December 14: Imitators of God

No foul language is to come from your mouth, but only what is good for building up someone in need, so that it gives grace to those who hear. And don’t grieve God’s Holy Spirit. You were sealed by Him for the day of redemption. All bitterness, anger and wrath, shouting and slander must be removed from you, along with all malice. And be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving one another, just as God also forgave you in Christ. Therefore, be imitators of God, as dearly loved children. And walk in love, as the Messiah also loved us and gave Himself for us, a sacrificial and fragrant offering to God.  (Ephesians 4:29-5:2 — Holman Christian Standard Bible)

God’s standards of speech are extremely high: no foul language, only what is good for building others up. This doesn’t mean that we can never rebuke someone, or get angry or indignant about something, but every word that passes our lips should have the intention of helping, challenging and bringing encouragement. This is totally different than the world… this is also a test for whether or not God is truly living inside of us. If foul language is a common thing for a person that claims to be filled with the Holy Spirit, he needs to sit down and take a real hard look at his life. He is deceiving himself.

It’s dangerous to ignore, reject, or push the Holy Spirit away. At times it’s as if we forget that God is always present. If we remembered this more often, we would probably be much more selective in what we say, do, watch and think. Notice that this warning is even for those who have been “sealed” with the Holy Spirit. We can never — no matter how advanced or spiritual — relax in our thoughts, behavior, or words. They are a reflection of what is happening in the core of our being, and if we insist on being lazy and rebellious in our faith, there will be a time that God will leave us. 

If Jesus has saved us, He now has authority over our lives. He is our King, and our job is to follow His example. It’s as if we had been kidnapped by the devil and demons and Jesus paid the ransom for us — we now owe Him everything. We are His property. We are free and blessed, but we cannot use that freedom to live any way that we want. He demands that we live by certain standards. He insists that we take on His nature and Spirit. 

For most people this may all sound like a big pain in the neck, but those of us who know God, know that this is real, satisfying, victorious life. This is the only way to live.