EPHESIANS 4:31

“All bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and slander must be removed from you, along with all malice.”

I have to admit it – I can be a packrat. My wife accuses me all the time of hanging on to stuff that I should throw away. I am reluctant to throw away that scrap piece of wood because I might could use it someday. And that piece of pipe or rope might be just what I need one day for… I need to learn to get rid of the trash in my stuff.

Now, that’s a very loose illustration of what Paul is talking about today. Where the things I mentioned may have once had a purpose, the things he mentions in verse 31 never have a purpose. Look at the list. Bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, slander and malice. Wow! Why would any Christian have such things in their lives? Don’t forget that Paul is addressing former pagans in the Ephesian church. Oh yeah, so were we!

APPLICATION

I could use this blog to define each of the words listed in today’s verse. But you can do that. Let me encourage each of you to go to Biblehub.com or blueletterbible.com and look up each of the words to see what they mean. I want to concentrate on the first word of the verse – “all.” It’s a little word that is often overlooked.

The Greek word is pas. It “means ‘all’ in the sense of ‘each (every) part that applies.’ The emphasis of the total picture then is on ‘one piece at a time.’” (HELPS Word studies). When Paul says get rid of “all” of this, he means each and ever part. We can’t get rid of bitterness and keep the malice. Slander can’t be removed while we keep our anger.

Paul has been talking a lot about anger in the last several verses and all of these things he mentions in today’s verse can be identified with anger. Getting rid of anger, I believe, is the key. Oh, that’s hard, isn’t it. After all, you probably have a right to be angry. I get it. I really do. I’ve been there. Well, let’s be honest, I’m still there sometimes. But anger has to go. You can do it. I can do it – with the help of the Lord. Let it all go.

Oh Lord, my God, rid me of the anger that is within me.