A common theme links these 2 passages together. Read 1 verse before them. They both talk about the resurrection day. When we need to face Christ and His evaluation for us we better get things clean up. Also the context of the Ephesian passage is about the church. In the local church we may have a lot of complains and all sort of feelings. That is the background when Paul gives the command in Eph. 4:31-32.
"Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice v.31." "Get rid of the all... along with every form of..." This is not an exhaustive list. Dig deep inside yourself you may find more. "Bitterness," I think about my father. I can get along with others who do the same thing, but if he wrongs against I will not forgive us I will do to others. "Rage," a burst of anger. "Slander," we may not slander to a person, but do we often slander about the church? Or more specifically about the church's leader?
"Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you v.32." "Compassionate," we try feel for others. We give others the benefit of doubt, and we think for others. When is the last time we do that for the members in the church? "Forgive," because we were forgiven. Note the tense. To forgive others is not the condition for our forgiven from God. We've already forgiven. We now has the possible, the motivation and the example of forgiving others.
"Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice v.31." "Get rid of the all... along with every form of..." This is not an exhaustive list. Dig deep inside yourself you may find more. "Bitterness," I think about my father. I can get along with others who do the same thing, but if he wrongs against I will not forgive us I will do to others. "Rage," a burst of anger. "Slander," we may not slander to a person, but do we often slander about the church? Or more specifically about the church's leader?
"Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you v.32." "Compassionate," we try feel for others. We give others the benefit of doubt, and we think for others. When is the last time we do that for the members in the church? "Forgive," because we were forgiven. Note the tense. To forgive others is not the condition for our forgiven from God. We've already forgiven. We now has the possible, the motivation and the example of forgiving others.
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