Children imitate their parents
For better or for worse, children often imitate their parents. Here’s a funny video of some children who were asked to imitate their parents:
You are chosen. This means you are adopted into God’s family. You are his children. As children you are encouraged to imitate your heavenly Father. ‘You are children that God dearly loves. So be just like him’ (Ephesians 5:1 NIrV). ‘Be imitators of God, as beloved children’ (Ephesians 5:1 ESV).
As beloved children we are to imitate the Triune God. Our God is holy, holy, holy. In Isaiah chapter 6, we get a glimpse of God in heaven:
In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord. He was seated on his throne. His long robe filled the temple. He was highly honoured. Above him were seraphs. … They were calling out to one another saying, “Holy, holy, holy is the LORD who rules over all. The whole earth is full of his glory.” (Isaiah 6:1–3).
We are called to imitate this holy, holy, holy God. God calls you to live a holy life. This is called “sanctification” — living as saints, being holy. St Paul has explained this at the start of this section, way back in chapter 4: ‘I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received’ (Ephesians 4:1). You have been chosen, made alive, and given gifts. Who you are affects your thoughts and actions. Who you are affects your day to day life. You are holy, so live a holy life!
The benefits of a holy life
Living a holy life can seem like a long list of dos and don’ts. A bunch of obligations we must fulfil. “Do this, don’t do that, stay away from this, do this instead.” No, no, no! The holy life is a blessed life. There are benefits here and now, as well as in the future, for living a holy life. St Paul doesn’t just give a bunch of dos and don’ts, but he gives a list of benefits. He describes the incentives for living a holy life. Think of a parent giving a command to child — there is (typically) a good reason for the parent to give the command. “Come back from the edge of the cliff.” “Why?” “You might fall and get hurt.” “Don’t eat too much chocolate.” “Why” “You’ll get a sore tummy.” This same pattern is seen in Ephesians chapter 5.
Ephesians 5:3–7
The holy life means: “Do not be sexually immoral, do not be unclean, do not always want more and more (i.e. do not be greedy).” “Why?” “People who do that are worshipping a false god, an idol. Living a life of immoral, self-centred greediness puts you at risk of losing your inheritance. You are chosen children of God. You are children of the holy, holy, holy king, so act like it! Jesus gave himself up for you so that you may be pure. So imitate him and live a selfless life. And children of the holy king inherit his kingdom and all his benefits: forgiveness of sins, eternal life, and salvation.”
Ephesians 5:8–14
A holy life means: “Live like children of light.” “Why?” “Light produces good fruit. Like the sun that grows a harvest, living holy lives in God’s presence grows a harvest in your life. His warm light brings life. His light produces goodness, righteousness, and truth in your life.”
A holy life means: “Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness. Expose the darkness.” “Why?” “Those in the darkness don’t produce anything good or worthwhile. Their life is just a waste. Instead expose them. Show them what they are really like. Shine the light on them and then they too will become light like you!”
Ephesians 5:15–17
A holy life means: “Do not live like the unwise but live like the wise.” “Why?” “Wise people discern the will of God. They know God’s Word and live by it. Wise people understand the meaning that God gives to their life, and nothing can shake them.”
Jesus once told a story about two builders: one unwise and the other wise. The unwise (or foolish) builder built his house upon the sand. The rain came down. The floods came up. The wind and water beat against the house and it fell down with a mighty crash. But the wise builder built his house upon the rock. The wise builder could discern the will of God and knew God’s Word — the rock. The same rain came down. The same floods came up. The same wind and water beat against the house. But it stood firm (Matthew 7:24–27). Both went through the same life situation. The life of the unwise/unholy person fell to pieces. But, faced with the same conditions, the life of the wise/holy person stood firm. This is the benefit of living the holy life! It doesn’t mean the rain and floods and wind won’t come, but it means your life won’t come crashing down.
Ephesians 5:18–20
A holy life means: “Do not get drunk on wine. Do not come under the influence of alcohol. Instead be filled with the Spirit. Come under the influence of the Spirit” “Why?” “Alcohol is a depressant, it takes away self-control, wisdom, understanding, good discernment, etc. But the Spirit is a stimulant, it gives self-control, wisdom, understanding, discernment, etc. Be filled with self-control, wisdom, understanding, etc.” [1]
“Be filled with the Spirit.”
This final command — “Be filled with the Spirit” — is the climax to the benefits of the holy life. It’s the crescendo, the ultimate point in the argument. There are two important things to note:
(1) Firstly it’s in the present tense. “Be filled right now.” Present tense indicates a continuous action. Something that is done now, every moment, every day.
(2) Secondly it’s in the passive voice e.g. “Let the Spirit fill you.” You are not doing the work, but God is doing the work. You just surrender to him as he fills us. Christ has done the work on the cross. He gave himself up as a fragrant offering and a sacrifice so that you may be filled with the Spirit and made holy. The holy, holy, holy God fills you. He makes you holy. Because God is inside of you, you can imitate him. You are holy, so may you be holy.
So what are the benefits of a holy life? You will inherit the kingdom of God. God will shine his light on you and you will grow goodness, righteousness and truth. You will be wise and know God’s will, and your life will be unshakeable on this Rock. You are filled with the Spirit of the holy, holy, holy God himself.
The holy life sounds pretty good to me. I’m sold. Sign me up right now! What about you? Let’s start our holy life again now. Let’s pray for the Spirit to fill us once again.
Let us pray. God the Father, Son, and Spirit: you are holy, holy, holy. Fill us so that we may be holy like you. May be live as children of light. Amen.
[1] See John Stott, 1979, ‘The Message of Ephesians,’ InterVarsity Press.
