Paul often used the word "therefore" in his letters in the same way we of today would use the statement, "In conclusion," or, "Because these things I have shared with you are true, this should be our focus." [Consider Paul's use of "therefore" in passages like Romans 5:1; 1 Corinthians 8:13; 2 Corinthians 12:10; Galatians 4:7; Ephesians 2:7; Philippians 2:28; Colossians 2:6; 1 Thessalonians 4:18; 1 Timothy 2:8; 2 Timothy 1:8; etc.]
Remember Paul wrote to former idol worshippers who converted to Jesus Christ [gentiles] (Ephesians 2:1-12; 4:17, 18]. In our lessons and texts this quarter, Paul instructed these Christians not to behave in ways consistent with their unconverted lifestyle, but to behave like the new creatures God made them in Christ (4:22-24).
Today's lesson focuses on the conclusion that points to the motivation for appropriate Christian behavior. The new self will imitate the God Who created him/her in Christ. Christians will imitate God, not the emotions, thoughts, and behavior of their pre-Christian existence. This imitation will occur because they are "beloved children" of God. God was their Father, and He was quite willing to acknowledge them as His children.
In the Roman world of the first century, it was possible [and common] for a man to have sons by his wife who would be his heirs, and also to have sons by a woman who was not his wife who would never be heirs. Such sexual involvement with a woman not your wife was not considered immoral by the standards of that time. It was just a fact of life. Those sons who were not the man's heirs were often neglected by their physical father.
God does not have sons who are not His beloved heirs. Though they were gentile converts rather than Jewish converts, they were not second class, tolerated offsprings. They were full children of God, children whom God felt no hesitance to accept as His (Paul made the same type of argument in a different context in Galatians 4:6, 7). God has no children He rejects or refuses to acknowledge as His heirs.
Consider Paul's argument in this text. Idols produced slaves for the religion to the benefit of the religion--the concept being exploitive. God produces beloved children for His family. Idols functioned on the basis of obligation. God functions on the basis of love. In idolatry one functioned on the basis of giving a benefit. In Christ one receives the benefit.
Examine the contrast. [As you do, remember Paul did not write in chapter and verse divisions. Chapters and verses were added long after New Testament writings existed and were collected to make it easier to locate statements. Because there is a chapter break between chapters 4 and 5 does not mean the content of 4 has no connection with the thoughts in 5.]
As chapter 4 ended, there was a powerful contrast between their past and God's kindness, between their bitterness and God's love, between the fruit of malice and the fruit of forgiveness. In the contrast, God is the example. The proof of His love was [is] His gift of Jesus to us.
So what is the conclusion? Imitate God, not the idolatrous society. Imitate God as would children who are loved by their father. Allow the love that guided Him to send the Christ for your forgiveness to guide you to imitate His love. You imitate God's love by allowing your behavior to be lead by love for others just as God's behavior was expressed by love for you.
God's love expressed in Jesus Christ led to two behaviors in him. First, Christ loved you. Second, Christ sacrificed himself for you. In doing those two things Jesus became an offering to God. That offering was a pleasant smell. The issue is not "would a burning sacrifice smell good to us." This was a world where sacrificial worship [in the ancient form of burning parts of butchered animals] at times filled the air in all societies [whether the Jewish or the idolatrous] and created a scent associated with respect of the divine. This is NOT intended as a verification that God is a human, has a nose, and has some scents He enjoys more than others. It is a declaration to a society accustomed to animal sacrifice that God was pleased with the surrender, dependence, and praise Jesus' sacrifice represented.
The point is that surrender to God involves much more than determining the "correct" rules and regulations, and following "properly" those rules and regulations. Do not miss the point that Paul wrote to people who believed in the resurrected Jesus Christ, who had turned from sins [repentance], and who had been baptized (Ephesians 1:1). While certainly important [not to be minimized], that was not enough.
Paul focused on their behavior after baptism. As Christians, they could not lie and deceive; they could not ignore the well being of others; they could not nurse anger and let it fester; they could not steal; they could not use words that corrupted; they could not grieve God's Spirit; and they could not be a bitter people. They could not imitate society. They must imitate God. Deceit, neglect of others, prolonged anger, stealing, corrupt words, grieving God's influence in their lives, and becoming a people who resented others did not imitate God! Had God treated them in that manner, there would have been no salvation resulting in forgiveness and redemption.
The conclusion: those who belong to Christ imitate God's character, not a godless society's values.
For Thought and Discussion
Link to Teacher's Guide
Lesson 13
previous page | table of contents | final lesson