Post by Shepherd on Mar 6, 2009 8:22:14 GMT -6
EPH-4-IX MEMBERS ONE OF ANOTHER
EPHESIANS 4:25-28....WHEREFORE PUTTING AWAY LYING, SPEAK EVERY MAN TRUTH WITH HIS NEIGHBOR; FOR WE ARE MEMBERS ONE OF ANOTHER. BE YE ANGRY, AND SIN NOT; LET NOT THE SUN GO DOWN UPON YOUR WRATH; NEITHER GIVE PLACE TO THE DEVIL. LET HIM THAT STOLE STEAL NO MORE; BUT RATHER LET HIM LABOR, WORKING WITH HIS HANDS THE THING WHICH IS GOOD, THAT HE MAY HAVE TO GIVE TO HIM THAT NEEDETH.
Can you understand how helpful it would be for a Christian if he could remember that Christians all belong together?
Paul continues to tell the Ephesians Christians what they should do if they want to do the right thing. He has just told them in Ephesians 4:23-24 that if they want to do the right thing, they should do so from the heart. AND BE RENEWED IN THE SPIRIT OF HOUR MIND: AND THAT YE PUT ON THE NEW MAN, WHICH AFTER GOD IS CREATED IN RIGHTEOUSNESS AND TRUE HOLINESS.
Then he proceeds to describe this in practice WHEREFORE PUTTING AWAY LYING, SPEAK EVERY MAN TRUTH WITH HIS NEIGHBOUR; FOR WE ARE MEMBERS ONE OF ANOTHER. EPHESIANS 4:25.
This sounds so simple, yet it is so profound. This actually is a classic statement. If a person wants to quit lying, first of all he has to have the desire to stop lying. Put away lying, tell the truth. If one tells the truth he will not lie.
Paul continues in verse 26, BE YE ANGRY, AND SIN NOT: LET NOT THE SUN GO DOWN UPON YOUR WRATH: NEITHER GIVE PLACE TO THE DEVIL.
Now here is something that many people need to look at. This is not saying that being angry is wrong. This does not say that anger is sin. As a matter of fact if you read in the New Testament, you will find that on occasion it actually reports that Jesus of Nazareth looked upon certain people with anger in His heart, being grieved because of the hardness of their hearts. He actually was angry at times. There are some things going on in the world that we should be angry about. There is such a things as righteous anger. Paul is saying, “When you are angry, be careful; sin not.” One must control his anger.
Paul adds, LET NOT HE SUN GO DOWN UPON YOUR WRATH. THE Christian should get over it. Is he provoked about something. Let him get it out of his system. The sooner he gets it out of his system, he better it will be. Paul goes on to say a second thing here; NEITHER GIVE PLACE TO THE DEVIL.
If you are angry, do not hold it. Do not hold a grudge. The anger may be quite proper, but do not cherish it. When I am angry I am liable to do something wrong. I may harm someone. A Christian parent may be provoked at his child; discipline the child? Yes, but not in anger. Other times people may slander you, talk about you. Then there is such a temptation to get even, but beware. Satan is waiting to tempt you. Paul says you should not do wrong, even when you are provoked, BE YE ANGRY, AND SIN NOT.
Paul has a further word...LET HIM THAT STOLE STEAL NO MORE: BUT RATHER LET HIM LABOR, WORKING WITH HIS HANDS THE THING WHICH IS GOOD, THAT HE MAY HAVE TO GIVE TO HIM THAT NEEDETH. EPHESIANS 4:28.
The matter here concerns property. What about this question of who owns the property? Some people get property by taking it–they steal it . Suppose a man has the habit of stealing, and since he has accepted Christ he wants to quite it. Let us suppose he has to have something. It has always been true that he stole because he needed something, such as money. Paul would say, LET HIM LABOR, let his work, working with his hands for the thing that is needful.
Paul continues by pointing out that the way to quit stealing is to start giving to folks. Giving is the very opposite of stealing. All these examples illustrate the same principle that Paul described at the first, if you want to quit lying, tell the truth. If you want to be on time, be early. Paul is giving here a principle that really is the very crux of Christian education.
The Christian should train himself to be and to do as Christ would have him be and do. The way to do this is to be careful that in place of doing the wrong thing, he will do the right thing. Christ will put it into his heart. The grace of God in the Christians heart will prompt him to do the right thing. He should then do it that he might be blessed.
