Walking in Love. (Ephesians 5: 1-7)

This Podcast is part of a 10-year project to complete an in-depth, daily study of the entire Bible, chapter by chapter, verse by verse. 

Episode Notes:  Walking in Love. (Ephesians 5:  1-7)

Welcome back, friends. It’s wonderful to have you with me again as we continue our journey through Paul’s letter to the Ephesians.  Over the last few episodes, we’ve been exploring what Paul calls “the walk” of the Christian life, a daily, practical, lived‑out expression of who we are in Christ.... We’ve looked at:

 Walking in truth

Walking in honesty

Walking in kindness

Walking in forgiveness

 And now, as we step into chapter 5, Paul brings us to the very heart of the Christian life, the summit, the pinnacle, the crowning virtue:

 Walking in love.

 So today, we turn to a passage that is sometimes overlooked but is absolutely foundational to understanding Christian love….

Transcript

Walking in Love. (Eph 5: 1-7) Transcript:

 Welcome & Introduction:

Welcome back, friends. It’s wonderful to have you with me again as we continue our journey through Paul’s letter to the Ephesians.

Over the last few episodes, we’ve been exploring what Paul calls “the walk” of the Christian life, a daily, practical, lived‑out expression of who we are in Christ.

We’ve looked at:

Walking in truth

Walking in righteous anger

Walking in honesty

Walking in kindness

Walking in forgiveness

And now, as we step into chapter 5, Paul brings us to the very heart of the Christian life, the summit, the pinnacle, the crowning virtue:

Walking in love.

The whole world is fascinated by love. Psychologists tell us that one of the deepest human needs is to love and to be loved. Poets write about it, novelists dramatize it, and filmmakers profit from it.

Musicians sing about it, and married couples (hopefully) experience it, and every religion in the world tries to define it.

Humanity is enamored with love, and yet, for all our fascination, we still struggle to understand it.

The problem is not that love is unpopular. The problem is that love is misunderstood. Misused, misapplied, and often twisted into something that bears little resemblance to the biblical vision of love.

So today, we turn to a passage that is sometimes overlooked but is absolutely foundational to understanding Christian love….

Ephesians 5:1–7 is Paul’s great call to imitate God and to walk in love as Christ loved us and gave Himself for us. Before we read it, let me remind you where we are in the letter.

The first three chapters of Ephesians describe our calling, who we are in Christ, and what God has done for us, and the spiritual blessings we have received.

Chapters 4–6 describe our conduct, how we should live in light of that calling. And Paul uses the metaphor of a walk to describe the Christian life.

Now, in chapter 5, he reaches the climax of that metaphor: “Walk in love.”

This is the heartbeat of Christian living.

This is the lifestyle that reflects our Father.

This is the path that mirrors Christ.

So, let’s read the passage together and then explore what it means to walk in love and what blessings flow from living this way.

1 Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children 2 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.

3 But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God’s holy people. 4 Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving. 5 For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person—such a person is an idolater—has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. 6 Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God’s wrath comes on those who are disobedient. 7 Therefore, do not be partners with them.

(Ephesians 5:1–7)

Opening Segment — “The World Loves Love… But Does It Understand It?”

The whole world is in love with love. Everywhere you look, people are searching for it, singing about it, writing about it, longing for it.

Psychologists tell us that one of the greatest human needs is to love and to be loved.

Poets eulogize it, novelists dramatize it, moviemakers monetize it, and religions moralise it. But for all our fascination with love, we rarely stop to ask: What is love? Where does it come from, and why should we practice it?

The Bible tells us that love is not just a virtue; it is the greatest commandment. When Jesus was asked which commandment was the greatest, He didn’t hesitate, He said:

“Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength… and love your neighbour as yourself.”

(Matthew 22:34–40)

According to Jesus, love is the foundation of everything God asks of us.

But here’s the problem:

Love is not properly understood.

In the modern world, love is often reduced to emotion, or chemistry, or

romance, or personal fulfilment.

It is frequently taken out of its biblical context and turned into something self-centered, self‑serving, or self‑gratifying.

So, Paul takes us back to the source, back to the heart of God and back to the example of Christ.

And he says:

“Be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave Himself up for us.”

(Ephesians 5:1–2)

This is not sentimental love; this is sacrificial love, this is a costly love, this is Christ‑shaped love.

And Paul says:

This is how you are to walk and live and love.

So today, we’re going to explore:

What biblical love really is. Why it is central to the Christian life and how Christ models it…. And what happens when we choose to walk in love

Let’s begin.

1 Therefore, follow God’s example, as dearly loved children 2 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)

Paul begins this section with a single word that is easy to skip over but absolutely essential: “Therefore…”

And whenever you see a “therefore” in Scripture, you should always ask, “What is it there for?” Remember — there were no chapter breaks in the original text. This opening phrase connects what Paul is about to say with what he has just said. And at the end of chapter 4,

Paul told us: “Forgive one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.”

And now he continues:

“Therefore, be imitators of God, as dearly loved children.”  (5:1)

In other words:

Because you have been forgiven…

Because you are now God’s children…

Because you belong to Him…

Therefore — imitate Him.

