Ephesians 5:1-7

Love That Imitates God

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1Be imitators of God, therefore, as beloved children,

2and walk in love, just as Christ loved us and gave Himself up for us as a fragrant sacrificial offering to God.

3But among you, as is proper among the saints, there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed.

4Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk, or crude joking, which are out of character, but rather thanksgiving.

5For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure, or greedy person (that is, an idolater) has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.

6Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things the wrath of God is coming on the sons of disobedience.

7Therefore do not be partakers with them.

Berean Standard Bible

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Paul calls believers to be imitators of God as beloved children. They belong to Him and are loved by Him. Their conduct should bear a family resemblance to their Father.

The clearest resemblance is love. Believers are to walk in love, just as Christ loved us and gave Himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. This love is not simply warm feeling. Christ's love gives itself for the good of others and is joined to holiness.

Paul therefore names practices that must not belong among God's people: sexual immorality, impurity, and greed. He also warns about shameful speech, foolish talk, and coarse joking. The concern is not that Christians must become humorless or unable to speak about difficult things. It is that speech and desire can treat people as objects and make sin seem harmless.

Thanksgiving is the fitting alternative. Gratitude turns the heart away from grasping and toward receiving God's gifts rightly. Paul identifies greed as idolatry: desire for more can claim the place that belongs to God. No immoral, impure, or greedy person has an inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. Empty assurances cannot make these practices safe. God's wrath is coming because of such disobedience, so believers must not join in it.

Questions

1 How does Paul describe believers before telling them to imitate God?

AnswerHe describes them as beloved children. The call to imitate God rests on being loved by Him.

2 What pattern of love does Paul place before believers?

AnswerChrist loved us and gave Himself up for us as an offering and sacrifice to God. His love is self-giving and holy.

3 Which attitudes and practices does Paul tell believers to reject?

AnswerHe names sexual immorality, impurity, greed, shameful speech, foolish talk, and coarse joking as things that should not govern God's people.

4 What does Paul place alongside rejecting greed and corrupt speech?

AnswerHe places thanksgiving alongside them. Gratitude redirects desire toward God's gifts instead of grasping for more.

What This Means for Us

Christ's love teaches us to give ourselves for another person's good. When a conversation turns crude or makes someone an object of desire, we can refuse to join in and change the subject. Belonging to Christ should change what we find entertaining.

Thanksgiving gives a household a positive practice, not only a list of prohibitions. We can name God's gifts aloud and learn to enjoy them without turning good things into possessions we must control.

Prayer

God, thank You for loving us as Your children. Teach us to imitate Your goodness, walk in Christ's self-giving love, reject what dishonors others, and grow in sincere thanksgiving. Amen.

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