25 Therefore, laying aside falsehood, SPEAK TRUTH EACH ONE of you WITH HIS NEIGHBOR, for we are members of one another.
26 BE ANGRY, AND yet DO NOT SIN; do not let the sun go down on your anger,
27 and do not give the devil an opportunity.
28 He who steals must steal no longer; but rather he must labor, performing with his own hands what is good, so that he will have something to share with one who has need.
29 Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, so that it will give grace to those who hear.
V. 25 - “Therefore, laying aside falsehood, SPEAK TRUTH EACH ONE of you WITH HIS NEIGHBOR, for we are members of one another. “
This verse starts with a “Therefore” which points back to verses 4:20-24. You have a new life in Jesus. Let Him live it in and through you, to demonstrate to the world your life is in His control.
“laying aside falsehood” - Start with - quit lying to each other, or to yourself. Quit trying to justify your sinful behavior by making excuses. For example, "It's not my fault." Or, "It's only a slight mental mistake", instead acknowledging a basic sinful nature. Lying to yourself is deadly, because it allows you avoid facing the truth, confessing your sin, repenting and turning to Christ. The idea of repentance is taking a 180-degree turn from the direction you are going, and walking in the opposite direction. It is a decision you must make, you can't wander into it by serendipity!
“Speak truth” - Quoted from Zech 8:16, but the idea is throughout the Bible (See: Jer 9:5, 23:28; Eph 4:15; Col 3:9, and Paul reminds them what he teaching is true and trustworthy - 1 Tim 1:16).
“Members of one another” - Don’t assume that lying is okay as long as it isn’t to a Christian! However, further motivation for truthfulness when dealing with other believers: Your life is found in Christ, both your life and the other believer’s is from the Lord. In that essence you are not an individual - your life is Christ’s. Lying to a fellow believer is lying to Christ and to yourself as well.
This is an interesting paradox: You are an individual in Christ. He saved you when you believed in Him. You are not saved when someone else, your mother or father, your brother or sister, a friend accept Christ. You alone must respond for yourself. Yet, you are not alone, you are Christ’s own possession. Your life belongs to Him because He died for you. Christ in you, the hope of glory. (See: Rom 12:5; 1 Cor 10:17, 12:12-14, 12:18-20; Col 3:5)
V. 26-27 - “BE ANGRY, AND yet DO NOT SIN; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and do not give the devil an opportunity.”
“Be angry, and yet do not sin” - Quoted from Psa 4:4. Here is the whole Psalm:
2 You men, how long will you try to turn my honor into shame? How long will you love what is worthless and search for what is deceptive?
3 Realize that the LORD shows the godly special favor; the LORD responds when I cry out to him.
4 Tremble [in anger or fear] with fear and do not sin! Meditate as you lie in bed, and repent of your ways!
5 Offer the prescribed sacrifices and trust in the LORD!
6 Many say, "Who can show us anything good?" Smile upon us, LORD!
7 You make me happier than those who have abundant grain and wine. 8 I will lie down and sleep peacefully, for you, LORD, make me safe and secure.
The emphasis is on trusting the Lord because He is righteous. He listens to the prayers of godly men. The Lord makes me feel safe (we are not forced to feel safe) - that is: His grace and love fills us with the sense of peace and safety. We can rest in Him because we are His.
So, where does that take us in the “angry but don’t sin” comment. Consider: most anger is because of a perceived personal affront. My personal space was invaded; my want was denied; my feelings were hurt; I have been disrespected, etc. These almost always give rise to plans for retaliation or resistance.
I just read in a devotional this morning: “Purity is the result of continued spiritual harmony with God. We have to grow in purity. Our life with God may be right and our inner purity unblemished, yet occasionally our outer life may become spotted and stained. God does not protect us from this possibility, because this is the way we recognize the necessity of maintaining our spiritual vision through personal purity.” (see note 2, below) When we sin, and anger is the sin in this case, the fellowship with the Lord is damaged. When we confess and repent that fellowship is re-established. Our ‘outer’ life, the one the rest of the world sees can be modified by the Holy Spirit as He convicts us and we respond accordingly. This is very similar to making the decision to believe and accept Christ as Savior. The Holy Spirit does not force us to come back to the Lord, but rewards us, and we learn so that our worldly behavior becomes more attuned to our inner life which is in touch with the Lord.
As mentioned in our Sunday morning service, the ‘anger’ that brings us to sin is not just the emotion but our reaction to it, how we respond to the anger we feel. James writes in his letter, “Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters! Let every person be quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to anger. For human anger does not accomplish God's righteousness. So put away all filth and evil excess and humbly welcome the message implanted within you, which is able to save your souls.” (Jam 1:19-21)
Paul also tells us, “Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked [angered], does not take into account a wrong suffered...” (1 Cor 13:4-5)
Anger is a deleterious emotion that Satan will use to separate us from Jesus. We will demand our own way. We will not allow Jesus to work in and through us.
“Do not give the devil an opportunity” - This part I understand. I read the following, recently: “This commandment, that we should love our enemies and forgo revenge, will grow even more urgent in the holy struggle which lies before us and in which we partly have already been engaged for years. In it love and hate engage in mortal combat... The time is coming when the confession of the living God will incur not only the hatred and the fury of the world...” (see note 1)
When anger rises to the point I wish to retaliate, Satan has grabbed the controls of my mind and heart. I am focused on me and my feelings. Jesus is not on the throne of my life. I have pushed Him aside. It cannot be a question of whether Jesus can handle the affront I have received. He died for all of the sin of the world.
V. 28 - “He who steals must steal no longer; but rather he must labor, performing with his own hands what is good, so that he will have something to share with one who has need. “
“He who steals must steal no longer”- An old proverb or aphorism says, “Idle hands are the devil’s playground.” Idle hands imply idle minds. Work so as to stay out of trouble, and to provide for others in need.
V. 29 - “Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, so that it will give grace to those who hear.”
“Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth” - Ancillary to verse 28, in which we are urged that idleness will allow us to wander into sin - stealing. Likewise, here we are urged to not let our minds go idle. Think about what you are teaching or saying. The “unwholesome word” is not necessarily vulgar talk, dirty jokes, etc. Teaching that does not help people know and grow in their faith in Christ Jesus is a distraction. Find out what spiritual truths people are needing and teach those.
Note 1: Bonnhoeffer, Dietrich. “A Year with Dietrich Bonnhoeffer”, edited by Barnhill, Carla. Harper Collins. 2005.
Note 2: Chambers, Oswald. “My Utmost for His Highest”, edited by James Reimann. Oswald Chambers Publications. 1963
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