Children naturally imitate their parents. They copy their mannerisms, expressions, and habits; some even say they walk like their parents.

When I was younger, someone once said to me, “Jeremy, you walk just like your father.” I appreciated that at the time, but I’ve often thought since then — how much more wonderful it would be if people said, “You walk like your Father in heaven.”

That is what Paul is calling us to.

Walk like your Father.

Walk like Jesus.

Walk in love.

The word Paul uses throughout this chapter is again that word ‘agapē’.

This is not sentimental love or emotional love. It’s not romantic love or “I love you because you make me feel good” love.

Agapē is a choice. It is the deliberate decision to seek the highest good of another person, even when it costs you something.

Agapē is love that acts. A Love that serves and a love that sacrifices.

It is not primarily a feeling. It is a commitment.

In John 13, Jesus said: “A new commandment I give to you: that you love one another.”

But wait, God had already commanded love in the Old Testament. So what is new? The standard is new.

Moses said: “Love your neighbour as yourself.”

But Jesus said: “Love one another as I have loved you.”

That raises the bar, and that changes everything. The question then becomes: How did Jesus love us? Paul answers in Ephesians 5:2:

“Christ loved us and gave Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God.”

This is sacrificial love, self‑giving love, a cross‑shaped love.

If you want to know what love is, look at the cross.

Love is not primarily what you feel. Love is what you give. If you remember nothing else from this episode, remember this: True love is self‑sacrificing. It is choosing to do what is best for someone else, even when it costs you something.

It may cost you time.

It may cost you comfort.

It may cost you convenience.

It may cost you money.

It may cost you pride.

But when you love sacrificially, you are never more like Christ.

This is why Paul says: “Walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave Himself for us.” 

Love is not measured by how we feel but by what we are willing to give.

Now I know that some people listen to this struggle to love because they struggle to love themselves. Life has wounded them, circumstances have crushed them. Their self‑esteem is low and their heart feels empty.

And if you only love others “as you love yourself,” then your capacity to love will always be limited.

But agapē love is different. Agapē love does not flow from your self‑esteem but from your Saviour.

It does not depend on how you feel but on who He is. And if you know the Lord and you have trusted Him for eternal life, then you have access to a love that has no limit. And it is His love that can flow through you.

Sacrificial love always costs something, but it always brings joy. When you give of yourself to bless someone else, you experience the joy of reflecting Christ.

You taste the joy of walking like your Father. You discover the joy of living the way you were created to live. This is what true love is.

But now the text turns to the other side of the coin. It tells us what true love is not. Because if we are going to walk in love, we must learn to recognise the counterfeits. And the passage is very clear. Love is never self-indulgent. Look again at verses 3 and 4:

“But fornication and all uncleanness or covetousness, let it not even be named among you, as is fitting for saints; neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks.”

Everything in these verses describes a lifestyle centred on self, self‑gratification, self‑pleasure, self‑promotion, self‑indulgence.

And Paul says: “This is not love. This is not Christ. This is not fitting for saints.”

Let’s look at each one for a minute..

1. Fornication — Love That Takes, Not Love That Gives

Fornication” is an old‑fashioned word, but the idea is very modern.

It refers to sexual immorality, a casual approach to sex, and self-centered sexual behaviour that uses another person for personal gratification.

This is the opposite of biblical love. Biblical love gives.

Self‑indulgent love takes. Biblical love sacrifices.

Self‑indulgent love consumes. Biblical love seeks the highest good of the other.

Self‑indulgent love seeks the pleasure of the self, and the text says: “Let it not even be named among you.”

Not tolerated.

Not normalised.

Not joked about.

Not excused.

Because it is not love.

2. Covetousness — Love That Wants More

Covetousness is the desire to have what someone else has. In Colossians, Paul says: “Covetousness is idolatry….” Why?

Because when you covet something, you place it at the centre of your life. You elevate it. You worship it. You say, “If only I had that, then I would be happy.” Covetousness is the opposite of love because it is entirely self‑focused. It is not about blessing others but about acquiring for yourself.

And Paul says: “This is not fitting for saints.”

3. Filthiness, Foolish Talking, and Coarse Jesting — Love That Wounds

Paul then moves to our speech. He says believers must avoid: Filthiness, foolish talking, and coarse jesting The early Greek fathers used the word “coarse jesting” to describe foul‑mouthed abuse of every kind.

This includes crude humour and lewd jokes. It also includes degrading comments, mocking others, sacrilegious humour, and sarcastic cutting remarks. And here’s something fascinating. The Greek word for “sarcasm” comes from a root that means “to tear the flesh like a dog.”

That’s what sarcasm does. It tears, it wounds and it cuts.

Shakespeare said: “He who jests at scars has never felt a wound.”

Much of modern humour is designed to tear people down. To humiliate. To mock and to belittle.

And Paul says: “This is not love.” Because love builds up. Love ministers' grace. Love speaks life. So Paul says; “…but rather be giving of thanks.”

Replace sarcasm with gratitude.

Replace cutting humour with grace.

Replace foolish talk with thanksgiving.

