Sunday's Message -Ephesians 4:17-32
Just thought I'd share a part of our Pastor's message from Sunday morning. These words spoke to my heart and I'm very thankful I was there to hear them.
Grieving attitudes (vv. 30-32). These verses warn us against several sins of the
attitude and amplify what Paul wrote about anger. Bitterness refers to a settled hostility that
poisons the whole inner man. Somebody does something we do not like, so we harbor ill
will against him. Bitterness leads to wrath, which is the explosion on the outside of the
feelings on the inside. Rage and anger often lead to brawling (clamor) or slander (evil
speaking). The first is fighting with fists, the second is fighting with words.
Paul gives the reason why we must avoid bitterness. It grieves the Holy Spirit. He
lives within the Christian, and when the heart is filled with bitterness and anger, the Spirit
grieves. We parents know just a little of this feeling when our children at home fight with
each other. The Holy Spirit is happiest in an atmosphere of love, joy, and peace, for these
are the “fruit of the Spirit” that He produces in our lives as we obey Him. The Holy Spirit
cannot leave us, because He has sealed us until that day when Christ returns to take us
home. We do not lose our salvation because of our sinful attitudes, but we certainly loose
the joy of our salvation and the fullness of the Spirit’s blessing.
Look at verse 32. Here Paul put his finger on the basic cause of a bitter attitude:
We cannot forgive people. An unforgiving spirit is the devil’s playground, and before
long it becomes the Christian’s battleground. If somebody hurts us, either deliberately or
unintentionally, and we do not forgive him, then we begin to develop bitterness within,
which hardens the heart. We should be tenderhearted and kind, but instead we are
hardhearted and bitter. Actually, we are not hurting the person who hurt us. We are only
hurting ourselves. Bitterness in the heart makes us treat others the way Satan treats them,
when we should treat others the way God has treated us. In His gracious kindness, God
has forgiven us, and we should forgive others. We do not forgive for our sake (though we
do get a blessing from it) or even for their sake, but for Jesus’ sake. Learning how to
forgive and forget is one of the secrets of a happy Christian life.
Grieving attitudes (vv. 30-32). These verses warn us against several sins of the
attitude and amplify what Paul wrote about anger. Bitterness refers to a settled hostility that
poisons the whole inner man. Somebody does something we do not like, so we harbor ill
will against him. Bitterness leads to wrath, which is the explosion on the outside of the
feelings on the inside. Rage and anger often lead to brawling (clamor) or slander (evil
speaking). The first is fighting with fists, the second is fighting with words.
Paul gives the reason why we must avoid bitterness. It grieves the Holy Spirit. He
lives within the Christian, and when the heart is filled with bitterness and anger, the Spirit
grieves. We parents know just a little of this feeling when our children at home fight with
each other. The Holy Spirit is happiest in an atmosphere of love, joy, and peace, for these
are the “fruit of the Spirit” that He produces in our lives as we obey Him. The Holy Spirit
cannot leave us, because He has sealed us until that day when Christ returns to take us
home. We do not lose our salvation because of our sinful attitudes, but we certainly loose
the joy of our salvation and the fullness of the Spirit’s blessing.
Look at verse 32. Here Paul put his finger on the basic cause of a bitter attitude:
We cannot forgive people. An unforgiving spirit is the devil’s playground, and before
long it becomes the Christian’s battleground. If somebody hurts us, either deliberately or
unintentionally, and we do not forgive him, then we begin to develop bitterness within,
which hardens the heart. We should be tenderhearted and kind, but instead we are
hardhearted and bitter. Actually, we are not hurting the person who hurt us. We are only
hurting ourselves. Bitterness in the heart makes us treat others the way Satan treats them,
when we should treat others the way God has treated us. In His gracious kindness, God
has forgiven us, and we should forgive others. We do not forgive for our sake (though we
do get a blessing from it) or even for their sake, but for Jesus’ sake. Learning how to
forgive and forget is one of the secrets of a happy Christian life.
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