Chapter 5: Imitate Christ

Paul transitions from having a unity with Christ and daily walking with him to becoming imitators of him in Chapter 5.  He starts by clearing showing how to become imitators of God.  Lastly,  he gives us a picture of what being imitators of God looks like in our daily life.  \
First, as imitators of God we are to walk in love as Christ loved us.  When we do this, we are to exhibit the qualities that come with Christ-likeness.   Also, we are to walk in love as a daily surrender to God.  We are to daily die to ourselves and our own desires.  It says in Luke 9:23, Whoever wants to be my disciple, must take up their cross daily and follow me." Imitating Christ's love for us should be a daily surrender for us.
Second, Paul describes how we should not walk in our former way of life before Christ.  We were already saved from this old life that Jesus Christ died for.  It is important we remind ourselves to keep walking with Christ so we do not fall into our old ways of life.  When we walk in the Spirit, we are not participating in the things of this world.  God calls us to use the time he has given us for his glory alone.
Lastly, being imitators of Christ means we act in a Christ-like manner toward our family.  Husbands are to be leaders of the household in this family relationship and are to love their wife's like Christ loved the church.  In verse 22, wives subject to their husbands is not a submissive term but it shows the husband is to be the leader in the relationship.  Both husband and wife have a special unity in their relationship.  This concept also goes back to Genesis 2:24 when God created man and woman.  Lastly, this section discusses how husbands should treat their wives like Jesus Christ treated us when he sacrificed his life for us.