iCrucified

“Be You Imitators…” (Ephesians 5:1)

Our ultimate goal is to be like Jesus; it is also the highest desire of our Lord. Nothing should beset us from striving to make this our greatest call. The following passages support the call to become “like Christ”:

• Phil. 2:5
• 1 Jn 2:6
• 2 Co 3:18
• Romans 8:29
• Eph 4:13
• 2 Co 5:17
• Eph 5:1

An excerpt from the great preacher Chas. Spurgeon gives insight to this passage from Eph 5:1 –

“Be you imitators”—that is, do not only meditate upon God and think that you have done enough, but go on to copy what you study. Meditation is a happy, holy, profitable engagement. It will instruct you, strengthen you, comfort you, inspire your heart and make your soul steadfast. But you may not stop at meditation—you must go on to imitation of the Character of God! Let your spiritual life not only bud and blossom in devout thought, but let it bring forth fruit in holy action. Be not satisfied with feeding the soul by meditation, but rise up from the banquet and use the strength which you have gained! Sitting at the feet of Jesus must be succeeded by following in the footsteps of Jesus!

Neither does the text say to us, “Be you admirers of God.” This we ought to be and shall be if we are true Christians. The pure in heart, who, alone, can truly see God, are filled with a reverent admiration of Him. With the angels, every gracious heart exclaims, “Holy, holy, holy, Lord God of Hosts.” “There is none holy as the Lord” (Sam. 2:2). When the best of men are compared with the Lord, their holiness is not to be mentioned. “Who is like unto You, O God, glorious in holiness?” But we cannot rest satisfied with rendering such admiration—we must prove that we really admire by closely imitating. The world’s proverb is that “imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.” I shall alter it and adapt it to a higher use. “Imitation of God is the sincerest form of admiring Him!” Neither can we believe that you know God and are at all charmed with His holiness unless you endeavor, as He shall help you, to imitate Him as dear children.

Neither does the text stop at adoration, though that is a sublime height. Adoration springs out of meditation and admiration and is a very high and noble exercise of the mind. Perhaps we rise to the highest possible service of God on earth when we are adoring Him—this is the engagement of saints and angels before His Throne and never are we nearer Heaven than when we follow the same occupation here below. Beloved, let your whole lives be adoration to God! Not only on Sundays and at certain hours, or in your assemblies, but everywhere adore, by good works—a manner of worship which is as real and acceptable as the most reverent public service! Remember, “to obey is better than sacrifice”—holy living outshines all other solemnities.

To love is to adore! To obey is to praise! To act is to worship! If you are imitators of God as dear children, your adoration will be proved to be sincere. Worship unattended by imitation is fake—true adoration dwells not in words only—as it comes from the heart, so it affects the entire nature and shows itself in the daily behavior. Let us spread our adoration over all the day till, from the moment when we open our eyes till we close them again at night, we shall be practically worshipping the Lord by reverencing His law, delighting in His Commandments and imitating His Character! It is clear that the precept before us is eminently practical. You who boast in being such practical men, give heed to this!

A prayer of completion, that Christ is fully formed in us:

O God Almighty, Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, grant us we pray Thee, to be grounded and settled in the truth, by the coming down of the Holy Spirit into our hearts. That which we know not,…reveal; that which is wanting in us,…fill up; that which we know,…confirm, and keep us blameless in thy service; through the same Jesus Christ our Lord.

I will faithfully endeavor to reflect the image of God in that I feed on love; grow certain on faith and hope, strengthen myself on the virtue of patience, grow beautiful by chastity, am sober by abstention, am made happy by tranquility, and am made ready for death by practicing hospitality.

Help me, Lord Jesus, by the indwelling power of your Holy Spirit to be an imitator of God in all that I do; a pure and perfect reflection of You, my Savior. Amen.

Who are you imitating?

Send article as PDF to

One Response to “Be You Imitators”