“Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children” – Ephesians 5:1
In Paul’s address to the church in Corinth, he commands followers of Christ to “Be imitators of me, just as I also am of Christ.” (1 Corinthians 11:1). Later, in his address to the more mature church of Ephesus, he commands them directly to “be imitators of God.” In both instances, he uses the Greek word “mimetes” which is where we get our root word mimic, and it means to emulate. His point to both churches was for them to live their lives in a manifestation that represents the God of the heavens. Jesus was now with the Father and it was their calling to imitate His life through their words and actions. This was a huge undertaking, one that could not be completed in the flesh alone but required the infilling of the Holy Spirit to motivate and encourage them to accomplish. Paul knew this and he explained the transformation process in great detail in both letters.
As we read both of these commands, we, too, are encouraged to live out the life of Christ and be imitators of God. Filled with the Holy Spirit we allow God to mold, mend, break, poke and prod our fleshly desires to be more conformed into His image. On a daily basis we are dying to our old selfish cravings and allowing God to enlighten us to the newness of walking in the light of the Spirit. His Word transforms our thinking by renewing our minds with fresh perspectives of service, love and joy along with other fruits of the Spirit (Galatians 5). I encourage you to allow His Word, the Sword of Truth, to do the work it was designed to do and become an imitator of God.
In Genesis 1 God says, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness.” Adam was the perfect image and likeness of God until he sinned and tarnished that image. Ever since the fall of man God has been calling His creation back to that status of the perfect image and likeness of Himself. “For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son” (Romans 8:29). God desires for you and me to be conformed into the image, the original image and likeness, of God. He wants you and me to reflect His image in our daily lives so that the lost will see Him and be drawn to His goodness and mercy through what they see in us. This is a high calling, one in which we cannot take lightly and one in which we pursue every waking minute of our lives by allowing God to work through us.
We cannot do this monumental task on our own and in the flesh. We must allow the Word of God, combined with the Spirit of God, to do what they were designed to do; to conform us into the image of God. So, pick up His Word and read it daily. Pray that God will take away any desire that is contrary to His will and ask Him to make you more like Jesus. I know you will enjoy the change and your heart will be filled with joy.
Praise Him!
Dave
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