- Feb 7, 2010
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Ephesians 4:21-24
21 Since you have heard about Jesus and have learned the truth that comes from him, 22 throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception. 23 Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes. 24 Put on your new nature, created to be like Godtruly righteous and holy.[1]
God had me revisit this passage this morning. I have been praying about dealing with anger the past few weeks as well as working through some areas with a friend, and God sent me back to this passage. Sometimes we dont stay long enough in a passage or verse for God to tell us all we need to hear. Other times we need to be reminded of the context we were in as we move forward in a passage or chapter.
The process of dealing with and defeating sinful responses to anger is much the same as addressing any other sinful responses that were a part of our old lifestyle and old sinful nature. It is a two-step process. It simply wont work for long if we only do one of the steps. We must put off the old lifestyle, and we must put on the new lifestyle. They are not compatible with each other at all. The old lifestyle is selfish, self-centered, filled with lies and corruption, and driven by our lust and pride. Its all about me and what I get and what I can do. Even the good I may do is about me how others will see me or how I will feel about me.
The new lifestyle is about God. It involves finding out about him who he really is and what he expects and being under his control and direction. His motives are holy and righteous. His ways are not like our ways, nor are they much like how he is portrayed outside or even inside the church. God must be sought out with all your heart, not just when youre in trouble and need bailed out. He is the greatest authority, power and knowledge in the universe we need to sit down and listen to him, rather than us telling him or doing our own thing. Its about God, not about us. And his attributes will be poured out on us as we obey him and do his assignments for each day.
How does that translate into victory over a former sinful lifestyle, or over areas in our lives like sinful anger? First of all, it is obeying him. We are told to put off the old lifestyle to throw it off so it is completely disconnected from us like dirty clothing tossed into a hamper. Whatever it takes, we need to stop it one day at a time, one temptation at a time. Every time. But, that is only half of the obedience. The other half is putting on the new nature, like a new garment that covers us with his righteousness, drawing attention to God and his spirit rather than to our flesh.
We are told to put off telling lies, and to put on telling the truth. We are told to put off responding to anger by sinning, and to put on the management of that anger so God can channel it for his purposes. If your sinful anger looks like a temper tantrum, who is that all about? But if your anger is justified because of a wrong that needs to be addressed, how would following Gods response to that anger look and what would it accomplish in your situation?
We need to pursue God with all our hearts and obey him in our actions and attitudes, by putting off our old nature and lifestyle, and putting on the new nature from Christ, created to be like God truly righteous and holy. As this becomes our daily routine, over time God will give us great victory over our daily up-and-down lives and even over those long-time sinful habits we thought we could never shake.
[1]Tyndale House Publishers. (2004). Holy Bible : New Living Translation. "Text edition"--Spine. (2nd ed.) (Eph 4:20-24). Wheaton, Ill.: Tyndale House Publishers.
21 Since you have heard about Jesus and have learned the truth that comes from him, 22 throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception. 23 Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes. 24 Put on your new nature, created to be like Godtruly righteous and holy.[1]
God had me revisit this passage this morning. I have been praying about dealing with anger the past few weeks as well as working through some areas with a friend, and God sent me back to this passage. Sometimes we dont stay long enough in a passage or verse for God to tell us all we need to hear. Other times we need to be reminded of the context we were in as we move forward in a passage or chapter.
The process of dealing with and defeating sinful responses to anger is much the same as addressing any other sinful responses that were a part of our old lifestyle and old sinful nature. It is a two-step process. It simply wont work for long if we only do one of the steps. We must put off the old lifestyle, and we must put on the new lifestyle. They are not compatible with each other at all. The old lifestyle is selfish, self-centered, filled with lies and corruption, and driven by our lust and pride. Its all about me and what I get and what I can do. Even the good I may do is about me how others will see me or how I will feel about me.
The new lifestyle is about God. It involves finding out about him who he really is and what he expects and being under his control and direction. His motives are holy and righteous. His ways are not like our ways, nor are they much like how he is portrayed outside or even inside the church. God must be sought out with all your heart, not just when youre in trouble and need bailed out. He is the greatest authority, power and knowledge in the universe we need to sit down and listen to him, rather than us telling him or doing our own thing. Its about God, not about us. And his attributes will be poured out on us as we obey him and do his assignments for each day.
How does that translate into victory over a former sinful lifestyle, or over areas in our lives like sinful anger? First of all, it is obeying him. We are told to put off the old lifestyle to throw it off so it is completely disconnected from us like dirty clothing tossed into a hamper. Whatever it takes, we need to stop it one day at a time, one temptation at a time. Every time. But, that is only half of the obedience. The other half is putting on the new nature, like a new garment that covers us with his righteousness, drawing attention to God and his spirit rather than to our flesh.
We are told to put off telling lies, and to put on telling the truth. We are told to put off responding to anger by sinning, and to put on the management of that anger so God can channel it for his purposes. If your sinful anger looks like a temper tantrum, who is that all about? But if your anger is justified because of a wrong that needs to be addressed, how would following Gods response to that anger look and what would it accomplish in your situation?
We need to pursue God with all our hearts and obey him in our actions and attitudes, by putting off our old nature and lifestyle, and putting on the new nature from Christ, created to be like God truly righteous and holy. As this becomes our daily routine, over time God will give us great victory over our daily up-and-down lives and even over those long-time sinful habits we thought we could never shake.
[1]Tyndale House Publishers. (2004). Holy Bible : New Living Translation. "Text edition"--Spine. (2nd ed.) (Eph 4:20-24). Wheaton, Ill.: Tyndale House Publishers.
