Ephesians 4:25

Ephesians 4:25 says, Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another.  Here, Paul begins to speak of some of the characteristics of the new person that we become in Christ.  Paul tells us that we are to put away lying and to speak in truth to our neighbor.  This does not just mean just those that we live close to, nor those that we go to church with, though there is certainly that aspect of the warning.  We are certainly members of the same body of Christ when we become Christians, but we cannot have one set of standards when dealing with Christians and another when dealing with the rest of the world.  We are to speak in truth in all situations, even if it does not seem to be what is best for us.  Whatever we say or do must be directed by the Holy Spirit and must bring honor to God.  Verse twenty-six adds, Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath:  I do not believe that Paul was telling us to be angry, but he was telling us how to keep anger from being a sin.  If we become angry with someone, we need to deal with that anger that day and not allow it to affect our actions for days to come.  We might say that we are not to hold a grudge.  It is surprising how often those who are followers of Christ allow something that happened years ago affect their relationship with someone today.  Verse twenty-seven continues, Neither give place to the devil.  The first thing we have to do is recognize when we are tempted to give the Devil a place in our lives.  We need to recognize that the Devil does not come to us as a man who is all red, with a tail, horns, and a pitchfork, but instead comes in the most tempting form.  I believe that we make it harder at times to keep from giving the Devil a place in our lives by portraying him as totally evil in his appearance.  The Devil is deceitful by nature and appeals to people in the most tempting way.  Verse twenty-eight states, Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth.  Paul calls on us to not steal but to work, not only for our welfare but to help those in need as well.  We may not want to acknowledge it, but there are times when people simply cannot find work that pays enough to meet all their needs, if they can find work at all. There are also many ways to steal, like cheating on taxes or even doing as little as possible at work.  We as followers of Christ are to set the example by being honest in all our dealings with other people.  Verse twenty-nine adds, Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.  When Paul tells us to not let any corrupt communication come out of our mouth, we often think of profanity, but I believe that he is speaking of much more.  For example, when we gossip, we are guilty of corrupt communication, as we are when we speak badly about whole groups of people.  We are to speak in such a way that we honor God and edify those around us.  If we as followers of Christ do not show the love of God to the world who will?  Verse thirty continues, And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.  Paul tells us that when we do any of the things that he had just said to not do that we grieve the Holy Spirit.  I believe anytime that we live by the standards of the world we grieve the Holy Spirit.  Verse thirty-one says, Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice:  Paul did not call on us to put away these things toward some people, but to put them away toward all people.  I believe it is impossible to allow Christ to live through us and look with hatred or contempt on anyone.  Verse thirty-two adds, And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.  We are to be kind and forgiving to one another.  I believe that Paul means more than just to those that we like, but to even those who may treat us wrong.  I believe this because Paul tells us that we are to do so because God has forgiven us.  Christ did not die just for a select few, but for all who would accept His gift of salvation by faith, including those who nailed Him to the cross.  This is to be the kind of love that we show the world.