EPHESIANS 4:25-28....WHEREFORE PUTTING AWAY LYING, SPEAK EVERY MAN TRUTH WITH HIS NEIGHBOR; FOR WE ARE MEMBERS ONE OF ANOTHER. BE YE ANGRY, AND SIN NOT; LET NOT THE SUN GO DOWN UPON YOUR WRATH; NEITHER GIVE PLACE TO THE DEVIL. LET HIM THAT STOLE STEAL NO MORE; BUT RATHER LET HIM LABOR, WORKING WITH HIS HANDS THE THING WHICH IS GOOD, THAT HE MAY HAVE TO GIVE TO HIM THAT NEEDETH.
Can you understand how helpful it would be for a Christian if he could remember that Christians all belong together?
Paul continues to tell the Ephesians Christians what they should do if they want to do the right thing. He has just told them in Ephesians 4:23-24 that if they want to do the right thing, they should do so from the heart. AND BE RENEWED IN THE SPIRIT OF HOUR MIND: AND THAT YE PUT ON THE NEW MAN, WHICH AFTER GOD IS CREATED IN RIGHTEOUSNESS AND TRUE HOLINESS.
Then he proceeds to describe this in practice WHEREFORE PUTTING AWAY LYING, SPEAK EVERY MAN TRUTH WITH HIS NEIGHBOUR; FOR WE ARE MEMBERS ONE OF ANOTHER. EPHESIANS 4:25.
This sounds so simple, yet it is so profound. This actually is a classic statement. If a person wants to quit lying, first of all he has to have the desire to stop lying. Put away lying, tell the truth. If one tells the truth he will not lie.
Paul continues in verse 26, BE YE ANGRY, AND SIN NOT: LET NOT THE SUN GO DOWN UPON YOUR WRATH: NEITHER GIVE PLACE TO THE DEVIL.
Now here is something that many people need to look at. This is not saying that being angry is wrong. This does not say that anger is sin. As a matter of fact if you read in the New Testament, you will find that on occasion it actually reports that Jesus of Nazareth looked upon certain people with anger in His heart, being grieved because of the hardness of their hearts. He actually was angry at times. There are some things going on in the world that we should be angry about. There is such a things as righteous anger. Paul is saying, “When you are angry, be careful; sin not.” One must control his anger.
Paul adds, LET NOT HE SUN GO DOWN UPON YOUR WRATH. THE Christian should get over it. Is he provoked about something. Let him get it out of his system. The sooner he gets it out of his system, he better it will be. Paul goes on to say a second thing here; NEITHER GIVE PLACE TO THE DEVIL.
If you are angry, do not hold it. Do not hold a grudge. The anger may be quite proper, but do not cherish it. When I am angry I am liable to do something wrong. I may harm someone. A Christian parent may be provoked at his child; discipline the child? Yes, but not in anger. Other times people may slander you, talk about you. Then there is such a temptation to get even, but beware. Satan is waiting to tempt you. Paul says you should not do wrong, even when you are provoked, BE YE ANGRY, AND SIN NOT.
Paul has a further word...LET HIM THAT STOLE STEAL NO MORE: BUT RATHER LET HIM LABOR, WORKING WITH HIS HANDS THE THING WHICH IS GOOD, THAT HE MAY HAVE TO GIVE TO HIM THAT NEEDETH. EPHESIANS 4:28.
The matter here concerns property. What about this question of who owns the property? Some people get property by taking it–they steal it . Suppose a man has the habit of stealing, and since he has accepted Christ he wants to quite it. Let us suppose he has to have something. It has always been true that he stole because he needed something, such as money. Paul would say, LET HIM LABOR, let his work, working with his hands for the thing that is needful.
Paul continues by pointing out that the way to quit stealing is to start giving to folks. Giving is the very opposite of stealing. All these examples illustrate the same principle that Paul described at the first, if you want to quit lying, tell the truth. If you want to be on time, be early. Paul is giving here a principle that really is the very crux of Christian education.
The Christian should train himself to be and to do as Christ would have him be and do. The way to do this is to be careful that in place of doing the wrong thing, he will do the right thing. Christ will put it into his heart. The grace of God in the Christians heart will prompt him to do the right thing. He should then do it that he might be blessed.
