Ephesians 5:1

Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children

(v1, NIV)

There is a few times where Paul is telling his readers to imitate him.

Therefore I urge you to imitate me.

(1 Corithians 4:16, NIV)

Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ.

(1 Corinthians 11:1, NIV)

You'll notice in the second one he mentions that he is following Christ. We know that Paul is following Christ. We all should be following Christ. However, it's not wrong to look to intermediate goals such as other people. We may see a Christ-like quality in them and try to model that. Here in Ephesians, Paul simply leaves it at imitating God. Paul is not asking others to imitate him as he did in other passages. Ultimately, we're to imitate God; we are Christ followers.

Paul was just talking about putting off the old self and putting on the new self. There were a series of instructions and things to do and not to do. Of course, as I say that, it makes it seem like following Christ seems like a list of do's and don'ts. Sure, we are not supposed to let unwholesome talk come out of our mouths. Sure, we aren't supposed to let our anger swell to the next day. Sure, we aren't to continue stealing. These are not requirements to live the Christian life. They are proper reactions to the realization and understanding of this amazing gift of grace which God so lovingly gives to us. We are his dearly beloved children. Therefore, we should act like dearly loved children. Some may not admit it, but the undeserved love we receive from our fathers is precious. Maybe your father was not like that, but you might be able to imagine what it would be like. Sure, our fathers were sinful and nobody's perfect. However, our heavenly father is perfect. As children, when we look up to our parents and try to become like them, we may realize their faults. However, looking up to God and imitating him will not reveal and faults in him. Let us imitate him as dearly loved children; because we are, in fact, dearly loved by him.