Ephesians 4:25–5:2 — Be Imitators of God
Speaker: Bryan Wolf
In this week’s sermon from Ephesians 4:25–5:2, the main idea was simple and searching: Be imitators of God. As Paul continues applying the gospel in the second half of Ephesians, he becomes intensely practical. Christians are not only called to “put off the old self” and “put on the new self” in a broad sense. They are called to do that in the everyday details of life — in speech, anger, work, generosity, forgiveness, and love.
Put off falsehood and speak truth
Paul begins by saying, “Having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another.” The sermon emphasized that lying is not a minor issue. Even “white lies” damage the body of Christ because believers belong to one another. Often, lying grows out of fear — fear of getting in trouble, fear of being rejected, fear that if people knew the truth they would not like us. But because we are new in Christ, we are called not only to stop lying, but to become people who speak the truth.
The image Paul gives is deeply relational: when one part of the body lies to another, the whole body is harmed. Truth-telling is not merely a private virtue; it is an act of love and faithfulness within the church.
Resolve anger urgently
Paul next says, “Be angry and do not sin. Do not let the sun go down on your anger, and give no opportunity to the devil.” The sermon explained that there is such a thing as righteous anger. Jesus Himself was angry at sin and hardness of heart. But anger is dangerous because it can easily move from righteous concern into bitterness, resentment, or a desire to harm.
Paul’s point is not a rigid rule about solving every conflict before sunset in a literal sense, but rather that anger must be addressed urgently rather than allowed to fester. Buried anger does not stay buried; it resurfaces. And when it does, it gives the enemy an opportunity to create division, havoc, and spiritual damage. Christians are therefore called not to nurse anger, but to move toward reconciliation.
Work honestly and give generously
Paul then says, “Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor, doing honest work with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with anyone in need.” This shows the gospel’s pattern of transformation: not merely stopping sinful behavior, but replacing it with godly behavior. A thief does not simply stop stealing; he begins working honestly. And that work is not just for personal security or comfort, but so that he may have something to share.
The sermon pressed this point carefully. Christians in our culture can easily adopt the mindset that all of our work and resources exist for ourselves and our immediate family. But God calls His people to live open-handedly. Honest labor becomes a means not only of provision, but of generosity. The gospel changes the posture of our hands — from grasping to giving.
Use words to build others up
Paul continues, “Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up… that it may give grace to those who hear.” Corrupting talk is rotten talk — speech that tears down rather than strengthens. The sermon noted that believers often justify destructive talk, especially in casual or joking settings, but Paul gives no room for that. Christians are called to use their words in ways that build up, fit the moment, and give grace.
A helpful set of questions was suggested for thinking about communication: Is it true? Is it necessary? Does it build up? Those questions apply not only to spoken words, but also to texts, posts, and every other form of communication. Words matter because they affect other people — and Paul goes even further by saying that sinful speech can grieve the Holy Spirit.
Believers have been sealed by the Holy Spirit for the day of redemption. That means the Spirit’s presence in the Christian life is personal, holy, and relational. When believers live and speak in ways that do not bear witness to Christ, the Spirit is grieved.
Forgive with kindness and tenderness
Paul then says, “Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.” The sermon walked through how these sins of the heart and tongue destroy relationships and poison community. No believer wakes up hoping to become more slanderous or malicious, but these things grow where forgiveness is withheld.
The answer is not merely to suppress resentment, but to put on kindness, tenderness, and forgiveness. And the standard is clear: as God in Christ forgave you. No one has sinned against us as much as we have sinned against God, and yet He has forgiven us fully in Jesus. That becomes both the motivation and the model for how believers forgive one another.
Walk in love as beloved children
Finally, Paul gathers all of this into one overarching command: “Be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us.” The sermon emphasized the tenderness of that phrase: beloved children. Christians are not trying to imitate God in order to become His children. They imitate Him because, in Christ, they already are His beloved sons and daughters.
To walk in love means to live sacrificially, putting the needs of others above our own. It is the love Christ showed when He gave Himself up for us — a costly, substitutionary, gospel-shaped love. That is the family likeness believers are called to display.
Conclusion
The sermon ended with a searching question: Is your imitation of God reflected in your speech, your generosity, your forgiveness, and your love? Because God has forgiven us in Christ, sealed us by His Spirit, and adopted us as His beloved children, we are called to live in ways that reflect who we now are. The gospel is not merely about what Christians stop doing; it is also about what, by grace, they now begin to do. Put off the old. Put on the new. Be imitators of God.
Lifegroup Leader Guide
Passage: Ephesians 4:25–5:2
Big idea: Be imitators of God.
Main question: Is your imitation of God reflected in your speech, your generosity, your forgiveness, and your love?
Opening Prayer
Father, thank you for forgiving us in Christ, sealing us by your Spirit, and adopting us as your beloved children. Help us now to hear your Word clearly, repent where needed, and walk in family likeness. Make us truthful, generous, gracious, forgiving, and loving. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Icebreaker
What is one habit or phrase you picked up from your family growing up — for better or worse?
Read the Passage
Read Ephesians 4:25–5:2 together.
Sermon Summary
This week’s sermon focused on Paul’s practical application of the gospel in Ephesians 4:25–5:2. Because believers have put off the old self and put on the new, they are called to live differently in very concrete ways. That means speaking truth instead of falsehood, resolving anger instead of letting it fester, working honestly and giving generously, using words to build others up rather than tear them down, forgiving others as God in Christ forgave us, and walking in sacrificial love. The main idea of the sermon was simple: be imitators of God.
Discussion Questions
1. “Be imitators of God”
- What stands out to you most about the command to imitate God?
- Why does Paul ground this in the fact that believers are “beloved children”?
2. Speaking truth
- Why do you think people so often bend or hide the truth?
- How does lying harm relationships in general — and the body of Christ in particular?
- Where are you most tempted to speak less than the full truth?
3. Resolving anger
- What is the difference between righteous anger and sinful anger?
- Why is unresolved anger so dangerous?
- What does it look like to deal with anger urgently but wisely?
4. Work and generosity
- How does Paul’s command about stealing go beyond “stop taking things”?
- Why do you think Paul connects honest work with generosity?
- In what ways are you tempted to think of your income and resources mainly as “mine”?
5. Building up with words
- What kinds of speech does Paul forbid here?
- What kinds of speech does Paul command instead?
- How could the questions “Is it true? Is it necessary? Does it build up?” help shape your communication this week?
6. Forgiveness
- Why is forgiveness so difficult?
- How does remembering God’s forgiveness in Christ reshape the way we forgive others?
- Is there anyone you need to forgive, or any bitterness you need to put away?
7. Walking in love
- How would you define sacrificial love based on this passage?
- Where is God calling you to love someone else in a more costly or tangible way?
Leader Notes
- Keep grace and obedience together. This passage is not teaching salvation by works, but the kind of life that flows from being made new in Christ.
- Help the group see the “put off / put on” pattern throughout the text. Christianity is not only about stopping sinful behavior, but also about replacing it with Christlike behavior.
- Don’t let the discussion stay abstract. Push for specific examples in speech, anger, work, generosity, forgiveness, and love.
- This is a good week to connect conduct with identity: believers imitate God because they are already His beloved children.
Application
Have each person answer these two questions:
- What is one “old self” pattern from this passage that I need to put off this week?
- What is one “new self” action I need to put on in its place?
Prayer Time
Pray that God would help your group:
- speak truth,
- resolve anger,
- work honestly and give generously,
- use words to build up,
- forgive one another,
- and walk in love as Christ loved us.
