IMITATORS OF GOD
"Therefore be imitators of God as dear children. 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 5:1-2
I. To imitate God, one must evidence God-like characteristics in their daily life:
1. Universally beneficent: "…for He causes His sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and the unjust." Matthew 5:45
2. Universally compassionate: "The Lord is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance." II Peter 3:9
3. Forgiving: "For Thou, Lord, art good, and ready to forgive; and abundant in mercy unto all those who call upon Thee." Psalm 86:5
4. Rewarding when merited: "But when you do a charitable deed, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, that your charitable deed may be in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will Himself reward you openly." Matthew 6:3-4.
II. In imitating God, we become examples to other believers:
"…be an example to the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity." I Timothy 4:12
1. In word: "Buy truth, and do not sell it." Proverbs 23:23
2. In conduct: "That you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God." Colossians 1:10
3. In love: "…and walk in love as Christ also has loved us…" (text)
4. In spirit: "And they were not able to resist the wisdom and the spirit by which he spoke." Acts 6:10
5. In faith: "We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is fitting, because your faith grows exceedingly, and the love of every one of you all abounds toward each other." II Thessalonians 1:3
6. In purity: "Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit in sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart." I Peter 1:22.
III. By imitating God, we position ourselves for great blessing. Consider the great blessings that are promised to us as we live in accordance to God’s will for our lives.
“Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful;
but his delight is in the law of the LORD, and in His law he meditates day and night. He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth its fruit in its season, whose leaf also shall not wither; and whatever he does shall prosper.” Psalms 1:1-3 (NKJV)
