(1) В¶ Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children; (2) And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour. (3) В¶ But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints; (4) Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks. (5) For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. (6) Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience. (7) Be not ye therefore partakers with them. (8) For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light: (9) (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;) (10) Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord. (11) And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them. (12) For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret. (13) But all things that are reproved are made manifest by the light: for whatsoever doth make manifest is light.
I admire the very sweet, and interesting manner, with which the Holy Ghost, by his servant the Apostle, opens this Chapter. How affectionately the Church is called upon to follow God; and the way, in which they are to follow him. Not as children only, but as dear children. The expression is similar to the one used by our Lord in the days of his flesh, and upon the same occasion, when recommending his disciples to come to God, as their Father: Shall not God avenge his own elect ? Not simply his elect, but his own elect. See Luke 18:1-7. and Commentary.
In order that the Reader may enter into the full apprehension of this very beautiful Scripture, of following God, as dear children; it will be proper for him to consider, in what terms, the Apostle entered on this Epistle. For, it should be always kept in remembrance, while reading the Epistles, that though divided into Chapter s, they are, nevertheless, but one, and the same Epistle. Now, when the Apostle opened this Epistle to the Church, at Ephesus he began in an hymn of praise to God the Father, for his fatherly love, in choosing the Church in Christ, predestinating the Church to the adoption of children in Christ, and accepting the church in Christ. Hence, now, toward the conclusion of his Epistle, he reminds the Church of their relationship to God the Father, in Christ; and enjoins them to follow. God as dear children.
And as this is a point of infinite consequence in the life of a child of God; and yet, is not, I fear, as much considered by the Church of God in Christ, as it ought; I shall beg the freedom; to follow up what the Apostle hath here recommended, with a few observations. If I may judge of the general state of the Church by what comes within my own knowledge, I venture to believe, that the best saints alive, have too little actings of faith, upon the Person of God our Father, under this endeared and endearing character of Father. We lose sight of God's choice, and of God's predestinating us the adoption of children in Christ. The sweet Abba Father doth not dwell, as much as it ought, in our hearts, and upon our lips. Whereas if we kept in constant remembrance our birth-right, and the privileges arising out of it; should we not follow God as dear children; and go in, and out, the house of God, as our Father's house; and sit down in our place at his table, as his children; yea; as his dear children ? Do earthly parents love to hear the voice of their little ones, as soon as they can lisp out father? And will not our heavenly Father be pleased with the name, when taught by the Spirit to call him Abba Father? Yea, is it not, as well the duty, as the privilege of his children, his adopted children, in Christ Jesus, so to do?
But let us consider the subject a little more closely. When the Holy Ghost bids the Church be followers of God, as dear children; the Lord doth it, we may be sure, upon grounds of the most sure certainty. They are not only children, chosen of God before the foundation of the world, but dear children in Christ. And the scripture gives the most abundant proof of it. For, first: what higher proof can we have, than God the Father's giving them to his dear Son? One, in whom he declared himself well pleased, and his elect, in whom his soul delighteth. Had he not highly prized his children, would he have given them to Jesus, and thereby manifested such a testimony of his love ? Secondly. He commanded Christ, as Christ, to love them. Not that Christ needed other motives, more than his own personal love to the Church, to love the Church when he gave himself for her redemption. But God the Father, in commanding his dear Son to love his brother, Leviticus 25:25, plainly testified his love of the Church. Thirdly, and yet more. God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, to the end, that all that believe in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. John 3:16. And, the ultimate cause of all is, that he might adopt the Church to himself; for so the Apostle declares in the first Chapter, fifth verse. And who shall say, what this adoption of the Church, as children in Jesus Christ, in the fullest sense of the word means ? Who shall explain the extent of the dedication of the Church to himself; or the extent of the love of God to the Church ? Are they not then children, yea dear children, concerning whom such things are said ? Nay, what dearness of affection must they stand in to God, when Jesus himself, speaking to the Father concerning them, saith: I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that thou, hast sent me, and host loved them as thou hast loved me. John 17:23
And, in what an high sense, God's children, yea, God's dear children so loved, may be supposed to be followers of God; every part of Scripture testifies. As chosen, adopted, accepted, redeemed, justified, sanctified, heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; obedient children, not fashioning themselves according to the former lusts, in their ignorance; but as he which hath called them is holy, so, are they holy, in all manner of conversation. They are in Christ; yea, one with Christ. In Him their holiness, their righteousness is found. 1 Peter 1:14-16; Isaiah 45:24. And hence their confidence, their joy, their peace, the assurance of the present, and everlasting portion. Reader! behold the blessedness in being followers of God as dear children!
But, we must not stop here. We are said to walk in love as Christ also hath loved us, and given himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God, for a sweet smelling savor! How gracious was it in the Holy Ghost, to blend this love of Christ with the love, of the Father, that by both, under the blessed Spirit's influence, the Church might find everything that is persuasive, to a life of faith, in God the Father's love, and Christ's redeeming grace, during the whole time-state of the Church. Surely no motives like these can be found to suppress, and keep under, all the idle, unprofitable, and sinful conversation, of our corrupt nature. And, where the Spirit's grace reigns in the heart, there will be the surest security to mortify both the words and deeds of the body, in living by him. But here I need not enlarge.