Ephesians 4:25-32

How hard it is to hate the sin but love the sinner. 

There are social injustices that should never be tolerated and to see them repeated over and over depletes my reserve of patience. Sometimes I just want to shake someone. The fruit of the Spirit within me convicts me every time. He has such love, gentleness and long suffering for people that my stinking attitude has to go  in light of His goodness. I guess if I had to be truthful with myself the hatred that abounds just makes me plain sad. I truthfully want no one to die without knowing the peace that only comes when we know our Maker and accept His gift of salvation in Jesus. Lord help me to always filter every thing…every. litte. thing…in Your love. What I am not capable of You are!!! I love You and out of that love I love all of Your creation.

Paul quotes Psalm 4:4 from the Septuagint (the ancient Greek translation of the old testament). Paul seems to acknowledge that anger can be unavoidable, but he also recognizes that it can quickly develop into an occasion for sin. Paul calls believers to work for the sake of others.  Paul seems to be indicating that poor treatment of others can constrain the work of the Spirit.

Psalm 4:4 (NKJV)

⁴ Be angry, and do not sin.

Meditate within your heart on your bed, and be still.

Selah

The Greek word used here, charizomai, implies not only forgiving, but doing so with a gracious attitude. Paul uses this same word elsewhere to describe God’s forgiveness. Faithlife Bible.

Paul calls for believers to speak the truth to each other, because all believers are united in Christ.

Paul uses Psalm 4:4 to illustrate that not all wrath is sinful. However, anger should not be allowed to fester or continue for long. Christians may respond in controlled anger to injustice and sin, but they should never be consumed by this anger. Instead they should seek opportunities to express Christ’s love to everyone.

Instead of taking what belongs to someone else, a Christian should earn enough to share some of his or her own earnings with the needy. This is not merely a call to stop stealing or being greedy. Rather, this is a call to be generous, to have a true change of attitude. Note that Paul acknowledges that evil thoughts and actions are temptations even for those who are sealed by the Holy Spirit. NKJ Bible.

Ephesians 4:25–32 (NKJV)

²⁵ Therefore, putting away lying, “Let each one of you speak truth with his neighbor,” for we are members of one another. ²⁶ “Be angry, and do not sin”: do not let the sun go down on your wrath, ²⁷ nor give place to the devil. ²⁸ Let him who stole steal no longer, but rather let him labor, working with his hands what is good, that he may have something to give him who has need. ²⁹ Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers. ³⁰ And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. ³¹ Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. ³² And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.

Colossians 3:12 (NKJV)

¹² Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering;

Luke 3:11 (NKJV)

¹¹ He answered and said to them, “He who has two tunics, let him give to him who has none; and he who has food, let him do likewise.”