Ephesians 5:1-7

          The Christian’s walk or lifestyle can be described in different ways.  It is the worthy walk (Eph. 4:1).  It is the new walk (Rom. 6:4; Eph. 4:17-24).  In our passage it is the love walk.  These terms might be considered interchangeable but remember that every word is inspired of God and appropriate for the context.

          To walk in love is to imitate God as dear children.  As our Father He gives us exactly what we need, not necessarily what we want (Matt. 7:9-11).  As a loving Father He disciplines us (Heb. 12:5-11).  He allows us to be close to Him (Rom. 8:15).  He provides us with an inheritance (Rom. 8:16-17).  Truly the greatness of our Father’s love is seen in the very fact that He calls us His sons (1 John 3:1; remember Eph. 1:5).  God is love (1 John 4:16); it is normal for children to imitate their Father so our walk is a walk of love, for Him (1 John 4:19) and for others (1 John 4:20-21).

          Equally, to walk in love is to be Christ-like.  Jesus is the Son of God, the express image of the invisible God (Heb. 1:3).  Thus His life was love personified.  Nothing defined and described love more than His sacrificial death.  He Himself said Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends (John 15:13).  God demonstrated His love for us in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us (Rom. 5:8).  By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us (1 John 3:16).  Love is characterized by sacrificial giving.  And that is the kind of sacrifice that pleases God.

          Thus, to walk in love will put off certain sins that the world sometimes confuses with love.  For example …

¨     Fornication and uncleanness often appear together in the New Testament.  They are sins of sexual passion.  The former is any kind of sexual sin.  The latter refers to impurity, usually in motives and attitudes.  Pornography fits this category. A person might call these love.  Amnon claimed to love Tamar but his love was in fact lust as is seen from the story (2 Sam. 13:1-22). 

¨     Covetousness might be considered self-love by some but again the Bible is clear that this is another selfish desire, the lust of the eyes (1 John 2:16).  In fact it is idolatry (Eph. 5:5).

¨     Sinful talk such as foolish talking or coarse jesting might be considered by some as a way to cheer someone up or encourage them.  But again, this is not love but in fact degrades the person.  Instead the walk of love encourages others by thankfulness (v4).

          These are very serious matters.  There should not even be the hint of these things among God’s children (v3).  They are not appropriate (v4) and in fact characterize those who are not God’s children, have no inheritance (v5) and are under God’s wrath (v6).  All who promote these kinds of things as good and loving in a relationship are deceiving and God’s children ought not be partakers.

          Is your walk the walk of love?