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According to Ephesians 5:1–2, we walk in love by imitating God just like Jesus did, offering our lives in sacrifice to God: 鈥淭herefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God鈥� (ESV).

The 鈥渨alk鈥� of Ephesians 5:2 refers to our behavior and how we act. We walk in love when we act like God. When we behave like Jesus, we are walking in love. Just as children like to imitate their parents, we are to mimic God in the same way Jesus copied His Father鈥檚 behavior.

The Greek word translated as 鈥渓ove鈥� in this passage is agape. Agape is sacrificial, unselfish, unconditional love that proves itself through actions. It perfectly describes God鈥檚 love for us (John 3:16) and Christ鈥檚 love for us (1 John 3:16). With agape, 鈥淕od showed how much he loved us by sending his one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through him鈥� (1 John 4:9, NLT). When the Bible says, 鈥淕od is love鈥� in 1 John 4:8, the word 鈥渓ove鈥� is a translation of agape. God鈥檚 nature, His essence, is selfless, sacrificial, unconditional love.

The apostle John stressed that, since God loves us sacrificially and unconditionally, we ought to love others in the same way: 鈥淒ear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another鈥� (1 John 4:11). Again, we walk in love by imitating God鈥檚 love for us in how we show love to others. Jesus taught the same principle when He said, 鈥淭here is no greater love than to lay down one鈥檚 life for one鈥檚 friends鈥� (John 15:13, NLT).

The apostle Paul gives a detailed description of how to walk in love: 鈥淟ove is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance鈥� (1 Corinthians 13:4–7, NLT). The greatest virtue we can nurture in our Christian walk is agape love (1 Corinthians 13:13).

In Ephesians 5:2, Paul said that Jesus 鈥済ave himself up for us.鈥� Giving ourselves up means offering our lives to God in sacrifice. It means following, obeying, submitting, serving, and living in a committed relationship with Him. Giving ourselves up means walking in love. When we behave like this, our lives become 鈥渁 fragrant offering鈥� that is pleasing to God and everyone who encounters the scent (Leviticus 1:17; 3:16). Paul urged believers to offer themselves 鈥渁s a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship鈥� (Romans 12:1).

When we walk in love, we show the world that we are true followers of Jesus Christ: 鈥淵our love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples鈥� (John 13:35, NLT; see also 1 John 3:14).

As God鈥檚 children and members of His family, we are called to deny our own selfish desires and interests for the sake of God and others. Although we are free in Christ, we use our freedom 鈥渢o serve one another in love. For the whole law can be summed up in this one command: 鈥楲ove your neighbor as yourself鈥欌�� (Galatians 5:13–14, NLT). Peter said, 鈥淵ou were cleansed from your sins when you obeyed the truth, so now you must show sincere love to each other as brothers and sisters. Love each other deeply with all your heart鈥� (1 Peter 1:22, NLT). This wholehearted, sacrificial imitation of God鈥檚 divine agape is what it means to walk in love.