Ephesians, Part 9 / Imitators of God / Ephesians 5:1-20
If you've ever spent time around little kids, you've seen it: they mimic everything. The way you walk, the phrases you use, the habits you'd rather they didn't pick up. A parent says "Let's go, get moving," and a few days later the toddler is bossing everyone toward the door. One dad puts on a bike helmet, and now his daughter won't let anyone ride without one. Kids watch, they listen, they practice—and before long it becomes second nature. Nobody forces it. It's just family resemblance.
That's the exact picture Paul reaches for as he opens Ephesians 5:
"Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are his dear children." (Ephesians 5:1, NLT)
The word translated imitate is where we get "mimic"—to copy the characteristics of another person. And notice the logic: we imitate God not to become His children, but because we already are. Being like Jesus flows out of an affectionate imitation of a Father we love. God models it, we practice it, and over time it becomes second nature—the family resemblance starts to show.
So what does it actually look like to imitate God? In a culture full of darkness, distraction, and self-interest, the rest of this passage gives us three answers. We imitate God when we walk in His love, walk in His light, and walk in His wisdom.
We don't imitate God to become His children—we imitate Him because we already are. Walk in His love, light, and wisdom, and the family resemblance starts to show.
Walk in the Love of Christ
The first way we imitate God is in how we treat people.
"Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ. He loved us and offered himself as a sacrifice for us, a pleasing aroma to God." (Ephesians 5:2, NLT)
Jesus' life is the pattern. And the love Paul has in mind is agape—active, selfless, and costly. This isn't cheap or easy love. It's the kind Jesus described when He said to love your enemies, do good to them, and lend without expecting anything back, "for he is kind to those who are unthankful and wicked" (Luke 6:35–36, NLT). That's the family resemblance: a compassion that looks like the Father's.
Here's the catch—we can't manufacture that kind of love on our own. It only becomes possible because we received it first. As John puts it, "We love because he loved us first" (1 John 4:19, NLT). You can't give away what you haven't received.
Then Paul draws a sharp contrast with the love the world settles for:
"Let there be no sexual immorality, impurity, or greed among you. ... Obscene stories, foolish talk, and coarse jokes—these are not for you. Instead, let there be thankfulness to God." (Ephesians 5:3–4, NLT)
Paul was writing to a culture that was sexualized, greedy, and built around idolatry—and honestly, it's not hard to see the parallels to our own city and moment. But the call of Christ runs in the opposite direction. The world's version of love is self-serving; Christ-like love is self-sacrificing. One is about what I can get; the other is about what I can give.
When Paul warns that no immoral, impure, or greedy person "will inherit the Kingdom of Christ and of God" (Ephesians 5:5, NLT), he's not talking about stumbling and missing the mark. He's describing a lifestyle—a life still habitually run by the old self, not even aiming at something better. There's a world of difference between failing while you pursue Christ and never pursuing Him at all.
Walk in the Light of Christ
The second way we imitate God is by walking in His light.
Scripture tells us "God is light, and there is no darkness in him at all" (1 John 1:5, NLT). Light here is a picture of God's truth and holiness—and since He's our model, that's what we're meant to walk in too.
"For once you were full of darkness, but now you have light from the Lord. So live as people of light!" (Ephesians 5:8, NLT)
Don't miss what Paul says about your past tense. You were full of darkness—lost, blind, without hope. But God "rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves" (Colossians 1:13). That's not who you are anymore. So live like it.
And there's a reason walking in the light matters:
"For this light within you produces only what is good and right and true." (Ephesians 5:9, NLT)
Light bears fruit. Goodness—love in action for the sake of others. Righteousness—a life of integrity and purity. Truth—being honest and trustworthy. When you walk in the light, that's what starts to grow.
Paul also tells us how to walk in it: "Carefully determine what pleases the Lord. Take no part in the worthless deeds of evil and darkness; instead, expose them" (Ephesians 5:10–11, NLT). Part of walking in the light is being ready to shine it—to share your story and your hope with humility. Jesus said, "You are the light of the world" (Matthew 5:14). Light doesn't argue with the darkness; it just shows up, and the darkness has to give way.
Walk in the Wisdom of the Holy Spirit
The third way we imitate God is by walking in His wisdom. And wisdom isn't merely a human skill—it's a reflection of God's own character. Scripture says wisdom and power belong to God, that wisdom is found in Him, and that if any of us lacks it, we can simply ask Him for it (James 1:5).
"So be careful how you live. Don't live like fools, but like those who are wise. Make the most of every opportunity in these evil days. ... Don't be drunk with wine, because that will ruin your life. Instead, be filled with the Holy Spirit." (Ephesians 5:15–18, NLT)
Wisdom sees everything in focus—it aims at the right ends and reaches them by the right means. To walk in wisdom is to live in a way that mirrors our wise God. Paul spells out what that life actually looks like:
Make the most of your time. Time is precious—invest it in what matters most instead of letting it slip away.
Understand the Lord's will. Don't move through life thoughtlessly. Invite God's wisdom to help you walk in step with Him and His purposes.
Live Spirit-filled lives. In a culture that numbed itself with wine and wild excess, Paul says the answer isn't another way to escape—it's to be filled with the Spirit. And that's a present, ongoing command: keep engaging in what fills your life with the Spirit.
Worship constantly. Sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs—in church, at home, in the car—making music to the Lord in your heart.
Be thankful. Give thanks for everything to God the Father in the name of Jesus.
The Family Resemblance
Come back to those kids for a second. They don't imitate their parents by gritting their teeth and trying hard. They imitate because they belong—because they're always watching, always around, and the resemblance just forms.
That's the invitation of Ephesians 5. We imitate God not to earn a place in the family, but because we're already His dear children. And as we keep walking in His love, His light, and His wisdom, the resemblance grows—until the way we treat people, the things we walk toward, and the way we spend our days start to look unmistakably like our Father.
So the honest question to sit with is this: Where have I grown numb—to the darkness I've made peace with, or to the light I've stopped walking in? The path forward is never shame. It's confession, repentance, and community, and a continued filling of the Spirit that empowers us to live the life we've been called to.
Share this with someone this week.
Paul's picture is simple: kids don't force a family resemblance, it just forms as they watch and belong. Someone you know needs that reminder today—that they don't have to earn their way into God's family before they can start looking like Him. Send this to a friend who's been white-knuckling their faith, exhausted from trying to be "good enough," and let them hear that imitating God flows out of being loved first, not the other way around. Or share it with someone sitting in a season of darkness who needs to know they've already been rescued into the light.
What are you going to do about it?
Read Ephesians 5:1–20 slowly this week — once a day if you can. Each time, let Paul's three pictures examine a different corner of your life: love (how you're treating people), light (what you're walking toward or away from), and wisdom (how you're spending your time). Then ask yourself: Where have I grown numb—either to a darkness I've quietly made peace with, or to a light I've stopped walking in? And: What's one concrete way this week I can imitate my Father—loving someone at a cost, stepping into the light through confession or community, or making the most of time I've been wasting?
About the Ephesians Series
God has always had a plan. The book of Ephesians reveals the incredible story of God’s plan to bring salvation to all people through Jesus Christ and unite them into one family. In this 13-week series, we’ll discover what it means to live with purpose as people who have been chosen, redeemed, and called by God. Along the way, we’ll explore how the Holy Spirit transforms our everyday relationships—with family, friends, the Church, and the world around us. Ephesians is an invitation to step into God’s greater story and live the kind of life we were created for.