Ephesians 4:26

[John81]

"Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath:" Ephesians 4:26

On the face of it, this is a very clear verse. That said, I've heard many proclaim it doesn't mean what it says, has several meanings, isn't meant to be taken literally, some people are different and just can't do this so it's okay for them to do something different, etc.

A week or so ago I heard this verse being discussed on the radio. One of the men began by saying the verse is clear. The other guy said him and his wife were just not capable of doing this, they weren't made that way. He went on to tell about how it sometimes takes them several days to get to this point and claimed that's okay because their make up just doesn't allow them to do it any differently. After this, the first guy began backpeddling on his stance the verse was clear and should be followed as such and said that for some people this just wouldn't work.

Today I heard a Baptist pastor talking about this verse and he took the "it means what it says" stance. Others tried to get him to accept that it didn't apply to those who "just can't" do that. He didn't take the bait, he held to his point that this verse is clear. Again there was an attempt to present a "what if" scenario in order to get the pastor to agree to a loophole, and to his credit, the pastor didn't change his position but held that the verse applies to all Christians and means just what it says. He pointed out it was we who need to change our ways to conform to Scripture, not seek to change the meaning of Scripture to meet our desires.

How have you applied this verse in your life?

[John81]

21 views and no one can share how they apply this verse in their lives?

Does anyone here actually apply this verse in their lives? If not, what do you do?

[John81]

In the past two days I've put forth 2 different posts so we could discuss how we apply Scripture in our lives and nobody wants to share and discuss such matters. Why? Are we trying to abide in the Word or not? Are we not to edify one another, share one anothers burdens, grow in Christ together, share from our experiences?

Maybe this is why we get so many threads on ungodly hairstyles of women and their immodest and unbilical styles of dress. No one wants to discuss practical application of the Word in our lives. :icon_sad:

[Seth Doty]

In the past two days I've put forth 2 different posts so we could discuss how we apply Scripture in our lives and nobody wants to share and discuss such matters. Why? Are we trying to abide in the Word or not? Are we not to edify one another, share one anothers burdens, grow in Christ together, share from our experiences?

Maybe this is why we get so many threads on ungodly hairstyles of women and their immodest and unbilical styles of dress. No one wants to discuss practical application of the Word in our lives.

What do you want someone to say? Forums change, there isn't as much doctrinal alignment anymore so naturally people are less comfortable discussing their lives or ask spiritual questions of people they know they don't agree with anyway.

If you want some sort of response my view of what the verse is saying is that only righteous anger against sin is acceptable in the first place, and even then it should not be allowed to consume you where you go to bed thinking or fretting about it. Is that what you were looking for? :wink

[Annie]

If you want some sort of response my view of what the verse is saying is that only righteous anger against sin is acceptable in the first place, and even then it should not be allowed to consume you where you go to bed thinking or fretting about it. Is that what you were looking for?

What he said. :icon_mrgreen:

[John81]

Thank you Seth and Annie for your responses.

I'm not looking for anything in particular, other than hoping for a discussion of practical application of Scripture. We shouldn't confine or restrict ourselves to only posting something we think others will agree with. How can we help bear one anothers burdens, edify one another, share our testimonies, our struggles and victories, how the Lord has and is working in our lives? Isn't it beneficial to discuss how we apply the Word in our own lives, to seek help doing so in areas we need help in, to share our experiences?

I agree, only righteous anger is truly justified, and even then such must be kept under control of the Spirit.

That said, it's likely all of us deal with other forms of anger much more often. As with all things, some aspects of applying the Word seem to come easier for some while for some there can be serious struggle. How do we apply this verse in our own lives on a practical basis?

I've heard some who say they apply this verse, in the context of such a situation between husband and wife, by agreeing to ignore their anger and going to bed. However, this doesn't seem either biblical or practical. This because the issues are not resolved and in most cases it seems bitterness takes root setting the stage for further anger, more arguments, etc.

