True Love: Be Mimics Of God

Eph. 5:1-2

Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children; And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling savour.

Doctrine and Duty in Ephesians

THE DUTY	THE DOCTRINE
Walk in unity (4:1‑16)	1:22-23; 2:16,21-22; 3:6
Walk in purity (4:17‑32)	1:4
Walk in love (5:1‑7)	3:17-19
Walk in light (5:8‑14)	1:18
Walk in wisdom (5:15‑17)	1:8,17; 3:10
Walk in submission (5:18‑6:9)	3:8
Walk in victory (6:10‑20)	1:19-21

The third emphasis Paul gives concerning our “Walk In Christ” is “Walk in Love” in Ephesians 5:1-7.

In this chapter and the next we will look at two realities about walking in love: “True Love” and “Counterfeit Love.” The first thing we must examine is the entreaty Paul gives here: Be ye followers of God. The truth in this admonition is truly amazing. To study this, let us note two principles: the meaning and the means of following God.

I. The Meaning of Following God (v. 1)

Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children;

First, may we view this entreaty in light of the last words of Ephesians 4: “And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you” (v. 32).

It has been questioned whether the entreaty of 5:1 belongs in the present or the previous context. While it certainly could go with the previous section, we first note that the word therefore again introduces a distinct change in thought, and that change is much more significant than viewing verse 1 as a continuation of Paul’s previous thought. Second, for the third time we see the word “walk” (v. 2), which strongly indicates a change in emphasis, and the change in emphasis is “love.”[1] Third, the principle of being followers of God is certainly a unique one, again indicating a change in Paul’s thought.

So, the word therefore once again shows a progression of thought; once again Paul says, “Based upon what I have already said, here is another application, another principle of how we are to walk in the Christian life.”

Second, what then does followers of God mean?” In typical criticism of our Authorized Version, many commentators say that followers is not adequate and insist that “imitators” is better. But in reality “one that imitates another” is one of the meanings Webster gives for “follower,” so if one is honest, “imitator” is no better in the final analysis.

To be exact, then, the Greek word behind followers is mimētēs, from which we get our English word “mimic” and which is the most literal translation and the most vivid picture. As one Greek authority tells us, this word goes as far back as the 6^th Century B.C. in secular Greek. According to Aristotle, at the beginning of civilization man learned skills by mimicking animals. For example, weaving and spinning were learned from spiders, and house building was learned from birds. Plays, paintings, sculptures, and poetry were merely “imitations of reality.” Even an actor was called a mimos (a “mimer”).[2] Commentator William Barclay also observes that “imitation, was a main part in the training of an orator. The teachers of rhetoric declared that the learning of oratory depended on three things—theory, imitation, and practice. The main part of their training was the study and the imitation of the masters who had gone before.”

But the Apostle Paul brought this word to the New Testament and gave it deeper meaning. May we think about it a moment in light of our world today. In our society people mimic athletes, entertainers, world leaders, military figures, and the like. But the Christian is to mimic God. We are, therefore, to mimic God, copy His character, attitudes, and actions. As the old adage goes, “Imitation is the sincerest of flattery.”[3] I have always been amazed by impressionists who can mimic famous people so perfectly, such as actors Jimmie Stewart and John Wayne. But far greater is the Christian who mimics God. While the first certainly takes great talent, the latter takes a miracle. It is not talent that enables us to mimic God, rather the miracle of the Holy Spirit as He produces “the fruit of the Spirit” (Gal. 5:22-23). Spurgeon declared:

While it thus humbles us, this precept ennobles us; for what a grand thing it is to be imitators of God! . . . Time has been when men gloried in studying Homer, and their lives were trained to heroism by his martial verse. Alexander carried the Iliad about with him in a casket studded with jewels, and his military life greatly sprung out of his imitation of the warriors of Greece and Troy. Ours is a nobler ambition by far than that which delights in battles; we desire to imitate the God of peace, whose name is love.[4]

It’s amazing how many times in Scripture we read that we are to mimic God. In Matthew 5:48, for example, Jesus commanded that we are to be “perfect [teleios, “a complete mature adult”] even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.” Did you get it? We are to mimic God’s maturity! Jesus also declared, “This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you” (Jn. 15:12). Paul declared to the Philippians, we are to have the mind of Christ, which is humility (Phil. 2:3-8). Peter likewise admonished that we are to “follow [Christ’s] steps: Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth” (I Pet. 2:21-22). To mimic God is, as Martyn Lloyd Jones put it, “Paul’s supreme argument . . . the highest level of all in doctrine and in practice . . . the ultimate ideal . . . the highest statement of Christian doctrine that one can conceive or even imagine.”[5]

To go one step deeper, the word be is ginomai, “to become,” and is an imperative. We are, therefore, commanded to become mimics of God. This is not optional, rather mandatory. To help in this process, Paul said that Christians could mimic him as he mimicked God (I Cor. 4:16; 11:1; Phil. 3:17; II Thes. 3:7, 9). Some people view Paul as being arrogant in that attitude, but they do not understand what he is actually saying. We must not misunderstand Paul to say that he is the model but rather Christ is the Model. Paul made this clear in I Corinthians 11:1: “Be ye [mimics] of me, even as I also am of Christ.” Again, he does not say that he is the model but rather an example of the Model. Based upon that, may we now realize that this should be true of every believer. People should be able to mimic me and mimic you. That thought, indeed, puts a tremendous responsibility upon each of us.

