Walking in Love, Part 2

The key element to walking in love is to be a follower of God, a mimic of God and imitator of God is first John says God is love and you want to handle and be like God.

God that people in the church you attend might talking like everyone else using the same Bible is everyone else attending the same Sunday school classes blending into the surroundings, and yet have never trusted Christ. The Bible gives clear standards for what it means to be a Christian and they go well beyond the externals that can be faked.

John MacArthur examines those standards today on grace to you. Continuing his study called the portrait of a new life and with a lesson. Now here's John Ephesians chapter 5 were looking at verses one through seven, Ephesians 5 verses one through seven and read them to you as a setting for our message, be therefore followers of God, as dear children and walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and have given himself for us in offering it a sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling savor. But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becoming saints.

Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not fitting but rather giving of thanks for this. You know that no fornicator nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. Let no man deceive you with vain words, for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the sons of disobedience. Be not ye therefore partakers with them. This is a tremendously potent passage and it's very important for us today we live in an age when fornication or sexual sin is rampant. We are inundated drown preoccupied and our senses are told to the potency of the attack that comes against us is a tragic thing because it affects the church or the apostle Paul deals with here and I think we need to look very carefully at what he said. One aspect of the worthy walk is to walk in love verse to see if there walk in love, and we saw that the key elements to walking in love is to be a follower of God, a mimic of God and imitator of God is as first John says God is love and you are to walk in love, then you are to be like God and so we are to imitate God we are to mimic God.

He is the pattern and the pattern is best expressed by God in his incarnation of Jesus Christ and so if we are to walk in love, we are to walk as Christ walked, and that is exactly what first John 26 says if we say we abide in him we ought so to walk even as he walked. We are to then walk in love, which imitates God. God is manifest in Christ. So we are to be like Christ, where the love like he love. I remember the last section of the book of Ephesians from 4 to 6 is a discussion of the worthy walk chapter 4 verse one tells us to walk worthy and part of walking worthy of our high calling, walking, consistent with our high calling is to walk in love now this Lovelock has four elements and I gave it to have a mimic of the review. First of all, these are positive ones. First there is the plea in verses one and two. He pleads with us to walk in love, and the word walk means daily conduct manner of life process of living lifestyle.

If you will.

We are to be characterized by love and the pattern is God where imitate God. The psalmist that I will be satisfied when I awaken by likeness, we are to be filled with all the fullness of God. Chapter 3 said so what Paul is saying is that what you get this. I wouldn't deal with us on just voted today since you are God's beloved children's in verse one.

Since you are God's dear children imitate him. Now listen the basis for imitating is that we are his children. This is one of the richest, most joyful designations of Christians in all of the New Testament we are called the children of God.

We are called the sons of God. In John 112. It tells us as many is believed on him, to them gave he the right to be called the children of God in Ephesians chapter 1 it tells us that he has chosen us in him before the foundation of the world that we should be holy and without blame before him in love, having predestinated us under the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself. We are literally the children of God. We are the children of God, the offspring of God we have been begotten by an incorruptible seed. We are then asked his children to bear his likeness right where to bear his character's characteristics. We are to manifest that which is true of him. We got a wood door in his very nature, since we have been begotten of God, as we learned in first Peter, since we are characterized by an incorruptible seed which lives and abides forever.

Since God has come to live in us and make us his children.

We are then to live, manifesting his characteristics. So that's the heart of the people the reason we are to imitate God, says Paul, is because we are his children and we are to pattern our lives after our father in Galatians 326 I just at this. It says, for ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus Nellis when you put your faith in Christ Jesus. When you received Christ the Savior.

At that point you became a child of God you were born again to put it in John three terminology there was an incorruptible seed planted within you. There was new life and the manifestation of the life of God through you should be the most normal thing is normal for you not to imitate God you look at a child. The most normal thing for a child is to be like his parents. And so it is in the spiritual dominion you have within you the indwelling life of God in Galatians chapter 4 and verse four it says when the fullness of time was come, God sent forth his son, made of a woman, made under the law, to redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons and because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of his son into your hearts, you are no more servants by son and if a son, then an heir of God when you're saved you became a son, you become a child God's spirit is in you and the life of God should manifest itself so because Paul says we are children of God. We are then to imitate our father the most normal thing is to be like you now is God's love, then we are to imitate his love.

If it is true that God is characterized by love. As first John 472 11 says, if it is true that God is characterized by love. Then we too are to be characterized in the same manner, so we remember the plea walk in love. The second point we saw last time I want to note this is the pattern in our dimension it. The pattern is our Lord Jesus Christ universe to how is this the work.

