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Luke 2:8 – Celebrating Whom?

Posted on by Will

As has been our tradition for the past several years, for the week preceeding Christmas, we will pause our verse studies in the current book to focus on a few Christmas verses. We will return to our verse studies after the first of the year.

 

Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night.

Truth to Learn

Christmas was first announced to those who were banned from the accepted religious observances.

Behind the Words

“Shepherds” is translated from poimēn, which refers to “someone who watches over to protect and provide for a flock or herd of animals.”

The word “country” is from chōra which is based on choros, meaning “a place where cattle range and feed.” By extension, Chōra is used to refer to a region, a country, or a land.

“Living out in” is the translation of the Greek verb agrauleō, which is made up of agros, referring to “the country” as opposed to “the city” and aulidzomai, which means “to spend the night.” Thus, these shepherds were spending the night camped out in the country.

The words “keeping watch” are from the verb phulassō, meaning “to watch over” or “to guard.” The Greek text actually says phulassontes phulakas, meaning “watching watches.” These men were taking turns watching the sheep throughout the various "watches" of the night which were evening, middle of the night, cock crowing, and morning.

Meaning Explained

In Greek, word order is significant, implying importance or emphasis. In the Greek text, this verse starts out with “and shepherds …” because this is an account of what transpired with the shepherds on the night of Jesus’ birth.

Shepherds spent most of their time out in the fields with their flocks, especially in the spring and summer (these events probably occurred in the springtime). Because of this, they were not able to keep the religious ordinances and ceremonial responsibilities that were required by the religious leaders. As a result, these same religious leaders considered shepherds little better than the heathen Gentiles. They were even banned from entering the Temple. This is particularly ironic since these shepherds were most likely watching the very sheep which were to be used in the temple sacrifices.

Based on the Prophet Micah, the Jews believed that Messiah would be born in Bethlehem:

But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, Though you are little among the thousands of Judah, Yet out of you shall come forth to Me The One to be Ruler in Israel, Whose goings forth are from of old, From everlasting. (Micah 5:2)

Near Bethlehem, on the road to Jerusalem, there was a watchtower called Migdal Eder, meaning “watchtower of the flock.” This is where shepherds watched over the animals destined for sacrifice in the Temple in Jerusalem. It was a commonly held belief among the Jews that their Messiah would be revealed from Migdal Eder. And the prophet Micah said:

And you, O tower of the flock [Migdol Eder], the hill of the daughter of Zion, to you it shall happen … (Micah 4:8 a).

These shepherds, responsible for guarding the sacrificial lambs and who were banned from the Temple, are likely the very ones to whom the Sacrificial Lamb of God was announced by God’s angelic messengers.

Application

Isn’t it amazing. Even though the Jews believed that their Messiah would be born in Bethlehem and that he would be revealed at Migdal Eder, they completely missed His birth? They were likely too busy living their lives and following their "religious" observances to be bothered with looking for their Messiah! How about you? Are you so busy “celebrating” His birth with presents that you completely miss the presence of the One for whom the celebration is intended? Are you busy decorating, shopping, wrapping, cooking, and otherwise preparing for Christmas Day, or are you reading, studying, praying, and humbling yourself before the God-child who was born on this day so that He could die to pay for your sins.

This year, instead of celebrating Christmas, let's celebrate the Christ Child! 

In God's service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2015 Will Krause. All rights reserved

Ephesians 5:7 – Saved? Really?

Posted on by Will

Therefore do not become partakers with them.

Truth to Learn

You can’t be a child of God and still live like the Devil.

 

Behind the Words

The word “become” is translated from the Greek verb ginomai, which means “to begin to be” or “to become.”

“Partakers” is from summetochos, which is a double compound word. It is composed of sun, meaning “together” (which we see in English as the prefix “syn”), meta, meaning “with,” and echo, meaning “to have.” Thus, summetochos literally means “having together with,” that is, sharing or partaking of something together with others.

