New Attitudes - Part 3
Choose Truth and Peace
Ephesians 4v25-27
13th May 2016
We've been looking at Ephesians 4v17-24, in which Paul tells us that we must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking and urges us instead to put off [our] old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of [our] minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness. He continues:
Ephesians 4v25
Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to your neighbour, for we are all members of one
body.
Christians, of all people, should value the truth. Jesus promised us, "you will know the truth and the truth will set you free" (John 8v32). God has revealed the truth to us: the truth about man, the truth about God, the truth about sin and righteousness, and the truth about forgiveness. We've experienced the power of truth, so we really shouldn't tell lies.
Then Paul says:
Ephesians 4v26-27
"In your anger do not sin": Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry,
and do not give the devil a foothold.
99% of anger is sin. 1%, maybe, is what we like to call "righteous anger". We know there is such a thing as "righteous anger" because Jesus showed it, for example when he drove the money changers out of the temple. But it's just too easy for us to claim that our anger is "righteous anger". I don't think I'm a holy enough person that I can be ever be certain that my anger is "righteous anger". It's much better - much safer - if I just don't get angry at all - if I choose to control my temper. It's better if I just stay kind, loving, tolerant and gentle.
But even if your anger is righteous anger (and it probably isn't) don't go to bed angry. Deal with it today. Whatever made you angry, let it go. And go to bed peaceful.
If we stay angry, we give the devil a foothold. Our anger turns into resentment, our resentment turns into bitterness, and our bitterness destroys our relationships with other people, with God, and with ourselves.
Here are some guidelines for managing our anger issues, based loosely on John Calvin's commentary on these verses:
- Choose to be angry with your own sin, not other people's sin.
- If you are angry with other people, be angry with their sin, not with them. Hate the sin but love the sinner.
- If you're angry, be sure it's not because you've been sinned against, but only because God's glory has been tarnished.
- If you've become angry, let your anger go quickly, and start tomorrow with a clean and peaceful heart.