Be ye kind one to another. Ephesians 4:32 Do you notice anything unique about the truths in Ephesians 4:32: “Be ye kind one to another”? Two things seem obvious to me. First, nothing in this verse is necessarily deep. It is simple. Kindness requires us to humble ourselves. Kindness enables us to encourage and edify....
In the Old Testament, priests were responsible to offer sacrifices, teach the people, serve as judges in resolving controversies, keep the fire burning on the altar, and keep the Tabernacle. The priest acted as a mediator, of sorts, between God and the people. Their role was totally different from pagan and Roman Catholic priests. Aaron...
“Keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.” Ephesians 4:3 Our pasts are places of reference, not places of residence. Once we have made amends, righted wrongs, and learned lessons, it is time to move on. How do we reconcile with others in the here and now? Make amends. If our homes...
Be ye kind . . . forgiving one another. Ephesians 4:32 Once we receive God’s forgiveness (vertical forgiveness), we can tear down walls between us and others (horizontal forgiveness). Resentment is a peace taker, but forgiveness is a peacemaker. It is always more rewarding to resolve a relationship than to dissolve a relationship. Our forgiveness...
Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: . . . forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you. Ephesians 4:31–32 C. S. Lewis wrote that “forgiveness is a lovely idea, until you have something to forgive.” Yet forgiveness...
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. Ephesians 4:29 Words are powerful things. The children’s rhyme “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me” is not true. Words definitely have...