Paul even gives an all-important illustration of this principle. He uses the words as dear children. The Greek for children (teknon) is one of three words used in Scripture for children. One is pais, from which is derived English words such as “pediatrics,” refers to a young child. Another, which arises from pais, is paidion, which refers to a smaller child, or even an infant. Teknon, however, which is from tiktō (“to beget”), “emphasizes a child’s origin . . . physical ancestry, or even spiritual fatherhood and sonship.”[6] So Paul’s point is that as those who are God’s children should act like Him. There is nothing more imitative than a child. This is one way in which he or she learns.

I’ve never forgotten a television commercial I saw many years ago. While it was short and had no dialog, the impact was powerful. A father and his little boy, who looked to be about two years old, were sitting together under a tree. The dad reached into his shirt pocket, retrieved a pack of cigarettes, lit one, and laid the pack down between he and his son. Having seen what his father had done, the little boy picked up the pack and looked at it. The camera froze on that picture, and the point was made.

So, as children of God we are to mimic the Father. May this challenge each of us to look at our lives and ask, “When my children mimic me, are they mimicking the right things; can people in general do the Godly thing by mimicking my life?”

To further illustrate with a related passage, this is why one of the qualifications for a pastor is that he is “one that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity” (I Tim. 3:4). That is true for two reasons. First, if he can’t rule his own house, how can he lead a church? Second, however, other Christians must be able to mimic him, and they will whether the result is good or bad.

We have all heard the term “namesake,” which refers to someone who has the same name as another, especially one who is named after someone else. The story has been told that Alexander the Great had a certain namesake, but not one that honored him. One of his soldiers was brought before him for court-martial. After listening to the charges, turned to the soldier and asked, “What is your name?” “Alexander!” was the reply. Again the emperor questioned, “What is your name?” And the second time the soldier answered, “Alexander!” With a cry of rage, the emperor roared, “I say, what is your name?” When the soldier answered for the third time, “Alexander!” the great general angrily replied, “You say your name is Alexander? You are found guilty of your crime as charged, and now you must pay the penalty. Either change your conduct or change your name, for no man can bear the name of Alexander, my name, and do the things that you have done.”[7]

Likewise, many people today call themselves “a Christian,” but their life does not mimic their Namesake. As Christians, we are His namesake; we are Christianos (literally, “of the party of Christ,” cf. Acts 11:26). Our lives, therefore, must reflect Him.

II. The Means of Following God (v. 2)

And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling savour.

When one reads Paul’s entreaty, the first reaction can easily be one of question. Is it really possible to mimic God? Isn’t that somewhat naïve? Isn’t that a bit exaggerated? Didn’t Paul get a little carried away? How can we who are sinful and who live in a sinful world be mimics of God?

The answer to those questions is found in viewing the attributes (characteristics) of God.

First, there are what we call God’s “Natural Attributes.” These are those characteristics that describe what God is in His nature and include His omniscience, omnipotence, omnipresence, eternality, sovereignty, and immutability. These attributes are what are called “incommunicable,” that is, unable to be passed on to man.

Second, however, are God’s “Moral Attributes.” These are the characteristics that describe God’s character and what He does; they include His holiness, righteousness, justice, mercy, grace, and love. These attributes, on the other hand, are “communicable,” that is, able to be passed on to men. God can (and does) communicate holiness, righteousness, justice, mercy, grace, and love to men so we can manifest them in their lives.

So, how can we mimic God? By manifesting His moral attributes. We can indeed mimic God by possessing His “character attributes.” For example, we can possess holiness through Christ and live a holy life (I Pet. 1:16). We can “follow after righteousness” (I Tim. 6:11). We are to “think on” and then “do” the things that are just (Phil. 4:8-9). God will judge us if we do not show mercy to fellow believers (Jas. 2:13). It is by showing grace that we can truly serve the Lord (Heb. 12:28).

In light of all that, we now see another way we mimic God through his moral attributes, and that is by [walking] in love. We have seen the word love (agape) many times in Ephesians and recall its meaning, “a self-emptying self-sacrifice.” We now see something in our text that is quite fascinating—love is actually used three different ways in the verses before us.

First, love is used as an adjective. The word “dear” (v. 1) is actually a form of agape (agapētos), which would allow “dear children” to be translated “loved children.” As noted back in our study of 2:4, agape was actually rather colorless in secular Greek. It originally carried an element of sympathy and spoke of the love of a person of higher rank for one of a lower rank; it even went so far as to speak of a love that was not self‑seeking.[8] But the Lord Jesus transformed it, giving the deeper meaning of being totally sacrificial. As the same authority says, “[It] thus creates a new people who will tread the way of self-sacrificing love that [Christ] took.”[9] As Christ was self-sacrificing in His love, we do the same.

