Growing Steps of a Changed Life - Part 2

wash your mouth v.29

Conversation that contributes to decay, unsoundness, rottenness of the hearer is forbidden. σαπρός putrefied, not fit for use.

sepsis, septic - local or generalized invasion of the body by pathogenic microorganisms or their toxins: dental sepsis; wound sepsis.

What is commanded is communication that builds up and impart a blessing, in particular a spiritual benefit, to the listener. We should be cooperating with the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit, not competing with it.

Words have meaning and effect, either positive or negative and reflect a person's true character. "Sticks and stones" old saying; new version on LINE School wall: "names will hurt forever". See Mat_12:34-37 "Brood of vipers! How can you, being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good things, and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things. But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment. For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned." We should be known by our speech.

The goal of the Christian is to be conformed to the image of Christ. He was known for speaking graciously; in the record we have of his conversations, it was only against the leaders, the hypocrites who knew better that he spoke harshly.

let it go (bitterness, grudges) v.31

not just the negative language needs to be left behind, the underlying emotions must be as well.

The command, therefore, to lay aside all bitterness, is a command to lay aside every thing which corrodes our own minds or wounds the feelings of others. Under this head are the particulars which follow, viz. wrath; θυμός, (from θύω, to burn,) means the mind itself as the seat of passions and desires then the mind in the commotion of passion. ὀργή, anger, is the passion itself, i. e. the manifestation of θυμός, as clamor and evil speaking are the outward expression of anger. The context shows that βλασφημία is neither blasphemy as directed against God, nor merely slander as directed against men; but any form of speech springing from anger, and adapted either to wound or to injure others. With all malice. κακία is a general term for badness or depravity of any kind. Here the context shows that it means malevolence, the desire to injure. We are to lay aside not only wrath and anger but all other forms of malevolent feeling. Hodge, Ephesians

"Man’s natural tendency is to sin, and the natural tendency of sin is to grow into greater sin. And a Christian’s sin will grow just like that of an unbeliever. If not checked, our inner sins of bitterness and wrath and anger will inevitably lead to the outward sins of clamor, slander, and other such manifestations of malice.

Bitterness (pikria) reflects a smoldering resentment, a brooding grudge-filled attitude (see Acts 8:23; Heb. 12:15). It is the spirit of irritability that keeps a person in perpetual animosity, making him sour and venemous. Wrath (thumos) has to do with wild rage, the passion of the moment. Anger (orgē) is a more internal smoldering, a subtle and deep feeling. Clamor (kraugē) is the shout or outcry of strife and reflects the public outburst that reveals loss of control. Slander (blasphēmia, from which we get blasphemy) is the ongoing defamation of someone that rises from a bitter heart. Paul then adds malice (kakia), the general term for evil that is the root of all vices. All of these, he says, must be put away from you.

These particular sins involve conflict between person and person—believer and unbeliever and, worse still, between believer and believer. These are the sins that break fellowship and destroy relationships, that weaken the church and mar its testimony before the world. When an unbeliever sees Christians acting just like the rest of society, the church is blemished in his eyes and he is confirmed still further in resisting the claims of the gospel." MacArthur

In contrast to the vices above described, become useful, χρηστός or kind toward each other. That kindness is best expressed by the character trait of being quick to forgive. The more and better we know Christ, the more aware we are of how much we have been forgiven; Luk_7:47 "Therefore I say to you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much. But to whom little is forgiven, the same loves little."

"So far from being churlish or waspish, Christians are to be noted for their tenderness of heart. They are to be full of deep and mellow affection, in opposition to that wrath and anger which they are summoned to abandon. A rich and genial sympathy should ever characterize all their intercourse. Eadie

Parallel passage in Col 3:1-17; v. 1-3 give good sense: "If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God."

stop immorality v.3-5

Since we are supposed to become imitators of God, we should mimic him in our thoughts, our words and our deeds - our walk is to be like his. Picture small child and Dad walking through the snow, little one trying to step in the Dad's footprints - walking the same way, following the same path. As we spoke on Christ-like forgiveness, Paul raises the stakes even higher calling us to Christ-like love.

Our love for one another is to be a self-sacrificing love modeled on God's example:

1Jn_3:16 By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.

1Jn_4:10 In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.

Just as Christ's sacrifice was a fragrant and pleasing offering to God, so our walk of obedience causes God to be pleased with us.

2Co_2:14-16 Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place. For we are to God the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing. To the one we are the aroma of death leading to death, and to the other the aroma of life leading to life.

What is it about immoral and unethical behavior that displeases God, especially when practiced by the Christian? Paul refers to sexual immorality (πορνεία) and covetousness (or greed) specifically but not intending these as an exhaustive list; he includes the adjective πασα to indicate "every sort" of immorality. Further, the things he describes in verse 4 are the various forms of conversation that center on the previously listed behaviors: jokes, stories, passing references to sexual or immoral themes. At the root of these behaviors is the attempt to find pleasure and/or meaning in life outside the means God has ordained.

To seek gratification through these means is to in effect tell God he is not providing properly for his child, that we must resort to our own efforts to achieve satisfaction and contentment. What God has provided isn't enough either in quantity or quality to meet our needs. To practice this as an ongoing lifestyle demonstrates trust in self, rather than trust in God; absence of trust in God equates to absence of regeneration, eternal life, and a place in the kingdom.

Our focus needs to be expressions of thanksgiving - that which turns our attention to our Heavenly Father and how he has provided for us. Obviously our thanksgiving needs to be sincere. Our thankfulness should be expressed to others as well as to God, giving credit to him for who we are and what we have.

"It is the grand, essential, practical characteristic of true Christians, that relying on the promises to repenting sinners of acceptance through the Redeemer, they have renounced adn abjured all other masters and have cordially and unreservedly devoted themselves to God.

...Whatever may have been hitherto their ruling passion; whatever hitherto their leading pursuit; whether sensual, or intellectual, of science, of taste, of fancy, or of felling, it must now possess but a secondary place; or rather (to speak more correctly) it must exist only at the pleasure, and be put altogether under the control and direction, of its true and legitimate superior." William Wilberforce, A Practical View of Christianity