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As Dearly Beloved Children

           Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. (Ephesians 5:1-2)

          I’ve talked about this before. In Isaiah 14, there’s a passage that alludes to an earthly king, but it’s also claimed to tell of Lucifer’s rebellion. He would ascent to the heavenly places and take God’s throne. In Genesis 3, the temptation offered to Eve was to be “like the Most High, knowing good and evil.” In today’s passage, we’re told to be like the Most High by following His example.

          How we are to follow that example is by acting like children, mimicking our Father, and by walking in the way of love. I suspect that’s going to be tough to do for a while. It’s easy to love when we feel loved back, but there are hateful, bitter people out there who are going to be out for blood. If you don’t give the right answers, the blood they’ll be out for is yours.

          That doesn’t give us a pass on the loving part. Remember, Jesus went to the cross because of our hatred and rebellion. So again, if you call yourself a Christian, do what Christ did.

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