Simply of Grace

Listen to what Paul writes to the believers in Ephesus:

Ephesians 4:30 - 5:1 30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31 Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. 32 And be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you. 5:1 Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children;

Today I was convicted over some words that I had said. It is amazing how the Lord can immediately convict one and draw His child to almost immediate conviction. The Lord burdened me with this sin throughout the day.

Listen to v. 31 again, it spoke volumes to my heart.

31 Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice.

Not only are we commanded (in the Aorist which signifies URGENCY! but it also is the imperative which could be translated, "Let these things urgently be taken up/away from you") to put these wicked traits away from us, but he spells them out - clearly. There is no mistaking what Paul notes.

All bitterness, which is the root of wrath and anger must be done away with. The Lord taught me today. But then I kept reading:

32 And be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you.

Paul says that I must be KIND to one another. Why? Because God forgave me. It reminds me of the parable that Jesus told a few months before he would be crucified (I will post the whole text, it is worthy of a SLOW and thoughtful read):


Matthew 18:21-35 21 Then Peter came and said to Him, "Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me and I forgive him? Up to seven times?" 22 Jesus said to him, "I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven. 23 "For this reason the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a certain king who wished to settle accounts with his slaves. 24 "And when he had begun to settle them, there was brought to him one who owed him ten thousand talents. 25 "But since he did not have the means to repay, his lord commanded him to be sold, along with his wife and children and all that he had, and repayment to be made. 26 "The slave therefore falling down, prostrated himself before him, saying, 'Have patience with me, and I will repay you everything.' 27 "And the lord of that slave felt compassion and released him and forgave him the debt. 28 "But that slave went out and found one of his fellow slaves who owed him a hundred denarii; and he seized him and began to choke him, saying, 'Pay back what you owe.' 29 "So his fellow slave fell down and began to entreat him, saying, 'Have patience with me and I will repay you.' 30 "He was unwilling however, but went and threw him in prison until he should pay back what was owed. 31 "So when his fellow slaves saw what had happened, they were deeply grieved and came and reported to their lord all that had happened. 32 "Then summoning him, his lord said to him, 'You wicked slave, I forgave you all that debt because you entreated me. 33 'Should you not also have had mercy on your fellow slave, even as I had mercy on you?' 34 "And his lord, moved with anger, handed him over to the torturers until he should repay all that was owed him. 35 "So shall My heavenly Father also do to you, if each of you does not forgive his brother from your heart."

Do you hear that last verse? Read it again?

35 "So shall My heavenly Father also do to you, if each of you does not forgive his brother from your heart."

That terrifies the daylights out of me. If I don't forgive, love and treat others with kindness, then what on earth could ever make me think that I am a child of God? Thank God there is forgiveness. Thank God there is grace that covers all my sin.

Instead of being angry, we must: Ephesians 5:1 Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children;

Like the old Hymn says written almost a century ago:

Marvelous grace of our loving Lord,
Grace that exceeds our sin and our guilt!
Yonder on Calvary’s mount outpoured,
There where the blood of the Lamb was spilled.

Grace, grace, God’s grace,
Grace that will pardon and cleanse within;
Grace, grace, God’s grace,
Grace that is greater than all our sin.
Sin and despair, like the sea waves cold,
Threaten the soul with infinite loss;
Grace that is greater, yes, grace untold,
Points to the refuge, the mighty cross.

Dark is the stain that we cannot hide.
What can we do to wash it away?
Look! There is flowing a crimson tide,
Brighter than snow you may be today.

Thank God for Grace. If it were not for grace, I would have been among the first to have been cast into the pit of hell for all of eternity. Yet God saved me and washed me and is still washing me - simply, by grace.