 

Meaning Explained

It is interesting to note that Paul does not say “Quit being fellow partakers with them.” Instead he says, “Don’t begin to be fellow partakers with them.” Don’t even start down that road! Paul has been talking about those who are teaching that it’s okay for Christians to indulge in sinful sexual practices. These false teachers believed that since all of our sins have been forgiven, we can indulge ourselves in our sinful desires and God’s grace will cover it all. In effect, they saw salvation as a “get out of Hell free” card. They decided they wanted the best of both worlds – the indulgence of all pleasurable things, no matter what God might think of them, along with eternity in the presence of the God who saved them.

Now, many of us can think of people we’ve known who lived a life of committed Christian service for years and then turned away from God. They left the church and are now living a life of sinful indulgence. “What about them?” you might ask. “Are they still saved?” To that question I have two scripture passages to quote. The first is:

For this reason many are weak and sick among you, and many sleep. (1Corinthians 11:30)

Paul said this in reference to communion. Basically, he said that any Christian who partakes of communion while he or she is living in blatant sin is subject to God’s judgment of sickness or even death. The other verse that comes to mind is,

For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world. And the world is passing away, and and its lust; but he who is doing the will of God abides forever. … They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have remained with us; but they left that it might be revealed, that none of them were of us. (1John 2:16, 17, 19)

There are people who have professed the name of Christ, who have learned how to act like a Christian, knowing all the right things to say, who never really got saved. They never really submitted themselves to God, and they have since left the church because they are not one of God’s children. They may have even been teachers in the church, perhaps even claiming that you can be a Christian and still live in sin. They may even still think themselves to be saved, but they will be horribly surprised when they appear before their God, their Judge!

 

Application

Instead of worrying about whether or not a former church member is saved (or whether that person “lost” their salvation), let’s focus on our own relationship with God. Does it bother you when you sin against God? If so, that’s good. Or can you sin without it bothering you? Are you sure?!

In God's service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2015 Will Krause. All rights reserved

Ephesians 5:6 – Don’t Be Deceived

Posted on by Will

Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience.

Truth to Learn

Don’t believe everything you hear being taught about the Bible.

 

Behind the Words

The Greek word translated “deceive” is apataō, which means “to deceive” or “to seduce into error.” This word and a compound of it (exapataō) are used in the description of the trickery that Satan used on Adam and Eve in 1Timothy 2:14 and 2Corinthians 11:3. The word is expressed here in the imperative mood, indicating a command. Again, note that the word “let” does not refer to permitting something to happen, it is a command of what not to do.

“Empty” is from kenos, meaning “empty” or “hollow.” Metaphorically, it refers to that in which there is no truth.

“Wrath” is from the word orgē, which we saw back in Ephesians 4:26, where it was translated “angry.” The Greek word refers to “excitement of the mind” and generally refers to the inner emotion, although it is also sometimes used of the outward display of that emotion as in Revelation 19:15.

Apeitheia is the Greek word translated “disobedience.” It is a compound word made up of the negative particle a and a form of peithō, meaning “to persuade” or “to convince.” This word here refers to those people who have not been persuaded or convinced of the truth of the Gospel, they do not believe. Because of their lack of belief, they do not obey (or even recognize) God’s authority over them. Therefore, they are called “sons of disobedience.” This could just as well be translated as “sons of disbelief.”

 

Meaning Explained

During the early years of the church, just as today, Satan was actively at work trying to deceive true believers. In Paul’s day there were those in the church who taught that since we are saved by grace and our salvation is secured by the seal of the Holy Spirit, we can sin all we want. In fact, they said, by indulging in sinful pleasures we make God’s grace even greater. Paul was responding to this philosophy when he wrote,

What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? May it not be! How shall we who died to sin still live in it? (Romans 6:1-2)

These philosophers were not outside the church, openly attacking the flock, they were false teachers within the church in positions of authority, delivering great sounding messages cleverly designed to deceive. As I’ve said before, don’t blindly believe everything you hear from a preacher. Whether he’s in the pulpit of your own church, on television, on the radio, on the internet, or on the street corner, check what is being proclaimed against what the Bible actually says. If something doesn’t sound quite right, it probably isn’t. Check it out, do your own study, and dig for the truth like gold.

