Ephesians 5:1 Be you therefore followers of God, as dear children; Let us illustrate the spirit in which the exhortation before us ought to be obeyed. 1. The spirit, therefore, in which such men ought to comply with the exhortation is, in the first place, the spirit of reverence and humble subjection to the Divine law. 2. But, I observe, that the spirit expressed in the text — the spirit in which we should comply with the exhortation, is the spirit of grateful, cheerful compliance with the will of God, as dear and beloved children. The love of children to an earthly father is always conjoined with admiration of the virtues of the father, and a desire to imitate him. 3. In the last place, the spirit in which the exhortation ought to be obeyed is the spirit of humble dependence for grace from God to help us. The spirit or disposition of children is the spirit of conscious weakness and dependence. (P. McFarlan, D. D.) Parallel Verses KJV: Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children; |
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