THE BOOK OF EPHESIANS CHAPTER 5:1-14 BE IMITATORS OF THE FATHER

Mike Balloun teaches today. 06/12/21

THE BOOK OF EPHESIANS CHAPTER 5:1-14
BE IMITATORS OF THE FATHER

VERSES: 1st Corinthians 6:9-10; Galatians 5:19-21; Revelation 21:7-8, 22:12-15; Luke 12:4-5, 46-48

STUDY NOTES: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/hmvj2ls2b9x3zuc/AADwQOgiEz0lFfzJZ730Blg3a?dl=0

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Verse 1 of Chapter 5 continues the same thought from the last verse of Chapter 4, of becoming mature children in Christ. “And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.” [Ephesians 4:32]
VERSES 1-5 Be ye therefore followers (imitators) of God as dear children: And walk in love (love and forgiving; this is the new overriding principle to guide our lives on Earth), as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling savor (the Father gave up His Son… the Son gave up Himself and in this was the far superior offering over bulls and goats to propitiate God and attain spiritual gifts unto maturing children who believe). But fornication (an unholy love in contrast to the love of God) and all uncleanness (homosexuality, sodomy, bestiality, masturbation), or covetousness (having love for money/material things), let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints; Neither filthiness (conduct for which you would be ashamed), nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks. For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man (the very opposite of the command to love the brethren;), who is an idolater, (all these works of darkness by Christians are set against the Christ-likeness that the power of the Holy Spirit manifest within the divine nature imparted to God’s children when born again endeavors to accomplish and therefore unfits us for His presence. No saved person who persistently commits these sins…) hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.” (1st Corinthians 6:9-10 and Galatians 5:19-21, amongst many verses elsewhere, list the same types of behavior, and more, that excludes a Christian from the kingdom of heavens/Christ’s kingdom and from God’s kingdom… “Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God” … “Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revelings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.” More on the difference between the kingdom of Christ and of God to come…)

Only saved children of God through Christ may call God their Father. Only born-again children have the sealing and gift of power of the Holy Spirit to imitate the Father. To imitate is the call of Paul to advance on from mere baby ‘justification’ in maturing behavior. (Hebrews 5:12-13) The great consequence of refusing to overcome the flesh is that we are to be then excluded from the First Resurrection inheritance in the Millennial Kingdom of Christ (Luke 20:35-36, Revelation 20:4-6) and the further eternal privileges exclusively to the Overcomer (of the Old Man/flesh) promised in Scripture in the overriding Kingdom of God that follows the Millennial Age of Justice. (1st Corinthians 15:22-28, Revelation 21:7-8; 22:12-15) As our ‘eternal life’ (redeemed from the eternal fate of our ‘father’ satan; in the Lake of Fire) rests upon ‘justification’, so our eternal glory and inheritance rests on our sanctification. As the first is secure to us through entirely the merits of Christ, the other is a reward to only those who are “accounted worthy”. In justification, we are passive but sanctification requires action for us to get victory over our old carnal nature, lest we be excluded from the 1,000 year reign of Christ and get shut out from residency in the New Jerusalem in the Father’s eternal kingdom.

VERSES 6 & 7 “Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience. Be not therefore partakers with them.” Children of disobedience grieve the Spirit and are controlled by the base, carnal, animalistic nature.

Be ye imitators of the Father; changing your character and conduct from the Old Man to the New Man (being Christ-like/separated unto God) is the sure call unto glorious life. It’s the ‘beseeching’ of Paul for the followers of Christ...

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