How is it to be manifest what is our example as Christ has loved us and given himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling savor.

I we are to walk in love, and the model we are to follow the pattern we are to trace our lives on his Christ arousal kid and starting out in school.

One of our teachers.

One of the teachers how to draw and so she passed out papers of pictures and the pictures were in great big, bold, Inc. and then she passed out what you call tracing paper and all the little kids would take the paper and stick it on the bull page and the picture would come through.

We take our little pencils and we would draw pricing that's the very word pattern in the New Testament.

That's the word for type or an example it's used. As Paul says to Timothy. Be an example to the believers be somebody. The believers can trace their life on let's exactly what he saying here take Jesus Christ the bold the bold statement of Christ's life and put your life on top of it and trace your life out just as is. He is the pattern. This is the heart of the passage we are to love as he love not backing up to verse 32 remind you last time that the characteristic the major characteristic of God's love is that it is forgiving you see it there in verse 32, forgiving one another as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you. Now for the walking love. That's the first characteristic I want you to note it is a forgiving kind of love we wanted that last time doing God's love is a forgiving love by the weather is a footnote that you to see in verse 32, forgiving one another, even as God has forgiven you. Now for just said that if it just said, forgiving one another as God hath forgiven you. We have a little problem because we say now look your holy God, you're absolutely right. Just got and you hate sin and you can't tolerate sin in the Bible says you will punish sin. In fact, it says the wages of sin is what death now.

God, how can you just forgive like that if it said forgive one another as God has forgiven you would say will happen.

You just do that you just say well I know I don't like that stuff and I forgive what is it due to God's justice doesn't violate his holy justice. No, because the little phrases there for Christ's sake, which means because of what Christ has done. In other words, that penalty which was ours was born by Christ and because of something Christ did. God is able to forgive. That's the whole point when Christ verse two now when Christ gave himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God as a sweet smelling savor.

He paid the price that God's justice demanded and free God to forgive the sinner, but if it had not been for Christ. It would not have happened. God can love us and God can forgive us. Because Christ paid our family.

That is the message of the 10th chapter of the book of Hebrews Hebrews 1010, by which we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ. In other words, the only thing that sets us apart to God is that Christ bore our sin.

Verse 12 this man, after he offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down on the right hand of God. In other words, sitting down is the picture of rest and when Christ one time made one sacrifice. It was so total and so complete that he never needed to do another thing he sat down he was finished. In verse 14, sums it up by that one offering he perfected for ever them that are sanctified.

Born not in his body. Our sins, you knew no sin became sin for us.

And so Christ did something that freed God to love us and God's love for the most forgiving and secondly I told you God's love is not only forgiving, but it is unconditional is love is not defined by the object in any sense. It is his nature that loves it. It is a maintenance that loves is God loving as God must love because he's God, so his love is forgiving and unconditional and the third thing is self-sacrifice. God's love is forgiving, unconditional and self sacrificing God so loved the world that he was an expert J that's the key is self sacrificing Ellison people. This is a very basic truth. You must get if we are to love like God love. If we are to imitate God, then we must love people with a forgiveness that is without limits, we must love people unconditionally with no dependence upon their response and we must love people sacrificial. He that is, with the giving of ourselves, not the seeking of something from them. Now people listen when you live and walk in love doesn't mean you go around saying all I like that person. I like this person you work on an emotional level know what it means that it is your nature to be forgiving without limits loving without even necessary response and self sacrificing seeking only to give and not to gain so we said last time that Jesus loves us when we sin, forgive, we don't respond. He keeps loving us and would only want to do is take. He keeps giving. That's the kind of love that is to characterize our lives. Unconditional, forgiving and self-sacrificing. I would be unfaithful to my own mind if I didn't have you look at John 13 for just a moment and the will close out those review points and go to the next.

But in John 13, which I think is most beautiful picture of the love of Christ. Apart from the cross anywhere in the Bible John 13 I want you to see this unconditional forgiving self sacrificing love in action by your never the setting because I talked to you many times but in John 13. The disciples are having an argument and they're arguing about who's gonna be the greatest in the kingdom there really concerned about who's noticed, who's going to rank high when Christ sets up his earthly kingdom.

