Imitating God Ephesians 5:12

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Imitating GodEphesians 51-2

• Dave Champness
• May 27, 2007

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• How are we to imitate God?
• Non-communicable attributes Omnipresent,
  Omniscience, Omnipotence
• Communicable attributes Faithfulness, mercy,
  justice, wisdom, forgiveness

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Gods love has been poured into our hearts
through the Holy Spirit who has been given to
us. Romans 55 And by this we know that we
have come to know him, if we keep his
commandments. 4 Whoever says I know him but
does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the
truth is not in him, 5 but whoever keeps his
word, in him truly the love of God is perfected.
By this we may be sure that we are in him 6
whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in
the same way in which he walked. I John
23-6 So we have come to know and to believe the
love that God has for us. God is love, and
whoever abides in love abides in God, and God
abides in him. 17 By this is love perfected with
us, so that we may have confidence for the day of
judgment, because as he is so also are we in this
world. I John 416
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• Why are we to imitate Him in love?
• Because we are forgiven.
• Because we are loved children.
• We are sons of men, when we do ill sons of God,
  when we do well Augustine, on Psalm 52

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But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for
those who persecute you, 45 so that you may be
sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he
makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good,
and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. 46
For if you love those who love you, what reward
do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do
the same? 47 And if you greet only your brothers,
what more are you doing than others? Do not even
the Gentiles do the same? 48 You therefore must
be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
Matthew 544-48
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• Why are we to imitate Him in love?
• Because we are forgiven.
• Because we are loved children.

• Because He is our Father and we carry His name.

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• What does His love look like?
• It is forgiving.
• but God shows his love for us in that while we
  were still sinners, Christ died for us. Romans
  58
• It is sacrificial.
• I have been crucified with Christ. It is no
  longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me.
  And the life I now live in the flesh I live by
  faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave
  himself for me. Galatians 220
• It is pleasing.
• And the priest shall burn it on the altar, on
  the wood that is on the fire. It is a burnt
  offering, a food offering with a pleasing aroma
  to the Lord. Leviticus117

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