Ephesians 5:1-20: Imitating God in Our Living
Introduction
One of the things I love about Reformed theology is that it teaches we do not earn God's love or grace. God gives us grace, and the calling on our lives is to live in a grateful response to that. So when we write, talk, or preach about eschewing certain behaviors, we are thinking about what a grateful response to God's grace actually looks like in practice. It's not "don't do that so God will treat you more kindly." It's that someone touched by grace responds in ways that show they realize they're called to live differently because of it.
Our language around this doesn't have to be shaming, either. Shame pushes people away and down. Grace picks them up and calls them forward. Paul models this well throughout this whole section.
Ephesians 5:1–20 is a profound call to holiness, urging believers to imitate God in their daily lives by walking in love, light, and wisdom. This passage contrasts new life in Christ with the old ways of sin, emphasizing the transformative power of the gospel. It resonates deeply with theological emphases on God's sovereignty, sanctification, and the communal life of the church. Drawing from Reformed confessions such as the Westminster Confession of Faith and the Heidelberg Catechism, we can see how Paul's exhortations align with the church's historic teaching, calling believers to live in a manner worthy of their calling.
It's worth remembering where Paul writes this from. Ephesians is one of Paul's prison epistles, written under Roman guard. A call this comprehensive, love, purity, light, wisdom, all at once, comes from a man whose own circumstances offered him none of the comfort he's describing.
A Call to Imitate God
Paul's message in this passage is both theological and practical. He begins by urging believers to "be imitators of God, as beloved children" (v. 1, ESV). This call to imitation is rooted in the believer's identity as a child of God, redeemed by Christ and empowered by the Spirit. The Heidelberg Catechism (Q&A 32) reminds us that we are "Christ's by faith," and as such, called to live in gratitude and obedience. Paul's exhortation to imitate God is a call to reflect his character in every part of life.
Imitating God's Love (Ephesians 5:1–2)
Paul begins with a powerful command: "Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God" (vv. 1–2, ESV). To imitate God is to reflect his love, particularly the sacrificial love of Christ, active and self-giving, not merely emotional.
The Westminster Confession of Faith (Chapter 13) speaks of sanctification as the work of God's Spirit, enabling believers to "die more and more unto sin, and rise unto newness of life." This newness is marked by love, a love that seeks the good of others and reflects Christ's own character, not something mustered by effort but the fruit of the Spirit working within (Galatians 5:22–23). For the full verse-by-verse treatment of this section, see Ephesians 5:1–7: Walking in Love.
Avoiding Sinful Behavior (Ephesians 5:3–7)
Paul contrasts the life of love with the behaviors of the old self: "But sexual immorality and all impurity or covetousness must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints" (v. 3, ESV). These sins are not merely external actions. They reflect a heart turned away from God.
The Heidelberg Catechism (Q&A 109) addresses the seventh commandment, teaching that God forbids all unchastity and calls believers to "live modestly and temperately," aligning with Paul's call to purity and the reminder that our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19–20). Reformed theology frames sanctification as involving both the mortification of sin and the vivification of righteousness, believers progressively conformed to Christ's image.
Living as Children of Light (Ephesians 5:8–14)
Paul continues with the imagery of light and darkness: "For at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light" (v. 8, ESV). This transformation from darkness to light is a central theme in Reformed theology, reflecting the believer's new identity in Christ. The Westminster Shorter Catechism (Q&A 36) describes sanctification as being "renewed in the whole man after the image of God."
Living as children of light means bearing the fruit of the Spirit, goodness, righteousness, and truth (v. 9), and also exposing the works of darkness, a specific instruction significant enough to warrant its own full study: Ephesians 5:11: Have Nothing to Do with the Works of Darkness. For the complete walkthrough of this section, see Ephesians 5:8–14: Walking in Light.
Gratitude and Purity (Ephesians 5:15–20)
Paul closes this section with a call to wisdom and Spirit-filled living: "Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil" (vv. 15–16, ESV). He contrasts the foolishness of drunkenness with the wisdom of being filled with the Spirit, a single instruction so rich it merits its own dedicated page: Ephesians 5:18: Be Filled with the Spirit, covering everything from the Greek grammar to Ephesus's own culture of ecstatic, wine-fueled worship.
The Heidelberg Catechism (Q&A 86) teaches that good works are those done "out of true faith, in accordance with the law of God, and for his glory," aligning with Paul's call to live wisely and in the Spirit, using time and resources to glorify God and build up the body of Christ. For the full section, see Ephesians 5:15–20: Walking in Wisdom.
Reformed Reflections on Ephesians 5:1–20
This passage underscores the centrality of God's grace in the Christian life. The ability to imitate God, reject sin, and live as children of light is not rooted in human strength but in the Spirit's work within. The Westminster Confession of Faith (Chapter 16) emphasizes that good works are the fruits of faith and evidence of gratitude to God. Walking in love, light, and wisdom is how that gratitude bears witness to the gospel's transformative power.
In a world marked by moral relativism and spiritual confusion, Ephesians 5:1–20 calls believers to a higher standard, imitating God's love, rejecting sin, and living as children of light. This requires real intentionality and dependence on the Spirit, glorifying God in relationships, speech, and action.
This passage challenges the church to live out faith in tangible ways, individually and corporately, a community marked by love, purity, and wisdom, shining as light in the darkness.
Key Takeaways
Imitate God's Love — reflect Christ's sacrificial love in relationships and actions.
Reject Sinful Behavior — immorality, impurity, and greed have no place in a believer's life.
Live as Children of Light — bear fruit in goodness, righteousness, and truth, and expose the works of darkness.
Walk in Wisdom — be intentional, making the most of every opportunity.
Be Filled with the Spirit — a continual, ongoing posture, not a single event.
FAQs
What does it mean to "imitate God"? Reflecting God's character, especially his sacrificial love shown in Christ, in daily relationships and actions, not achieving moral perfection but growing into that likeness over time.
Why does Paul list sins that "must not even be named" among believers? To underscore the seriousness of sexual immorality, impurity, and greed as fundamentally incompatible with a transformed identity, not merely behaviors to moderate, but patterns entirely out of step with who believers now are.
How do walking in love, light, and wisdom relate to each other? They describe the same transformed life from three angles, love shapes relationships, light shapes visible character and honesty, wisdom shapes how time and choices are directed. Together they form one coherent picture of Spirit-led living.
Works Consulted
The Heidelberg Catechism. Questions 32, 86, 109.
The Westminster Confession of Faith. Chapters 13, 16.
The Westminster Shorter Catechism. Question 36.
This whole section is what grace looks like when it's actually lived out. Visit the Ephesians Bible Study Hubfor the full letter.