We all like to think of our Heavenly Father as a God of love, which He is, but He is also described as a God of wrath. Here we see one such example. It is true that He is not willing (desirous) that any should perish (2Peter 3:9), but those people who reject His offer of salvation will experience His wrath firsthand. For those of us who are saved, God has forgiven all of our sins (past, present and future), but each one we commit adds just a little more torture to Jesus’ experience on the cross.

 

Application

If you are truly saved then you will want to resist sinning and you will be sorry when you do sin. So – if you can sin without guilt, then you had better check, because you may not have God’s seal of ownership. Are you truly sealed?

In God's service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2015 Will Krause. All rights reserved

Ephesians 5:5 – How’s Your Behavior?

Posted on by Will

For know this, recognizing that no fornicator, unclean person, nor covetous person, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.

Truth to Learn

Christians should act like Christians, not heathens.

 

Behind the Words

The words “know this, recognizing” are translated from the two Greek words este ginōskontes. The word este means “you (plural) are.” However, the better texts have iste ginōskontes. The word iste is a form of eidō, meaning “to see” or “to perceive.” Ginōskontes is a participial form of ginōskō (to know or understand). Now, whereas eidō suggests intuitive knowledge or understanding, ginōskō suggests acquired or experiential knowledge. Iste is expressed here in the imperative mood, therefore the opening part of this verse should be translated as “… know this, recognizing (by your own experience) that …”

The words “fornicator,” “unclean person,” and “covetous man” are based on the same root words as “fornication,” “uncleanness,” and “greediness,” which we saw in verse three. In that verse they referred to the sinful actions, whereas in this verse they refer to the people who habitually perform such sinful actions.

“Inheritance” is translated from klēronomia. This is based on klēros, which refers to a “lot” or “portion” and nemō, meaning “to hold.” Thus klēronomia refers to the possession of a portion of an inheritance.

 

Meaning Explained

In verse three Paul introduced three types of life styles that he said are not “appropriate” for Christians. He told us that we should be walking in love instead. Then, in verse four he talked about avoiding other actions (obscenity, foolish talking, and coarse jesting) that exemplify the three lifestyles mentioned in verse three.

He now explains why fornication, uncleanness, and greediness are not appropriate for us. To the first century Greek mind a fornicator was someone whose life was defined by fornication. Likewise, an unclean person or a covetous person was not someone who occasionally committed an act of uncleanness or of greediness; it was someone whose life was characterized by uncleanness or greediness. So, Paul is not saying that anyone who occasionally covets something will be barred from heaven. If that were the case, none of us would be part of God’s kingdom. What Paul is saying is that since those fornicators, unclean people, and covetousness people will not be part of God’s kingdom, then we Christians should not resemble them in any of our actions.

Notice, now, that Paul equates covetousness with idolatry. Idolatry is when we consider anything in God’s creation of greater value than God Himself. In other words, when we have a greater desire for “stuff” than for acquiring a close personal relationship with God, we are worshipping an idol.

Let me give you an example from my own life. When I was in college, I had a beautiful little sports car. I loved that car. I kept it clean and waxed, looking beautiful. I enjoyed driving it and being seen in that car. Through a series of unexplainable events (read this as “God caused certain things to happen”) the hood of the car received a huge, ugly gash in it. And it happened on the day that my car insurance expired while I was driving it to the insurance office to reinstate my insurance. I quickly realized that this car had become an idol to me and God effectively tarnished my idol! I had to drive that car with the ugly gash in the hood for several years. It was a constant reminder to me that my relationship with God is more important than “stuff.”

 

Application

Do your actions give evidence that you are part of God’s family or do you resemble people of the world and those who worship idols? Let’s all recommit ourselves to living like God’s children and to confessing and forsaking everything else.

In God's service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2015 Will Krause. All rights reserved

Ephesians 5:4 – Not Sin, Thanks

Posted on by Will

and obscenity, and foolish talking, nor coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks.

Truth to Learn

Don’t do these sins. Instead, give thanks to God.

 

Behind the Words

“Obscenity” is from the Greek word aischrotēs, which is from aischros, meaning “indecent.” Aischrotēs refers to any kind of shameful conduct. It refers to conduct which, if done in God’s presence, would make a person embarrassed or ashamed.

The words “foolish talking” are translated from mōrologia, which is made up of mōros (from which we get our English word “moron”), meaning foolish, and legō, meaning “to speak.”