Meditate for a moment on Matthew 3:16-17. Moments after Jesus’ baptism, “the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him: And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” “Beloved” is again agapētos. Do you see the implication? Think of it! God loves us as much as He loves His Son, Who is “the first born among many brethren” (Rom. 8:29). Jesus, in fact, confirmed this in His high priestly prayer in John 17:23, where He prays that the Father has “loved them [i.e., those the Father gave to the Son, the elect, v. 6, 9, 11-12, 20, 24], as thou hast loved Me” (emphasis added).

Second, love is used as a noun (agapē). We are told to walk in [a self-emptying self-sacrifice]. As we’ve seen several times, walk is peripateō, literally “to walk about,” that is, how we conduct ourselves as we walk through life. Love, then, is how we conduct ourselves. It must be the basic attitude of the believer. There must be a love for the Lord and spiritual things and a love for other believers. Love must be the root characteristic of our lives.

Third, however, and most important of all, love is used as a verb[10] (as Christ also hath loved us). People speak so lightly about love, but the crux of the matter is this: true love always expresses itself by an action. Our definition shows this fact. As God’s love was shown by the act of giving Christ, so our love is demonstrated by the act of giving ourselves to God and to others. May we mark it down, “a love” that does not give is not real love; “love” that is not a verb is not real love. Love must prove itself.

We should also note here that, as always, the duty Paul introduces in the latter half the Epistle is based on some doctrine he presented in first half. We are reminded again of the absolute necessity of doctrine. Martyn Lloyd-Jones puts it better than anyone: “Doctrine and behaviour are indissolubly linked together, and they must never be separated. It is no use talking about conduct and behaviour in a Christian sense without doctrine. And when people neglect doctrine you will always see it in their lives.”[11] In this case, then, the doctrine is presented in 3:17-19:

That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.

Because we are “rooted and grounded in love,” and because we “know the love of Christ,” we are, therefore, to “be filled with all the fulness of God” and will desire to mimic Him.

To prove Christ’s love for us, in fact, Paul goes onto to say that Christ . . . hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God. Here we see more doctrine even in the practical portion of the Letter, and its significance is deeper than any ocean. Given is paradidomi, which means to deliberately give up or hand over something without reservation. Hath given, then, reflects the Aorist Indicative tense, that is, a once-for-all past tense. Our Lord willingly surrendered Himself up once-for-all without hesitation or reservation. The word for is huper, which is, as one Greek authority puts it, this is

the great preposition of substitutionary atonement in the [New Testament] and means, “instead of, in behalf of.” It does not merely mean that Christ died for us, for our benefit, but He died instead of us, in our place. He substituted for us, receiving the full impact of the divine wrath against sin.[12]

Paul then goes back to Old Testament pictures. The Greek behind offering (prosphora) is a word used in the New Testament that refers back to the blood offerings of the Old Testament Levitical system. Hebrews 10:10, for example, declares that “we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.” Our Lord accomplished once-for-all what the old Levitical system could only emulate. Instead of the countless millions of offerings that were given throughout Israel’s history, Christ needed to die only once.

Finally, sacrifice is thusia, from thuō, which refers to killing a sacrificial animal, as in Mark 14:12. So, our Lord is again referred to by Old Testament Levitical terminology. He was the fulfillment of what those old sacrifices could only picture. Even before the Levitical system, we read that after the flood, “Noah builded an altar unto the LORD; and took of every clean beast, and of every clean fowl, and offered burnt offerings on the altar. And the LORD smelled a sweet savour” (Gen. 8:20-21.

With that in mind, we note that Paul adds one more beautiful picture. True love is a sweet-smelling savour, a fragrant aroma, to God. This picture is taken from the Old Testament “sweet-savor” offerings that were presented at the altar of the temple. The term “sweet-savor” merely means that something pleases God in the sense that it satisfies His demands. We all can identify with that when we walk into our house and smell something wonderful cooking; that certainly satisfies our demands and is a great pleasure. Infinitely more, love “smells good” to God, it pleases and satisfies Him.

There are actually five offerings spoken of in Leviticus 1-5 but only three of those were “sweet-smelling.” The Burnt Offering (1:1-17) showed Christ’s complete devotion and submission to God in giving His life. The Meal (or Grain) Offering (2:1-16) showed Christ’s perfection of character. The Peace Offering (3:1-17) showed Christ’s making peace between God and man. The other two offerings, however, were not “sweet-smelling.” Even though the Sin Offering and the Trespass Offering (Lev. 4-5) pictured Christ, they also pictured that Christ became sin for mankind. So, these could in no way be beautiful or sweet-smelling to God. Sin is never beautiful! It never “smells good,” never satisfies.

What, then, does all that show? Why did Paul go back to the old Levitical system for his illustrations? He borrowed from the old system simply to illustrate that if we really want our lives to be a “fragrant aroma” in the nostrils of God, then we must manifest our love for Him and other believers. Every deed done out of love is a sweet-smelling savour. While we’ve seen love several times in Ephesians, here we see the capstone, for love “smells good” to God.

May we close this chapter by repeating a truth that should constantly be emphasized today: Love is a VERB!

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