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More Ephesians commentaries
Ephesians 1:1-6
Our Riches in Christ
Ephesians 1:7-14
Redemption for the believer in Christ
Ephesians 1:15-23
Prayer for knowledge and power
Ephesians 2:1-3
How we were ’before’ salvation
Ephesians 2:4-10
How He works in us ’after’ salvation
Ephesians 2:11-13
My position in Christ as a Gentile
Ephesians 2:14-18
We are one body in Christ
Ephesians 2:19-22
Fellowship needs to be a priority
Ephesians 3:1-6
Missionary to the Gentiles
Ephesians 3:7-13
Mystery of God’s grace
Ephesians 3:14-21
Prayer for God’s power and love
Ephesians 4:1-6
Spiritual unity
Ephesians 4:7-16
Gifts from the Risen Messiah
Ephesians 4:17-22
Walk as a new person in Christ
Ephesians 4:23-29
Be holy and not sinful
Ephesians 4:30-32
Grieving God’s Spirit by the way we live
Ephesians 5:1-7
Who do you try to imitate?
Ephesians 5:8-14
Walk as children of Light
Ephesians 5:15-21
Evidences of a Spirit-filled life
Ephesians 5:22-24
How to be submissive in our relationships
Ephesians 5:25-33
Instructions to husbands
Ephesians 6:1-4
Training children to obey
Ephesians 6:5-9
Living under authority
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Grieving God’s Spirit by the way we live
Ephesians 4:30–32
» View this passage in NIV (Bible Gateway)
An elderly man comes to a pastor one day and asks if the pastor would perform a wedding for him. The pastor asks who he is going to marry. The man then tells how he and his wife to be have been married before. They had been married to each other. Then he tel … More
We can grieve the Holy Spirit by the way we live. Paul’s advice is sound, because the longer we postpone mending a quarrel, the less likely we are ever to mend it. If there is trouble between us and anyone else, if there is trouble in a Church or a fellowship or any society where men meet, the only way to deal with it is at once. The longer it is left to flourish, the more bitter it will grow. If we have been in the wrong, we must pray to God to give us grace to admit that it was so; and even if we have been right, we must pray to God to give us the graciousness which will enable us to take the first step to put matters right.
Paul warns us about bitterness and what it will do to us (vv. 30-31). If somebody hurts us, either deliberately or unintentionally and we don’t forgive him, bitterness will develop and our hearts become hardened.
As we understand His mercy we should want to be like Him. God has forgiven us and three positive commands are given on how we should forgive others (v 32):
- Be kind - gracious opposed to being harsh; an outward expression of love in the heart.
- Be compassionate - (tenderhearted) a willingness to understand the faults and failures of others and mentally put yourself in their shoes.
- Be forgiving - This means pardoning the guilty person instead of exercising retaliation and restoring fellowship with this person.
So Paul comes to the summing up of his advice. He tells us to be kind and to forgive others as God forgave us. In one sentence, Paul lays down the law of personal relationships.Application
I need to work on these three characteristics above. Sometimes it seems like I’m still in kindergarten.
Ephesians 4:30-32 (English Standard Version)
And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.
View this passage in NIV (Bible Gateway) »
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