They want to get in on the grave you want to be big shots they want to be mucky monks and the Lord sees them in this big argument in the real issue here is of course the Jesus is about to be crucified, and he's already told him this is already told him he has to die. He's already given of the whole Alex, but they are absolutely indifferent to what is going to go through the chair even concerned about it there absently selfish. They are actually sinful there absently unresponsive. If there was any real love in their hearts they would've been comforting and encouraging and sharing that love of Jesus Christ. If there was anything of of the self-sacrifice in their lives, they would've been washing his feet, they would've been at his hands. A. What can we do Lord because you're the one is going to bear this but instead their selfishness was manifest their sinfulness was manifest her self-centeredness was manifest as they argue about who would be the greatest in the kingdom. Instead of being concerned about Christ and in that argument, nobody would wash anybody's feet, but was accustomed to wash feet in those days before you had a meal but none of them would do it because none of them want to take the role of a servant. They were all fighting for the chief places, so supper had begun and after it had begun Jesus took a basin.

It says in verse four he rising from supper and laid aside his garments, took a towel and girded himself poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples feet.

Now people listen. That's love in action that is love that is forgiving here. These guys were sinful they were full of pride. They were full of self-centeredness. They were full of self seeking, they were full of indifference to each other. They were resenting each other because they felt that the other guy among the 12 might be seeking to get a higher rank than they were. There was a terrible sinful aura in that whole deal. And yet Jesus washes their feet.

Jesus does a kind and tender and loving sympathetic act that is on conditional forgiving love even you ask a response out of them. They did even given the right response even say now if you guys are cool and loudly allow wash your feet wash their feet.

Anyway, because love does it doesn't have to depend on the response, and finally it is self-sacrifice, the Lord of glory, washing the feet of the sinful self seeking men go to verse 13 Jesus sums it up by saying this you call me Master and Lord, and you say well for I am. If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet. For I have given you an example that you should do as I have done to you.

Verily, verily, I say or do. The servant is not greater than his lord, neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him if you know these things. Happy are you if you do them. In other words, he said you saw how I loved you, didn't you. You saw that I love you by an act of love that was unconditional that was totally forgiving. That was totally self-sacrificing and I expect you to do the same to each other later on in the chapter verse 34 after an interlude of Judas. He picked up the same teaching race is a new commandment I give unto you, that you love one another as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.

By this shall all men know you're my disciples, if you have love one for another. Ellis notice in verse 34 you are to love as I have loved you, and how had he just loved him.

He had just love them with forgiveness, with an unconditional love and a self-sacrificing love and that's the very thing he's asking for them to manifest and he says to them. The servant is not greater than his Lord. If I love that way then that's the way you are to look so that's the positive side, now back to Ephesians where to walk in love.

What is that mean were to love like Christ loved how to do. Love, forgiving, unconditionally self-sacrifice.

That's the positive presentation I watch how fast he goes to the opposite becomes a negative and right away.

In verse three we see the perversion of the plea in verse one of the first part of verse to the pattern at the end of verse two and now the perversion. Whatever it is that God establishes Satan will counterfeit and here comes the perversion immediately. In verses three and four and you see it their fornication, sex, sin, and its propagated by verse six the deceivers with their vain words who are nothing more than the object of God's wrath where God establishes treating the world comes along and establishes the following account of the world really obviously the world wants to live in love is no question about that. I mean they want love bad.

In fact, the only thing they want more than love is money, but apart from money they want love the world really goes after love people. Greatest is the greatest experience to be in love, and of course they base their concept of love I what does for me it's it's a self seeking thing. Their fantasy says that love is what I get. God says love is what you give. Listen to me.

The world's love is conditional very opposite of Christ. It's conditional. It says to me what I want to love you is unforgiving.

Blow it too many times in your out of my life. That's it.

It's on to somebody else so it is is unforgiving. Secondly, it's conditional is condition always get the right responses. You hang in there soon as the responses are what you want in your God. And thirdly, it is self centered, not self sacrifice is self-centered feeds on its own need is the very thing opposite what God says characterizes us in Matthew 18 from Matthew 18 just to give you one illustration of how the Lord illustrated this worldly feeling and here you can find it is a contrast Jesus presents his love, which is totally forgiving, unconditional and self-sacrificing and Peter comes to him and says will Lord I mean this unconditional, self-sacrificing, forgiving love.

How far does it go. I mean, I shall I forgive my brother seven times. Jesus said unto him, I say no to the until seven times.

But, until 70×7. Therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened to a certain King who had take account of his servants. And when he had begun to reckon, one was brought unto him loading 10,000 talents. But for as much as he had nothing with which to pay, his Lord commanded him to be sold, and his wife and children and that he had and that is always possessions in payment be made. The servant therefore fell down and worshiped him, saying, Lord, have patience with me and I'll pay the all which is ridiculous. He never could pay back that summer was a nice thought in the Lord of that servant was moved with compassion, and loosed him, and forgave him the debt.

