Walk in love

 Walk in love

Ephesians 5

In Paul’s letter to the Ephesians,  he encourages believers  to live worthy of their calling in Christ and  to walk in unity, humility, and love.

He emphasizes the importance of following God and  reflecting His character in all aspects of life.

Paul also offers profound instructions about marriage,  presenting it as a sacred covenant that reflects the relationship between Christ and the church.

This divine design for marriage  is rooted in mutual love, respect, and spiritual unity.

Avoid Immorality

A Call to Moral Purity (Ephesians 5:3)

3. But fornication and all uncleanness or covetousness, let it not even be named among you, as is fitting for saints.

Paul mentions three sins:

1. Fornication (which breaks the marriage covenant)

2. Uncleanness (Impurity, spiritual dirt that pollutes the heart)

3. Covetousness (Materialism, possessions, sensuality or carnal thought)

Each represents a characteristic of moral corruption.

Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. Because of these things the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience. Colossians 3: 5-6

Let's Guard Our Tongue

Ephesians 5:4. neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks.

1. Filthiness - Dirty/obscene or shameful speech.

2. Foolish speech - trivial, Godless chatter that lacks reverence.

3. Coarse jesting - Bad humor or harmful jokes.

Instead, our mouths should be filled with thanksgiving. Here giving thanks to God is not just a virtue, but a medicine to impurity. When we are thankful to God,  we are less inclined to sinful words. James 1:26

Consequences Of Immorality

Consequences 

For this you know, that no fornicator, unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. Therefore do not be partakers with them. Ephesians 5:5-7

1. Warning of Judgment

2. Caution against deception

3. Knowledge to stay away from the above-mentioned

The Essence of the Christian Life

We are called to be saints—set apart, washed clean, and clothed in the righteousness of Christ. The essence of our Christian life is to walk in a way that honors the One who gave His life to redeem us.

 

Imitators of God: Why should we follow Christ?

Therefore be imitators of God as dear children. Ephesians 5:1

§  We are children of God. By following Christ, we attempt to live a life that aligns with God's will and purpose.

§  Essentially, it's about becoming the best spiritual version of ourselves and living a life that brings glory to God.

But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. John 1: 12-13

What does it mean to imitate?

 §  Imitation means to reflect someone's actions, behavior, or characteristics.

§  Here, it means adopting Christ’s ways of love, kindness, forgiveness, and self-sacrifice in our own lives.

“I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. John 15:5

Characteristics of Jesus Christ

Example: Woman caught in prostitution

1. Jesus did not claim his right but accepted responsibility.

2. Jesus did not judge the woman caught in adultery.

3. Jesus did not punish her.

4. Jesus did not encourage her sin but disciplined her.

 

The Love and Sacrifice of Jesus Christ

And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma. Ephesians 5:2

1.  Paul challenges to love each other as God loves us and to forgive as God has forgiven us.

2.  Paul reminds us that Christ showed this love by sacrificing His life on the Cross so that we could live forever with Him.

3.  I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep. John 10:11

During the Holy communion, we receive His Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity in the form of Bread and wine. Likely, we are invited to offer our lives to God as a loving sacrifice, just like Jesus did.

Fire and  the Holy Spirit

1.     1. Throughout Scripture, we find that the Holy Spirit is often represented through fire.
2. In Exodus 14:24, God revealed His presence in a pillar of fire, guiding and protecting His people. At Pentecost, the Holy Spirit appeared as tongues of fire resting on the believers (Acts 2:3-4), signifying His power and presence.

3. As Hebrews 12:29 declares, “Our God is a consuming fire,” reminding us of His holiness, power, and purifying presence.

Fragrant aroma:

The "fragrant aroma" is a worship as "food" or a “sweet aroma" for Yahweh (Gen 8:21; Ex 29:18; Lev 1:9; Num 28:2).

• And the Lord smelled a soothing aroma. Genesis 8:21
• And you shall burn the whole ram on the altar. It is a burnt offering to the Lord; it is a sweet aroma, an offering made by fire to the Lord. Exodus 29: 18
• And the priest shall burn all on the altar as a burnt sacrifice, an offering made by fire, a sweet aroma to the Lord. Leviticus 1:9
• My offering, My food for My offerings made by fire as a sweet aroma to Me, you shall be careful to offer to Me at their appointed time.’ Numbers 28: 2

Offerings and sacrifices

God was not in need of earthly nourishment or the pleasing smell of sacrifices (Psalm 50:12-14).

It was the "spiritual food" of the self-surrender of the individual and the covenant people as a whole that pleased God, as David wrote in Psalm 51 and as Samuel admonished the people in 1 Samuel 15.

§  For you do not desire sacrifice; a burnt offering you would not accept. My sacrifice to God is a broken spirit; God, never spurn a broken, humbled heart (Ps 51:16-17).

§  But Samuel said, "Does the LORD so delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as in obedience to the command of the LORD? Obedience is better than sacrifice, and submission than the fat of rams. For sin is like divination is rebellion, and presumption is the crime of idolatry" (1 Sam 15:22-23).

What does Jesus tell us to do?  (Luke 9: 23-24)

§  Then He said to them all, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.

§  For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it.

What should followers of Christ crucify? Galatians 5:24

And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.

Summary:

The holy Spirit came down on Mount Carmel as fire and consumed the burnt offering that Elisha offered. When all the people saw this, they fell on their faces and said, “The Lord, He is God… the Lord, He is God.”

In the same way, when believers who belong to Christ crucify their flesh with its desires and live lives surrendered to God as a sweet, pleasing aroma their witness touches other’s heart. Even those who do not know the Lord may look upon such deed and say, “Truly, Christ is God.” Moments like these are a good opportunity to open the doors of their hearts to receive Jesus as their Lord and Savior, with a softened heart.

Here, Paul emphasize Christians to imitate God, walk in love as Christ did, and maintain moral purity by avoiding sin in thought, word, and deed.

Believers are reminded to guard their tongue, reject worldly desires, and offer their lives and worldly desires as a spiritual sacrifice to God.

Finally, this section challenges us to walk in love, encouraging us to live in a way that brings glory to God’s holiness and reflects Christ’s love in every aspect of life.