The New Self is Truthful and Deals with Anger

Ephesians 4:25-27

Knowing What Christ Has Done

• Don’t walk like the Gentiles (nations)

• Put off the Old Self (4:22)

• Renew the Spirit of your mind (4:23)

• Put on the New Self (4:24)

–Created in the image of God

• In true righteousness

• In true holiness

What does New Self look like.

• Tells the truth (4:25)

• Deals appropriately with anger (4:26-27)

• Works (4:28)

• Speaks to build up the body (4:29)

• Doesn’t grieve the Spirit (4:30)

• Takes off of bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, slander and malice (4:31)

• Is kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you (4:32)

Ephesians 4:25–27 (ESV)

25 Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his

neighbor, for we are members one of another. 26 Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, 27 and give no opportunity

to the devil.

TELL THE TRUTH

You put on truth, so tell the truth!

25 Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another.When we put off our old self we put aside falsehood (pseudos):

Pseudoscience, Pseudo religion, Pseudo psychology, etc.Eph. 4:18 They (Gentiles – ethos) are darkened in their

understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart. Eph. 4:22 to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires,

New Life lives in truth!

25 Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another.When we put on the new self we become a new creature in the

likeness of God.

Ephesians 4:24 and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.

The Righteous tell the truth

Holy people tell the truth.

New Life speaks the truth!

25 Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another.

We are in the image of God, represent that image.

We’ve put aside falsehood and put on truth.

We live in truth and know the truth.

Therefore, speak the truth.

New Life speaks the truth!

25 Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members (mele) one of another.

To lie to our spouse is to lie to ourselves (we are one flesh).

To lie to others in Christ is to lie to ourselves (we are one body in Christ).

Lies Divide the Body

Romans 12:5 .. so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of

another.

1 Cor. 12:25 … that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the

same care for one another.

CONTROL YOUR ANGER

Anger is a normal emotion.

26 Be angry and do not sin;

“In your anger, do not sin…” (NIV)

Anger per se is NOT sinful.

God gets angry.

Jesus got angry.

There is a righteous anger: injustice to the poor, the innocent, the weak. Things that make God angry.

Let’s look at Jesus’ anger

Mark 3:1–5

3 Again he entered the synagogue, and a man was there with a withered hand. 2 And they watched Jesus, to see

whether he would heal him on the Sabbath, so that they might accuse him. 3 And he said to the man with the

withered hand, “Come here.” 4 And he said to them, “Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do harm, to save

life or to kill?” But they were silent. 5 And he looked around at them with anger, grieved at their hardness of heart, and said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He

stretched it out, and his hand was restored.

Righteous Anger?

In his anger Jesus did not strike out at those who offended him, he did what he would do in spite of their anger.

If our anger is not free from injured pride, malice, or a spirit of revenge, it has degenerated into sin. Not so Jesus.

There is a ‘subtle temptation to regard my anger as righteous indignation and other people’s anger as sheer bad temper’.

James 1:19–20

Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to

anger; 20 for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God.

Ephesians 4:31–3231 Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and

clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. 32 Be kind to one another,

tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.

Proverbs 16:32

Whoever is slow to anger is better than the mighty, and he who rules his spirit than he who

takes a city.

Don’t Sin

26 Be angry and do not sin;

Illustration: Gen. 34 Jacob’s daughter Dinah and the anger of Simeon and Levi.

Expressions of Anger can cause sin

Psalm 37:8

Refrain from anger, and forsake wrath! Fret not yourself; it tends only to evil.

Resolve It quickly

26 Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger,

Don’t brood or nurse your anger.

Deal with it promptly.

If possible, reconcile quickly.

Quickly:

• Make sure you are responding to facts, not hearsay, circumstances, know why someone may have treated you the way they did, etc.

• Ask, “Why am I angry?” Jealousy, pride, loss of something, etc.

• Even if the anger is justified, figure a way to resolve the issue causing the anger.

Psalm 37:8

Refrain from anger, and forsake wrath! Fret not yourself; it tends only to evil.

Anger can give the devil a foothold

27 and give no opportunity to the devil.

He can gain a foothold in the life of the believer.

He can gain a foothold in the life of the church.

Injury, lack of Growth, lack of witness, and lack of unity, Effect prayers, relationships, etc.

Example of unresolved anger

Genesis 4:5–8 5 ... So Cain was very angry, and his face fell. 6 The

LORD said to Cain, “Why are you angry, and why has your face fallen? 7 If you do well, will you not be

accepted? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is for you, but you

must rule over it.” 8 Cain spoke to Abel his brother. And when they

were in the field, Cain rose up against his brother Abel and killed him.

Romans 12:19

Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is

mine, I will repay, says the Lord.”

Weapons to Battle Anger

1. Think of the Cross

1 Peter 2:21–23 21 For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an

example, so that you might follow in his steps. 22 He committed no sin, neither was deceit

found in his mouth. 23 When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself

to him who judges justly.

2. Think of how He has forgiven you.

Ephesians 4:32

Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.

3. Think about how the opposition can take advantage.

Ephesians 4:26–27 26 Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, 27 and give no opportunity

to the devil.

4. Consider the many consequences to self.

Proverbs 3:7–8 7 Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD, and turn away from evil. 8It will be healing to

your flesh and refreshment to your bones.

5. Consider the Consequences to others.

Genesis 49:5–7 5 “Simeon and Levi are brothers;

weapons of violence are their swords. 6 Let my soul come not into their council;

O my glory, be not joined to their company. For in their anger they killed men,

and in their willfulness they hamstrung oxen. 7 Cursed be their anger, for it is fierce,

and their wrath, for it is cruel! I will divide them in Jacob and scatter them in Israel.

6. Remember, God is just.

Romans 12:19 19 Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it

to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.”

7. Result of Anger Can be a lonely life.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rccD1EWenio&feature=related