“Coarse jesting” is translated from eutrapelia, which is composed or eu, meaning “good” or “well” but also interpreted as “easily” and a form of trepō, meaning “to turn.” Thus, the root meaning of this word is “well turned” or “easily turned.” In a positive sense it is a reference to a person who is quick witted and can easily turn a phrase. In a negative sense it refers to someone who can take ordinary speech and make it vulgar or crude. This seems to be Paul’s intent in today’s verse.

Anēkō is the word translated “proper.” It is made up of ana, meaning “up” and hēkō, meaning “to come here.” So, we can see that the root meaning of anēkō is “to come up here,” that is, “to reach a certain point.” It is a picture of reaching up to an expected limit. You may recall from yesterday’s verse that prepō (to heap up) is an expression of what is suitable or proper. Anēkō is a similar idiom referring to something that has measured up to a given standard.

“Giving of thanks” is translated from the Greek noun eucharistia, which refers to gratitude, thankfulness, or thanksgiving.

 

Meaning Explained

In the previous verse we learned that God has made every Christian a saint. That is to say that God has “set us apart” from the world to a place where we are usable by Him. In verse thirty of the previous chapter we learned that we have been sealed by the Holy Spirit, which means that God will complete His promise of salvation without fail. Does that mean that we can live however we want, knowing that our salvation is guaranteed? Absolutely not! Paul addresses this very question in the sixth chapter of Romans where he says:

knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be nullified, that we should no longer be servants of sin. (Romans 6:6)

Before salvation, we were owned by sin, we couldn’t avoid it. But now we have been set free. We have a choice to sin or not to sin. That doesn’t mean we can’t sin or we don’t sin, for we can, and we do. Whenever we let our “old man” (our sin nature) have control, we do things that are not fitting, not proper, and not appropriate for Christians. Paul mentioned some of these things in yesterday’s verse, and now he mentions a few others.

We Christians should live our lives with the realization that Jesus Christ is standing (or sitting) beside us. We should not do things that would make us ashamed in His presence. We should not use language that is dirty or offensive to Him. We should not talk like the morons we used to be. Instead, we should spend our lives giving thanks to God for EVERYTHING!

 

Application

Do you still have trouble with some of the sins Paul has mentioned in the past two verses. Overcome that problem by giving thanks to God for everything in your life.

In God's service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2015 Will Krause. All rights reserved

Ephesians 5:3 – Do What Fits

Posted on by Will

But let not fornication and all uncleanness or greediness not be named among you, as is fitting for saints;

Truth to Learn

We are saints, so we need to learn to live like saints.

 

Behind the Words

The word “fornication” is translated from the Greek word porneia. This word is indirectly derived from pornos, referring to a man who sells himself to others for sex. Porneia refers to any sexual act other than that between a man and a woman who are married to each other.

“Uncleanness” is from akatharsia, which is composed of the privative a, meaning “not” and a form of kathairo, meaning “to cleanse.” Thus, akatharsia refers to anything that is “unclean.” This word typically refers to something that is legally or ceremonially unclean. It was often used in reference to idolatrous worship practices of the heathen.

“Greediness” is translated from pleonexia, which is derived from the noun pleion, meaning “more” and echo, meaning “to have.” This word refers to the condition in which a person is not satisfied with what he or she has, greedily wanting more.

Onomadzō is the Greek word translated “named.” It is derived from the noun onoma, meaning “a name.” The verb onomadzō means “to call by name” or “to mention.” This verb is expressed as a present, passive, imperative verb. The word “let” is the clue in English that it is an imperative (command). This is a difficult verb to express properly in English. It is NOT saying, “Don’t permit these things to be named among you.” Rather it is saying, “These things are not to be named among you!”

“Fitting” is from prepō, which means “to tower up,” that is “to be eminent or distinguished.” In the form used in today’s verse it means “that which is proper, acceptable, or fitting.”

“Saints” is from hagios, meaning “that which is set apart from common use to be used in the service of God.”