Who do you think the Lord of the servant is here, God is. This is the center of the sinners coming in even comes in a workspace for giving us all do it all good my teeth and I'll pay back the whole 10,000 ridiculous good news like in spite of his foolishness.

God is generous enough to forgiving but the same servant went out and found one of his fellow servants, whatever hundred and Marriott is just about three months work and he laid hands. I'm taking by the throne said pay me what you owe fellow servant filled on his feet and besought him, saying, have patience with me and I'll pay the all but any could panel one that much and he would let them. But he went cast him into prison, so we could pay the debt pretty tough to do an so his fellow servants always done.

They were very sorry came and told their Lord all that was done in the Lord after he had called him Saturday mold you wicked servant, I forgave thee all that debt because now besought us, me, Judas, not thou also have had compassion on by fellow servant, even as I had pity on the and his Lord was angry and delivered them to the inquisitors, till he should pay all that was doing to him. So likewise shall my heavenly father do also to you if you from your hearts forgive not everyone his brother is trespassed. In other words, typical world's perspective, no forgiveness, and the Lord came to him and said you give evidence of not being a Christian you not my family not liking. There's no love in point is this people. It's a simple point. The world is not forgiving the world bases its responses on condition you pay up and I'll tolerate you. The world is self seeking. The Christian is the opposite. That's we want you to see this is grace to you with John MacArthur makes her being with us along with being the featured speaker here on grace to you for over five decades now. John also serves as Chancellor of the Masters University in seminary our current series is titled the portrait of a new life that were still thinking about this notion of the believers walk and we recently received a letter from one of our listeners named Jamaica whose walk is looking different. These days in a good way and she says, grace to you had a pardon that this is a really good letter John. So let our listeners hear this story here. This is from Jamaica down in Orlando Florida. She says I'm a married woman with two children. Your ministry has blessed our family tremendously during the onset of covert 19 pandemic. I started listening to your sermons on almost a daily basis. Thank you for being blunt and preaching the gospel without fearing man's response. I almost fell prey to the delusion of social justice and the fight for racial equity. I am a black woman.

I was raised to believe that God loves us all, but that white people were oppressors.

I had not realized how much this affected my viewpoint. I repented and I am forever grateful. I've been talking with my extended family and praying that they would repent of their sinful ways.

Your ministry is also made a huge impact on my life as a wife and mother. I used to believe that I could have it all because God would make my cup run over with blessings like millions of Blacks.

My family and I attended a church that preach that God would give you good health, wealth and supernatural increases. I took pride in dedicating my time to long hours at work and now I see things from a completely different perspective. I am realizing how much my role as a wife and mother has an impact on my family. Women today are in a race to build careers that are as successful as their husbands.

Meanwhile our children are left to fend for themselves. I no longer see success is something based on how much money I make. I've taken a position that will give me more time to focus on serving my husband and my children. Thank you. Thank you again. I pray that you would continue to preach God's word and provide the wealth of resources that have an eternal impact and she signs her name Jamaica that is a precious precious letter is a wonderful work of the Lord in her heart. That's the kind of ministry that you make possible. When you support grace to you life changing difference in the lives of people like Tamika and her family. You can be confident that God will use his word and uses truth for his glory and to transform lives.

It will not return void. It'll accomplish his purpose in the full impact of this ministry is never going to be known on this earth. It's going to be in heaven that we begin to see all of it unfold. But you will rejoice in heaven with us.

When you see what God has done through grace to you so thank you for your support. Thank you for partnering with us, especially as we head toward the end of the year. Yes, friend. Thank you for helping us reach people like Tamika a clear example of how biblical truth can completely transform someone's desires and ambitions in every aspect of a life if you'd like to help minister to people like Tamika get in touch with us today our toll-free number here 855 grace or you can express your support@ourwebsitejidety.org. There you can also set up a convenient recurring donation or you can mail your gift to grace to you Fox 4000 panorama city, CA 91412. Thank you for helping make this far-reaching ministry possible again to partner with us. Call us at 855 grace for go to our website TTY.and while you're at the website TTY.org. Make sure to download this study Bible app.

If you haven't done it already. It gives you the full text of Scripture connects you to thousands of resources including sermons, blog articles and Q&A's to help you understand what you're reading and for reasonable price. You can add the MacArthur study Bible notes, which explains virtually every passage of Scripture to download the study Bible app visit TTY.that's our website one more time. TTY.org now for John MacArthur and the grace to you staff, I'm Phil Johnson encouraging you to make it a priority to be here tomorrow when John will help you answer this question, what does it mean to love the right way. God's way and another half hour of unleashing God's truth one verse at a time on grace to you