QUALITIES OF A NEW LIFE (PART 8)

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In Christ, Mark

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The scriptures. May God bless the reading of His holy word.

Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave Himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

Ephesians 5:1-2

This ends this reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.

Be kind, compassionate, and forgiving.

These are qualities that show a person has put on a new self after choosing to believe in Jesus.

In the last verse of Ephesians 4, we find Paul telling the Ephesian believers what living in Christ looks like and as we turn to the first two verses of chapter 5, we find the Apostle continuing to share two more exhortations.

First, the Jesus disciples in Ephesus were to “follow God’s example...as dearly loved children”.

What did he mean by that exactly?

We find out by looking at other translations of the first part of verse 1. Consider these:

Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are His dear children. NLT

Do as God does. After all, you are His dear children. CEV

Since you are God's dear children, you must try to be like Him. GNT

Anyone who decides to believe in Jesus as Savior becomes a true child of God and is expected to be like their Father, the God who is the Maker and Master over all things.

Given this, a Christian must always strive to emulate God in the way they live for this will be just one more indicator that they have put on a new self in obedience to the command of the scriptures.

In the second exhortation found in verse 2, we see the Apostle Paul demanding that the Ephesian Christians “walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave Himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God”

Since Christians are to walk in way of love established by Christ, it would be helpful to know what Jesus said about the subject. Consider these verses:

One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question: “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”

Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’” Matthew 22:35-37

“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are My disciples, if you love one another.” John 13:34-35

Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. John 15:13

Jesus perfectly walked in the way of love. He was only the only person who ever has and so there is no better role model for love than our Savior.

What was Jesus’ greatest expression of love?

One only needs to look to the cross to find the answer for it’s there that God’s Son “gave Himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice” to His Father. It was this love, what is referred to as agape love, that Christian believers are to put into practice themselves, a quality part of their new self.

Now, none of us may never have the opportunity to die in the place of another but if the moment ever presented itself, a Jesus follower is expected to do as He did for there is no greater love that can be extended, one to another.

Be imitators of God in all things and walk in the ways of Jesus’ love.

Yet two more qualities Christians are to display to show they have put on their new self.

Tomorrow, we’ll see Paul has even more to say on this matter.

Amen.

In Christ,

Mark

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