 

Meaning Explained

Previously Paul told us that as children of God we should mimic the thoughts and actions of our Father. The primary way of doing that is to demonstrate a real love for others the way our God has demonstrated His love for us. And, not only are we God’s children, we are now saints. That doesn’t mean that the church leadership has declared us to be saints because of all the good we’ve done and all the miracles we’ve performed. The church doesn’t make someone a saint, God does.

When we were saved, God adopted us as His children. He also sanctified us; that is to say, He set us apart. We are no longer part of the world system any more than we are part of Satan’s family. This is a theological concept known as “positional sanctification.” But, we’re not perfect and we won’t be until that day when God calls us home. Until that day we need to become more like our Father. This is called “progressive sanctification,” as the Apostle Peter described:

but as He who called you is holy, you also become holy in all your conduct, because it is written, "Become holy, for I am holy." (1 Peter 1:15-16)

The word translated “holy” is the same word as “sanctified.” One way to mimic our Father is to avoid those things that don’t “fit” our new position, and three of those things are mentioned in today’s verse: fornication, uncleanness, and covetousness.

 

Application

Want to be more like your Heavenly Father? Continue to study God’s Word and put what you learn into practice. Change your behavior and become more sanctified to, and for, God.

In God's service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2015 Will Krause. All rights reserved

Ephesians 5:2 – The Love Offering

Posted on by Will

And walk in love, as Christ also loved you and gave Himself for you, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling fragrance.

Truth to Learn

God gave us a sacrifice of love. We should give Him the same.

 

Behind the Words

Peripateō is the Greek word translated “walk.” It is composed of peri, meaning “around” and pateō, meaning “to walk.” Thus, it literally means “to walk around.” It is used here and elsewhere as a metaphor for how one lives one’s life.

The word translated “gave” is paradidōmi, which is made up of para, meaning “to the side of” or “over to” and didōmi, meaning “to give.” Paradidōmi means “to deliver over to the power of someone else,” as a prisoner is delivered over to the executioner. It is expressed here in the aorist tense indicating a single event having occurred in the past.

“Offering” is from prosphora, which is composed of pros, meaning “to or toward” and a form of pherō, meaning “to bring” or “to bear.” This word refers to something which has been “brought forward to an altar,” that is, an offering.

The word “sacrifice” is translated from thusia, which is derived from the verb thuō, meaning “to kill and offer as a sacrifice.”

“Sweet-smelling” is from euōdia, which is composed of eu, meaning “good or well” and ozō, meaning “to smell.”

“Fragrance” is from the Greek word osmē, which refers to “a smell” or “an odor” of any kind.

 

Meaning Explained

In the previous chapter the Apostle Paul instructed us on how to take off our “old man” and put on the “new man.” Then, he told us to imitate God, since we are His children. Now, he tells us the most fundamental principle for living a successful Christian life, “walk in love.” This fundamental principle is one that permeates the Bible from beginning to end.

When God gave the Law to Moses, He began the process by giving him two tables of stone with the Ten Commandments carved in them. The first four of these commandments indicate how to have a loving relationship with God and the last six indicate how to have a loving relationship with others. Also, when Jesus was asked by one of the Pharisees “which is the great commandment in the law?” this is how He responded.

And Jesus said to him, 'You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.' This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets." (Matthew 22:37-40)

Notice, however, that God does not ask us to do anything that He has not already done for us. God loved us so much that He provided a way for us sinners to have all our sins forgiven. He sacrificed His only begotten son so that we can know Him, fellowship with Him, and spend eternity with Him.

 

Application

Since God was willing to offer the ultimate sacrifice for our sakes, shouldn’t we be willing to sacrifice this life we have for Him. We do that by showing to everyone around us a self-sacrificing love for them. We can do that, but only through the empowering of His Holy Spirit. Are you willing to try?

In God's service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2015 Will Krause. All rights reserved

Ephesians 5:1 – Imitators, Not Actors

Posted on by Will

Then become imitators of God as beloved children.

Truth to Learn

We need to live the part that God has given us.

 

Behind the Words

“Then” is translated from oun, which indicates a connection of two thoughts, sometimes indicating an affect from the previous thought, but often just a link between the two. It is sometimes translated as “Therefore” and sometimes as “Then.” I believe the best translation in this case is “Then.”

