Ephesians 5:2

“and walk in love, even as Christ also loved you, and gave Himself up for us, an offering and. sacrifice to God for an odor of. sweet smell”

“And”: Imitating God must take the form of practical demonstrations of love for Him and others in our daily lives. “Walk in love”: “Practice living in love” (Wms). “Present indicative or imperative tense used here indicates. continual walk as if to say, ‘be walking'” (Caldwell p. 228). “Even as Christ also loved you, and gave Himself up for us”: This defines the type of "love" that we are to "walk" in, clearly "love" is not merely an emotion or feeling. The love that we are to continually live by and demonstrate is unselfish, sacrificial, always in the best spiritual interest of others and obedient to the will of God (1 Corinthians 13:4). The love that Jesus lived by was obedient to the will of God (Hebrews 5:8). It did not look for the easy way out, rather it obeyed God, despite the cost. It put others before it (1 Peter 2:3), likewise, this is the type of love we are to live by (John 13:34; John 14:15; 1 John 2:5; 2 John 1:6). The previous context defines what walking in love looks like, it involves speaking the truth, controlling our anger, giving to others, speaking words which edify, and being kind, tender-hearted, and forgiving. This section also defines what is not the loving thing to do, such as lying, blowing our top, tearing people down with our speech, being bitter, having malice in our hearts and being involved in fornication (Ephesians 5:3). "Even as": The love that Christians are expected to practice is. love that is much purer and higher than the "love" proclaimed in the world (Matthew 5:44; 1 John 3:16). “Gave Himself up for us”: True love is voluntary, sacrificial, completely unselfish and will obey God, regardless of the personal cost involved. “A sacrifice to God for an odor of. sweet smell”: “And God was pleased, for Christ's love for you was like. sweet perfume to Him” (Tay). “For”: “Expresses design, that it might become, or result” (Vincent p. 398).

The above expression applies to those sacrifices that please God (1 Peter 4:18). “Here there is the voluntariness of Christ's sacrifice, and it was this that made it such. sweet odor” (Lenski p. 593). “This complete submission and obedience were well pleasing to the Father” (Erdman p. 107). We find various "sacrifices" mentioned in the Scriptures that did not please God (Genesis 4:5; Leviticus 10:1; 1 Samuel 2:21; 1 Samuel 2:23; Malachi 1:6). Thus we conclude that the type of "sacrifice" which God is pleased with is full obedience to the will of God, despite the personal cost, an unselfishness and self-sacrifice for the spiritual good of others. Completely voluntarily and springing from. heart that loves God above all else (1 Corinthians 13:1; Psalms 51:17). God still expects the "best quality" of sacrifice or service from His people (Romans 12:1; Hebrews 13:15; 1 Peter 2:5” 'to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God”). God is not morally obligated to accept just anything that we offer. In fact, God has often warned us that He will reject all worship that does not conform to His will (James 4:3; 1 Corinthians 13:1; 1 Corinthians 11:28).

“Love, then is to be the rule of the Christian life. It is to be. love which puts aside all bitterness and malice,. love which forgives and forgets. Yet it is also to be no weak sentiment which tolerates wrong or confines itself to empty words of sympathy” (Erdman p. 107). “Paul turns from self-sacrifice to its very opposite, self indulgence, from genuine love to that perversion of it called lust” (Stott p. 191). “It is not accidental that Paul writes about the supreme sweetness of the odor of Christ's sacrifice when he purposes to warn against filthiness on our part. The love of God brought forth such. pure, sweet sacrifice for us on his part. Can we, who were made God's beloved children by this sacrifice on our part return. life that is reeking and stinking with vile odor ?” (Lenski p. 595).