But this passage doesn’t just tell us what to do, it tells us why.

1. Because we are children of God (Eph 5:1)

Children should resemble their Father and if God is love, his children should walk in love.

2. “Because these behaviours give the devil a foothold” (Eph 4:27)

Bitterness, impurity, covetousness, and corrupt speech open the door to spiritual attack.

3. “Because these behaviours rob us of our inheritance.” (Eph 5:5)

It the adds: “No fornicator, unclean person, or covetous man who is an idolater has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.”

This is one of the most debated verses in the New Testament. Does it mean such people cannot go to heaven? Paul uses this phrase three times in all his letters.

Here in Ephesians 5, also in 1 Corinthians 6, and again in Galatians 5

In all three, he says those who practice such things “will not inherit the kingdom.” But notice he does not say they will not enter the kingdom. And there is a difference.

A New Testament Greek scholar once explained that the Greek words for “entering a house” and “inheriting a house” are completely different. 

To enter the kingdom you must be born again. (John 3:3).

To inherit the kingdom is to enjoy the blessings, rewards, and fullness

of kingdom life, both now and in the age to come.

A Christian may fall into sin, but if they continue in it, they will lose the joy, the blessing, the rewards of this spiritual and the spiritual inheritance that God intended for them.

They will enter the kingdom, but they will not inherit its blessings.

This is the warning. Paul is saying, ‘These behaviours are not love.

They are not Christ‑like. They are not fitting for saints, and they will rob you of the joy and blessing God intends for your life.”

So, he calls us back to the heart of the matter:

“Walk in love.” Sacrificial, Christ‑shaped, others‑focused love.

To enter the Kingdom of God, Jesus said you must be born again.

Not religious. Not perfect. Born again.

And this distinction appears not only in the New Testament but also in the Old.

In Genesis 49 and throughout the Old Testament, we see that not everyone who belonged to God inherited the land. Some entered the land but lost their inheritance. The entire tribe of Levi, for example, had no land inheritance at all. They belonged to God, but they did not inherit the land.

Jesus Himself taught the same principle in His parables: Some will rule over ten cities, some over five cities, and some will have very little responsibility at all

All are in the Kingdom, but not all inherit the same blessings.

So, the text says that it is possible to know Christ, to enter the Kingdom, and yet miss out on the fullness of what God intended for you, both in this life and in the next.

And what determines the difference?

A life of self‑sacrificing love  versus a life of self‑indulgence.

This passage closes by gives us three reasons why we should choose the path of love.

1. Because you are a child of God

(Ephesians 5:1)

You belong to Him.

You bear His name.

You carry His Spirit.

You are part of His family.

Children should resemble their Father.

And your Father is love.

2. Because you want to inherit the Kingdom

(Ephesians 5:5)

A Christian who chooses a self‑indulgent lifestyle will forfeit the joy, blessing, reward, and spiritual inheritance that God intended for them.

A Christian who chooses a life of love will inherit the fullness of God’s blessing.

3. To avoid the discipline of God. (Ephesians 5:6–7)

Paul warns:

“Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. Therefore do not be partakers with them.”

The phrase “sons of disobedience” was used in chapter 2 to describe what we were before we came to Christ. God is angry when people make choices that damage themselves and damage others.

And yes — God can be angry with His children.

Not with the anger of condemnation, but with the anger of a loving Father who sometimes disciplines His children for their good. Every good parent gets angry when their child does wrong because they love them…. And God is no different.

So don’t join in with the world’s self‑indulgent lifestyle. Instead, walk in love and avoid the discipline of God.”

These verses really show us that walking in love is not optional. It is the very essence of Christian living. Because it pleases God. Because it leads to inheritance and because it protects us from discipline

Have you noticed how much of this has to do with our speech, our attitudes, and our inner life.

Everything we are. Our possessions, our humour, our words,

our time, our energy, should be used to serve others with gratitude and grace.

This is what it means

to walk in love.

A Final Illustration.

If William Wilberforce were your father, would it be unreasonable for him to ask you to oppose slavery?

If Florence Nightingale were your mother, would it be unreasonable

for her to ask you to show compassion to the sick?

If Winston Churchill were your father, would it be unreasonable for him to ask you to stand against tyranny?

Your Father… Is the God of love. So is it unreasonable for Him to ask you to walk in love?

And because He knows we struggle to imagine what that looks like,

He sent His Son to show us.

Jesus walked this earth to reveal the heart of the Father and to show us what love looks like in human form.

And now He invites us to walk in that same love.

Outro:

Thank you for joining me today.

Ephesians 5 has shown us that love is not a feeling; it is a lifestyle.

A sacrificial, Christ‑shaped, others‑focused way of living that reflects our Father in heaven.

And in our next episode, Paul takes us deeper still. Because he moves from walking in love To walking in the light.

EPISODE 23 — “Walking in the Light” (Ephesians 5:8–14)

We’ll explore what it means to live as children of light in a world filled with darkness, and how the light of Christ exposes, transforms, and guides our daily lives.

I hope you’ll join me for that.

Until then, may the love of Christ shape your walk, soften your heart, and shine through everything you do.