“Become” is the command form of ginomai, which we saw in yesterday’s verse. It means “become.” The implication is that we are not simply to stay the same, we are to move forward and actively become more like our loving God.

The word translated “imitators” is mimētēs, from which we get our English word “mimic,” meaning “to imitate or copy in action and speech.”

 “Beloved” is translated from agapētos, which is based on the verb agapaō, meaning “to love with a perfect, self-sacrificing love.” Agapētos refers to someone who is loved with that kind of love. All Christians are loved by God with this perfect, self-sacrificing love.

 

Meaning Explained

Nearly everyone has someone to whom they look with respect and admiration, in many cases wishing they could be just like them. Some people go so far as to imitate the clothing style of the one they admire, combing their hair the same way, and even talking like their idol. In fact, there are those who go to the extreme, having plastic surgery so that they even physically resemble the one whom they revere so much. Sort of crazy, huh? The Apostle Paul tells us that being imitators is a good thing, as long as the one we’re imitating is God.

In chapter four of this letter to the Christians in the church of Ephesus, Paul instructed them (and us) to take off the old man and put on the new man. In effect, he told us to quit behaving like our sin nature and begin behaving like our new nature. He even went so far as to instruct us in some of the characteristics of the old man (things we are to avoid) and some of the characteristics of the new man (things we are to do). Now, he gives us some practical insight into how we can put on the new man.

We’ve all seen an actor who, even though we know his or her real identity, portrays a character so completely that we perceive the character they’re playing rather than the actor. And, when we think of that actor, we often think of him or her as one of the characters they have portrayed. In reality, however, we all know that they are just acting like someone else; they’re not really the character they imitate. The Greek word for a professional actor is hupokritēs (hypocrite), indicating someone who is acting in a role that is not who he or she really is.

Unlike professional actors, we need to become more than just pretenders. God doesn’t want us to be hypocrites and just pretend that we’re His children. We are His children! And He wants us to live like His children are supposed to live. While professional actors portray the character on the outside, we need to become the character on the inside.

 

Application

“I don’t want to be a phony, acting like someone I’m not,” you may say. Well, you don’t have to. If you are a born-again Christian, then you are a child of God. By learning how to think and behave like a child of God you become the new character that God has made you to be. If you learn the part well enough, others will see God in you. Now, that’s something to think about!

In God's service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2015 Will Krause. All rights reserved

Ephesians 4:32 – Kindness, Compassion, and Forgiveness

Posted on by Will

And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.

Truth to Learn

Kindness, compassion, and forgiveness are of vital importance within the church.

 

Behind the Words

The verb “be” is translated from ginomai, meaning “to cause to be” or “to become.” It is expressed here in the imperative mood indicating a command for us to “become kind and tenderhearted!”

“Kind” is the translation of chrēstos, which is derived from the verb chraomai, meaning “to furnish what is needed” or “to treat well.” Chrēstos, when used of people, means “useful toward others, that is, good-natured, gentle, or kind.”

The word “tenderhearted” is translated from eusplagchnos. This word is made up of eu, meaning “good” or “well” and splagchnon, meaning “intestine” or “bowel.” The Greeks believed that the intestines were the source of emotions. Thus, “good intestined,” as eusplagchnos literally means, refers to the characteristic of having good feelings, especially compassion, for others.

“Forgiving” is from charidzomai, which is derived from charis, meaning “grace” or “a favor freely given.” Charidzomai means “to be gracious or to forgive someone.”

The first occurrence of “one another” is from allēlōn, meaning “one another” or “each other.” The second occurrence of “one another” is translated from heautou, meaning “yourselves.”

 

Meaning Explained

Back in verse twenty-two the Apostle Paul told us to “put off … the old man,” that is “quit living under the influence of your sin nature.” Then, in verse twenty-four he told us to “put on the new man,” the new nature that God created for us. Since then, Paul has been telling us what it means to live under the influence of this new nature. Yesterday, he instructed us to do away with bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, evil speaking, and all badness.

Earlier we learned that we all should be using our spiritual gifts in the building up of the body of Christ. In today’s verse, Paul is not talking about specific gifts, but general attitudes that should replace those things he told us to stop doing yesterday. The first thing he tells us is that we should be kind, gentle, or useful to each other. The second thing is to be tenderhearted to each other; that is, we should demonstrate compassionate care for each other. If every church member were to regularly demonstrate kindness and compassion to everyone else in the church, no one would ever want to leave.

