Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children.  Ephesians 5:1

In this verse of Scripture Paul gives us a very clear yet challenging word on how we as believers are to “walk worthy” and live the Christian life.  He says, “be imitators of God."  This verse is the bottom line on the Christian life.  This is the central principle for “walking worthy.”  If someone were to ask you what the Christian life looks like, you could share with them this verse—You  could tell them that we as believers are to be “imitators of God.” 

The word translated imitators is the Greek word mimetai.  It’s where we get our word mimic.  It simply means, “to do what someone else does.”  Used here, Paul is telling us that we are to imitate God—we are to be like him—we are to do what he does.  And this is not the only time we are told this in the Scriptures.  Jesus called for His followers to be imitators of God.  In Matthew 5:48, he said,

You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect. 

Peter also made this point in 1 Peter 1:15 when he said,

As he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct.   

This is what God wants from us.  He wants us to be like Him and live like Him.  He wants us be imitators of Him.  He tells his people from the start, “You are my people and I’m your God and my desire for you is for you to be like me.”  In Leviticus 11:45, God says to His people Israel,

You shall therefore be holy, for I am holy.

And that’s what God wants from us.  He wants us to be imitators of Him.  Now here’s the thing, this is easier said than done.  Truth is we can’t do it on our own.

When explaining to his followers how to live the Christian Life in the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus said it starts with you being broken—it starts with you being poor in spirit.  You must mourn over your weakness and your sinfulness so that you will hunger and thirst for righteousness. 

There is a great paradox here.  On the one hand we are called to be like God, but on the other hand we cannot be like Him by our own strength.  We need outside help and Scripture is clear where that outside help comes from.  It comes from God. 

God provides the help needed for us to be like him.  He gives us His Holy Spirit, who gives us the power and the ability to “Walk Worthy” for Him.  The Holy Spirit enables us to imitate God.  Paul makes this point earlier in Ephesians.  He says that it is the Father who strengthens us with power through his Spirit in our inner being (Eph. 3:16).