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5:1 Imitate God . . . in everything you do: Primarily by expressing love (5:2; cp. Matt 5:44-45, 48). • because you are his dear children: Just as children follow their parents’ example, believers should follow God’s example (1 Cor 4:14-17).
5:10 Carefully determine what pleases the Lord: The point is to obey God’s will, not simply to understand it (cp. Rom 12:2; Phil 1:10).
5:11 expose them: By the light shining from their lives (cp. John 3:20-21; Rom 13:12; 1 Pet 2:9), not by verbally accusing or condemning people (see 1 Cor 5:9-13).
5:13-14 “Awake, O sleeper”: This might be a fragment from an unknown Christian song, perhaps based on texts in Isaiah (cp. Isa 26:19; 52:1; 60:1). It calls on God’s people to turn from their sinful darkness and live in the full light of Christ.
Ephesus
Ephesus Ephesus stood at the crossroads of both north-south and east-west trade routes and was well known as the “guardian” of the temple of Artemis (Acts 19:35). It was founded by Ionian Greeks around 1044 BC on a natural harbor where the Cayster River emptied into a gulf of the Aegean Sea (the site of the ancient city is now well inland). The city came under Roman rule in 41 BC. At the time of the apostles, Ephesus was a wealthy city, a commercial and religious hub, and thus the most important city of the Roman province of Asia. The worship of Artemis in Ephesus was nearly as ancient as the city itself. The temple of Artemis, one of the seven wonders of the ancient world, was a key to the wealth and commerce of Ephesus, because the worship of Artemis brought many pilgrims to Ephesus and provided many commercial opportunities for idol makers and other vendors of goods and services. When Paul arrived on his third missionary journey in AD 53 (Acts 19), Ephesus had been a city continuously for over a thousand years and was deeply devoted to its patron goddess and her temple. As Paul’s message began to gain more adherents, Christianity threatened the pagan temple and the comm...
leviticus 1:9
leviticus 2:2
job 28:28
proverbs 1:7
proverbs 2:1-22
proverbs 23:29-35
isaiah 26:19
isaiah 52:1
The Old Life and the New Life
The Old Life and the New Life When people become believers in Christ, they are joined to him and begin to share in his death and resurrection. Their old life, marred by sin, dies with Christ, and they begin a new life by his power within them (see Rom 6:3-14). This is the work of God, who transforms them by his Spirit. Their minds are renewed (see Rom 12:2), their desires and actions change, and their lives begin to reflect his Spirit (Gal 5:22-23). They gradually grow into the likeness of Christ. Believers also have a responsibility to live out Christ’s death and resurrection (see Phil 3:10-14). They are to turn away from darkness and embrace a life full of light (Eph 4:17–5:20). Paul speaks of this transformation by using the imagery of clothing. Believers are called to take off the old, sinful life driven by the devil and put on a new, pure life directed by the Holy Spirit (Eph 4:21-24; Col 3:1-15; see also Gal 3:27). As they do so, they recognize their reliance on God’s grace and power. Passages for Further Study Rom 6:3-14; 12:1-2; Gal 5:19-23; Eph 4:17–5:20; Phil 3:12-14