The third thing Paul tells us in today’s verse is that we should be forgiving. After all, he says, each one of us has been forgiven so much by God through the blood of Christ that we should willingly forgive others for what they have done to us. But notice that Paul used the pronoun heautou (yourselves) in reference to forgiveness. We need to be freely forgiving of others in the church, but we also need to be freely forgiving of ourselves. God has forgiven us, so we should too.

Keep in mind that forgiveness, as God defines it, does not simply mean saying “That’s OK” or “I forgive you” to the one asking forgiveness. It means to “throw away” the offense (as far as the East is from the West), which means you can no longer hold on to it. It is discarded and forgotten – completely!

 

Application

Of the three attitudes that Paul admonishes us to exhibit in today’s verse, forgiveness may be the most important. Let’s all commit to be completely forgiving of others this week, and let’s be forgiving of ourselves as well.

In God's service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2015 Will Krause. All rights reserved

Ephesians 4:31 – Grieving Actions

Posted on by Will

Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and evil speaking be put away from you, along with all malice.

Truth to Learn

These are things which make God sad. Let’s not do them!

 

Behind the Words

The word “Bitterness” is the translation of pikria, from pikros which means “that which is unpleasantly sharp or extremely distasteful.”

“Wrath” is from thumos, which is from the verb thuō, meaning “to move violently, like a strong wind.” The word thumos refers to “a violent passion of the mind.” This describes the outward violent expression of the anger that is within.

The word “anger” is from orgē, which we saw back in verse twenty-six. Orgē refers to “excitement of the mind.” It is the inward feeling that sometimes is expressed outwardly as wrath.

“Clamor” is translated from the noun kraugē. This is from the verb kradzō, which is onomatopoeia (a word that mimics the sound of its meaning, such as “meow”) for the loud, coarse cry of a raven. Kraugē, which can be used in a good or bad way, is used to describe the clamorous outcry of the crowd demanding Jesus’ crucifixion (Matthew 27:23), the fearful cry of the disciples who saw Jesus walking on the water thinking Him to be a ghost (Matthew 14:26), and to Stephen’s loud declaration of forgiveness for those who were stoning him (Acts 7:60).

The words “evil speaking” are from blasphēmia, which refers to “slanderous verbal abuse, attacking someone’s reputation.”

“Malice” is translated from kakia, derived from kakos which refers to “that which has no worth” or “that which is bad.” It refers to the internal quality as opposed to the outward expression or effect (which would be the word ponēros).

 

Meaning Explained

In the previous verse the Apostle Paul commanded us to stop grieving the Holy Spirit of God. Allow me to point out here that you can’t grieve a “thing.” You can only grieve a person who possesses emotions. This is evidence to us that the Holy Spirit is one of the three that makes up the Trinity or the Godhead. He is one God but three persons. Why does Paul talk about grieving the Holy Spirit rather than the Father or the Son? Because, as Paul told us in the previous verse, the Holy Spirit has been given to us as a seal and guarantee of our salvation. He somehow lives within us and is a constant witness to our thoughts and actions.

In today’s verse Paul expands on some of the things that grieve the Holy Spirit. Because He can’t be taken away from us, the Holy Spirit is ever present when we exhibit characteristics of our sin nature. When we act bitter, saying things that are sharply unpleasant to others, it grieves Him. When we get angry for the wrong reason and let it explode into an outburst of wrath, it grieves Him. When we are loud and clamorous, stirring up hate and resentment in others, it grieves Him. When we verbally attack others, impugning their reputation, it grieves Him. In fact, when we do anything “bad,” The Holy Spirit of God is grieved.

 

Application

None of us wants to cause sorrow for those we love and who love us. Since we possess the Holy Spirit of God at all times, let’s put on the “new man” and not grieve the One who has sealed us, who preserves us until our redemption is completed. Our reason for obedience is not to preserve our salvation, it is to please Him who saved us and who loves us!

In God's service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2015 Will Krause. All rights reserved