Then become imitators of God as beloved children.
Truth to Learn
We need to live the part that God has given us.
Behind the Words
“Then” is translated from oun, which indicates a connection of two thoughts, sometimes indicating an affect from the previous thought, but often just a link between the two. It is sometimes translated as “Therefore” and sometimes as “Then.” I believe the best translation in this case is “Then.”
“Become” is the command form of ginomai, which we saw in yesterday’s verse. It means “become.” The implication is that we are not simply to stay the same, we are to move forward and actively become more like our loving God.
The word translated “imitators” is mimētēs, from which we get our English word “mimic,” meaning “to imitate or copy in action and speech.”
“Beloved” is translated from agapētos, which is based on the verb agapaō, meaning “to love with a perfect, self-sacrificing love.” Agapētos refers to someone who is loved with that kind of love. All Christians are loved by God with this perfect, self-sacrificing love.
Meaning Explained
Nearly everyone has someone to whom they look with respect and admiration, in many cases wishing they could be just like them. Some people go so far as to imitate the clothing style of the one they admire, combing their hair the same way, and even talking like their idol. In fact, there are those who go to the extreme, having plastic surgery so that they even physically resemble the one whom they revere so much. Sort of crazy, huh? The Apostle Paul tells us that being imitators is a good thing, as long as the one we’re imitating is God.
In chapter four of this letter to the Christians in the church of Ephesus, Paul instructed them (and us) to take off the old man and put on the new man. In effect, he told us to quit behaving like our sin nature and begin behaving like our new nature. He even went so far as to instruct us in some of the characteristics of the old man (things we are to avoid) and some of the characteristics of the new man (things we are to do). Now, he gives us some practical insight into how we can put on the new man.
We’ve all seen an actor who, even though we know his or her real identity, portrays a character so completely that we perceive the character they’re playing rather than the actor. And, when we think of that actor, we often think of him or her as one of the characters they have portrayed. In reality, however, we all know that they are just acting like someone else; they’re not really the character they imitate. The Greek word for a professional actor is hupokritēs (hypocrite), indicating someone who is acting in a role that is not who he or she really is.
Unlike professional actors, we need to become more than just pretenders. God doesn’t want us to be hypocrites and just pretend that we’re His children. We are His children! And He wants us to live like His children are supposed to live. While professional actors portray the character on the outside, we need to become the character on the inside.
Application
“I don’t want to be a phony, acting like someone I’m not,” you may say. Well, you don’t have to. If you are a born-again Christian, then you are a child of God. By learning how to think and behave like a child of God you become the new character that God has made you to be. If you learn the part well enough, others will see God in you. Now, that’s something to think about!
In God's service, for His glory,
Copyright © 2015 Will Krause. All rights reserved