Theology 101 — Holy Spirit and Holy Living: Walking in Love (Part 1 of 2)

Theology 101 — Holy Spirit and Holy Living: Walking in Love (Part 1 of 2)

For two weeks we have considered how Christians are expected to walk differently in this present world — different from unconverted outsiders and from our own unconverted past. Ephesians 5 opens with the call for Christians, as God’s beloved children, to be imitators of God by walking in love. This introductory call to imitate God, who is love, contains two motivations for us to walk in Godlikeness at the point of love.

First motivation

The first motivation is the fact that we are loved. Like the first Ephesian readers, we also are God’s “beloved children” (5:1). We are moved to walk in love because God first loved us. The second motivation is the fact that as His children, we are begotten. As children of God by virtue of a new birth, we are both begotten and beloved. Enabled by new birth and inspired by Christ’s example, the Christian life is to be one of walking in love.

Immediately our attention is drawn to Christ’s example as our pattern for walking in love. We are to walk “as Christ loved us and gave Himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God” (5:2). The key phrase that informs us about walking in love is “as Christ loved us.” In a single verse, we have the perfect pattern for how to walk in love. From what is said about Christ’s love for us, we learn several aspects of living a life characterized by love.

Christ’s pattern for walking in love reminds us that the Christian walk is a self-giving one. In reminding us that Christ loved us, the verse declares He “gave Himself up for us.” Too often life is more focused on gaining than on giving. We too easily find ourselves grasping for status, security or self-image. Walking in love like Christ loved us emphasizes self-giving rather than seeking to gain for ourselves.

Sharp focus 

Christ’s pattern for loving also reminds us that our love must have a sharp focus on loving people more than on loving popularity, possessions or pre-eminence. Christ loved us and gave Himself up for us. Notice the double reference to “us.” Love like that of Jesus is people-focused love. We are ourselves the objects of His love and self-giving. Too often we appear to love the things of this world in preference to its people.

Offering freely given

Love like that of Christ is extended freely. Our passage describes His love for us as an offering. Offerings at their best are freewill offerings, not gifts extracted from us by a sense of obligation or by external motivation due to people expecting us to be giving persons. Around the church we often use the expression, “a freewill offering.” Love is our freewill offering to others. Pre-eminently Christ’s love was, and is, sacrificial in nature. He gave Himself for us as a “sacrifice.” 

We tend to give at the level of affordability, rather than to the point of sacrifice. Our eye is on how much we have left after expressing love through giving. Jesus complimented the sacrificial giving of a certain widow by noting she gave all she had with nothing left over for herself.

‘Fragrant’ love

The passage describes Christ’s love as “fragrant.” The idea suggests an aroma that is pleasing to God’s nostrils. Walking in love like Christ loves us is a God-pleasing way to live.

As we allow God to shed His love in us by His Spirit, we will find ourselves more and more walking in love that is self-giving, people-focused, freely expressed, sacrificial and pleasing to God.