If you are new to this blog, I encourage you to start with Intro [1] and then continue in order. Ephesians 5:1-2 English Standard Version (ESV) 5 Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. 2 And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. Paul encouraged us to "be imitators of God as beloved children". Now, just take a minute and let that sink in... if you are in Christ, the God of the universe, the LORD and Creator of all, the rightful Judge and Ruler of the universe loves you as his child! Wow! Paul could have exhorted us to imitate God as his bondslaves, or his royal subjects, or as his creatures. Any of those would have been true and appropriate. But Paul encourages us to imitate God AS BELOVED CHILDREN. And we are to walk in love, as Christ loved us, by giving himself up for us and making himself, a sacrifice to God. This makes me think of John. 1 John 4:19 English Standard Version (ESV) 19 We ...