The Blessed Effects of God’s Saving Grace (4:1–6:20)
Examples of pure living
Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. 1 Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children 2 and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.
Instead of being bitter and angry with our neighbor or using loud and insulting speech, Paul urges God’s people to be kind, compassionate, and forgiving. That’s not easy! After all, we’re talking here about a fellow Christian who has committed real sins against us. She has lied about us and spoiled our reputation; he has defrauded us in a business deal. Her abuse of alcohol has deprived our family of the support it needs. Don’t we have some rights? Doesn’t he or she deserve some of the anger and bitterness we feel?
Paul tries to help the Ephesians in this important area of sanctification by bringing up a well-known and winsome picture. We’ve all been intrigued by the sight of a toddler trying to imitate his father—pounding with a hammer, throwing a ball, raking leaves. Paul is suggesting something similar when he advocates kindness and compassion, love and forgiveness. He says, “Be imitators of God.” Do as your Father has done for you. He urges the Ephesians to be forgiving of one another “just as in Christ God forgave you.” He urges them to live a life of love “just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.”
What our Father has done—that makes all the difference in the world! His actions not only set a pattern and serve as a model, but they give loveless sinners new hearts and new minds. It is God who creates the new man in Christians, who now have the power and the ability to forgive a repentant brother or sister.
And Christians will do it. They will not merely go through the motions but will forgive sincerely—from their hearts. They can do so because they are now living lives of love, in imitation of their heavenly Father. “We love because he first loved us” (1 John 4:19).