We all wake up every day. We crawl out of bed, grab coffee, check our phone, and start our routine. But God calls us to a deeper wake-up. He calls us to wake up spiritually.
In Ephesians 5:1–2, Paul writes:
“Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children; and walk in love, just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us…” (NASB)
So what does being an imitator of God really look like? How can simple people like us live this way?
Being an Imitator of God Starts with Identity
Paul does not say, “Imitate God so He will love you.”
He says, “Imitate God as beloved children.”
You already stand loved in Christ. That is your starting point. God sees you in Jesus. He calls you His child (1 John 3:1). You do not earn that place. You receive it by faith.
Because of this, being an imitator of God flows out of who you are, not who you try to be. You act like your Father because you belong to your Father. Children copy what they see at home. In the same way, you copy what you see in God.
So the first step is simple: stay close to Him. Open your Bible. Talk to Him. Watch how Jesus acts in the Gospels. That is how your Father looks.
Being an Imitator of God Means Walking in Love
Paul links imitation of God with love:
“…walk in love, just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us…” (Eph. 5:2)
Love defines how God acts. John tells us, “God is love” (1 John 4:8). Jesus shows this love when He gives Himself up on the cross. True love gives. It serves. True love costs something.
You walk in love when you:
- Forgive people who wrong you (Eph. 4:32).
- Speak words that heal, not words that crush (Eph. 4:29).
- Show kindness when others show anger.
- Choose to do good when no one thanks you.
This kind of love does not feel easy. Many days it feels like death to self. Yet that is the point. You love “just as Christ” loved you. He did not wait for us to improve. He loved us while we were still sinners (Rom. 5:8).
Ask this in each hard moment:
“Right now, what does love look like?”
Then do that. That is what it means to walk in love.
Holiness Makes Our Witness Strong
Paul moves from love to holiness:
“But immorality or any impurity or greed must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints.” (Eph. 5:3)
Sexual sin, impurity, and greed break trust. They harm people. They confuse the message we preach.
Egypt in Scripture often pictures the world (Lev. 18:3). God told His people not to live like the nations around them. In the same way, we live in this world, but we do not copy its ways. Jesus calls us to be “perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect” (Matt. 5:48). Peter echoes this:
“Be holy yourselves also in all your behavior; because it is written, ‘You shall be holy, for I am holy.’” (1 Pet. 1:15–16)
Holiness here does not mean fake perfection. It means a life set apart. It means we say “yes” to God in every area. People see our choices. They listen more when our lives match our words.
When you choose purity, you speak loudly, even if you say nothing with your mouth.
God Uses Flawed Imitators
You might say, “I can’t do this. I fail too much.”
Look at Peter.
He spoke out of turn, was bold and then fearful, and then he denied Jesus three times (Luke 22:54–62). Yet Jesus restored him (John 21:15–19). Peter preached at Pentecost, and about 3,000 people came to Christ (Acts 2:41).
God did not pick Peter because he was perfect. God saw what Peter would become when filled with the Spirit. And God sees you the same way.
1 Corinthians 1:8 says Jesus will “confirm you to the end, blameless.” He holds you, shapes you, and He finishes what He starts (Phil. 1:6).
So do not give up. Keep repenting, trusting and walking.
Imitate God in Speech and Conduct
Paul even mentions how we talk:
“there must be no filthiness and silly talk, or coarse jesting…” (Eph. 5:4)
Filthy talk, foolish jokes, and crude humor do not fit a child of God. Words reveal the heart (Matt. 12:34). Your speech should show light, not darkness.
Ask:
“Would I say this if Jesus stood in the room?”
If not, then do not say it. Instead, give thanks. Speak life.
As you do, your neighbors, coworkers, and friends will notice. They may not know what changed. But they will see something different. That “something” is Someone. They will see Christ in you.
This is the call: wake up, and live being an imitator of God. One choice at a time. One word at a time. One act of love at a time.
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