Child, or a dear child what is the difference? If you have ever had a child that was rebellious or drove you crazy with their attitude and their disrespect, you will understand. The child is still loved deeply because the parent’s love is not based on performance or even obedience. You still love the child and may still offer them the same benefits as the “dear child.” There is a difference because Paul gives us the description of a dear child in Ephesians chapter 5. God does not add words to make something a better read, like a writer would, to sell a book. All words are meaningful and should be understood and applied.
II Timothy 3:16 “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:”
In Ephesians 5:1, the first way to show we are a dear child of God is to be a follower. The Greek word for follower is “mimetes.” It means imitator. We are to imitate God! A tall order but that is what God requires to have the title of a dear child. The word, therefore, takes us back to the last verse of chapter 4. Ephesians 4:32 teaches us how God treats us and how we are to” treat others. “And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.” I know this was in yesterday’s devotion, but Paul now wants us to see it as character traits of a “dear child.”
Ephesians 5:1 “Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children;”
In verse 2 he continues the thoughts from Ephesians 4:32 of kindness, forgiving, and being tenderhearted toward others. We are to walk in love. This is the kind of love that Christ had for us. It is a love that gives for the betterment of the beloved. This kind of love sacrifices for others. It is not often that we in our society sacrifice anything. If it is to be a sacrifice it needs to cost us something. It can be time, money, or physical or mental desires. I’ve heard many older people talk about their mom, acting as if she did not want to eat because she wanted the rest of the family to eat and there wasn’t enough food for everyone. You may sacrifice the time that you had planned to do something of pleasure, to listen to someone who needed a friend. The list could go on and on. The greatest sacrifice was the one done for us by God giving His Son to die for our sins, and Jesus being willing to die and be separated from the Father because our sins were placed on Him. True sacrifices are as sweet smells to God because we are imitating Him.
Ephesians 5:2 “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 savor.”
To be an imitator of God we must know all we can about Him. This is a lifelong quest.
We are to be merciful to others. The word mercy means compassion or forgiveness shown toward someone whom it is within one’s power to punish or harm. God is God and can do whatever he chooses with our lives. He gives opportunities for people to repent, and He has the power to exercise justice at any point. I am so thankful for His mercy toward me, and I should extend that to others. Without mercy, we would all go to Hell. Jesus gave this command in Luke 6:36.
Luke 6:36 “Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful.”
In Hebrews 8:12, God is so merciful that He does not hold our sins against us anymore after we repent. He does not forget, because He is God, He knows all but it is no longer on our account.
Hebrews 8:12 “For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more.”
We are to seek to be holy as He is holy. This would be paying attention to your attitudes and actions. The old phrase What Would Jesus Do can be a good guideline here. In I Peter 1:16 and many places in the Old Testament God’s people are commanded to be holy.
I Peter 1:16 “Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.”
We are to resemble God in all His character traits just as a child resembles their earthly parents in looks and actions. We imitate what we know and are around the most. If you want to show goodness, love, mercy, be forgiving to all, sacrifice for others, show kindness and be holy as God is holy. We must take time to get to know God our Father. I am convinced from talking to other Christians that God is a part of their lives. He has a section of their lives that is His, but He is not their life. They may read their Bible and mark a passage that speaks to them at the moment, close their Bible, and never think of it again. If we want to imitate God, we must spend time with Him alone, and in worship with other believers. It must be a consuming passion to love God with all our hearts. If we want to be a “dear child” we must remember the words of Paul, we are not our own, and if we are a Christian we are bought with a price. My life is in Him, and I belong to Him.
I Corinthians 6:19-20 “What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost, which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.”
