep, but the incon­sistent believer is also slumbering. Let them awake out of their sleep and arise from the dead and Christ shall shine upon them. He will give them the true light and the true life, and He is the only Source of both! Let no one say: But they cannot awaken be­cause God only is able to awaken them out of their sleep! Let no one say this — but many do! Then there are many parts of Scripture which become a riddle and we have set our own logic as the standard for the Bible! It is true, of course, that salvation is God's work from beginning to end. But, man is a responsible creature! He tells him: Believe! and that man better not have the audacity to say: I can't! He tells men to turn, and they are called to obey! So here too: Awake! ... and arise from the dead!

Let men realize that they are to be obedient to Him in their whole walk of life.

Questions for discussion:←⤒🔗

1. How can we imitate God and how can we not do so?
    
2.  How dangerous is immorality to our spiritual life? What does this have to say to us about marriage and divorce? As to literature and movies?
    
3.   Is it dangerous to teach that the law is not for us? What do we stress most, right doctrine or right living? May we ever separate them?
    
4.   How should we reprove those who sin? Are we guilty before God if we do not reprove sin?
    
5. What is the danger of saying: We cannot believe, God must give it to us? Can this also lead to "cheap" religion? Yet, it is true — we cannot be­lieve all by ourselves. Whence comes that faith? But, is the impression often left He hasn't given me these things, therefore I am blameless?