Staying within the context of applying this verse in marriage, one thing my wife and I began doing many years ago when facing a disagreement that resulted in anger, was to separate ourselves for 30 to 60 minutes (that's the general amount of time that seemed most consistently to work best for us) in order to calm down, reflect and take the situation before the Lord privately. I should probably point out our "time out" was mutual and not a matter of one of us stomping off and slamming a door as the other yelled behind us. After our "time out", one, or most often both, of us were ready to apologize, resolve the issue itself, and be reconciled.

That's one example of how my wife and I, in the context of our marriage, have applied this verse in our lives.

[Bro Jim]

Anger and wrath are two different things, though they are closely related. The sin as I read it has to do with the sun going down on our wrath, and the next verse goes on to say that when we do we are allowingthe devil to get involve or have a place/part in what is going on.

Pr 27:4 "Wrath is cruel, and anger is outrageous; but who is able to stand before envy?" even tells us there is a difference.

My wife and I do our best to go to sleep at nigh just as in love with each other as we start our day out. Which seems easier to do than when I am upset with one of my children, who don't want to repair or change from that which is wrong. Having (or having had) red hair, I have often accused of having a quick temper. I can and have had one too, but God has blessed me with the ability to get over it as quick as I can lose it. Have I had to work on it, and rely on God when I'm dealing with others. Sure and there in lays the answer, turning it over to God, prayer, thinking about the forgiveness of Christ, Mt 6:12 "And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors."

Not that I have lost my hair , it just has lost some of its color.
Webster's1828 Dictionary

AN'GRY, a. See anger.

1.Feeling resentment; provoked; followed generally by with before a person.

Godis angry with the wicked every day. Ps. 7.

Butit is usually followed by at before a thing.

Whereforeshould God be angry at thy voice? Eccles. 5.

2.Showing anger; wearing the marks of anger; caused by anger; as, an angrycountenance; angry words.

3.Inflamed, as a sore; red; manifesting inflammation.

4.Raging; furious; tumultuous.

Or chain theangry vengeance of the waves.

WRATH, n. L.

1.Violent anger; vehement exasperation; indignation; as the wrath of Achilles.

Whenthe wrath of king Ahasuerus was appeased--Esther 2.

OLord--in wrath remember mercy. Habakkuk 3.

2.The effects of anger. Proverbs 27.

3.The just punishment of an offense or crime. Romans 8.

Gods wrath,in Scripture, is his holy and just indignation against sin. Romans 1

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[John81]

Anger and wrath are two different things, though they are closely related. The sin as I read it has to do with the sun going down on our wrath, and the next verse goes on to say that when we do we are allowingthe devil to get involve or have a place/part in what is going on.

Pr 27:4 "Wrath is cruel, and anger is outrageous; but who is able to stand before envy?" even tells us there is a difference.

My wife and I do our best to go to sleep at nigh just as in love with each other as we start our day out. Which seems easier to do than when I am upset with one of my children, who don't want to repair or change from that which is wrong. Having (or having had) red hair, I have often accused of having a quick temper. I can and have had one too, but God has blessed me with the ability to get over it as quick as I can lose it. Have I had to work on it, and rely on God when I'm dealing with others. Sure and there in lays the answer, turning it over to God, prayer, thinking about the forgiveness of Christ, Mt 6:12 "And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors."

Not that I have lost my hair , it just has lost some of its color.
Webster's1828 Dictionary

AN'GRY, a. See anger.

1.Feeling resentment; provoked; followed generally by with before a person.

Godis angry with the wicked every day. Ps. 7.

Butit is usually followed by at before a thing.

Whereforeshould God be angry at thy voice? Eccles. 5.

2.Showing anger; wearing the marks of anger; caused by anger; as, an angrycountenance; angry words.

3.Inflamed, as a sore; red; manifesting inflammation.

4.Raging; furious; tumultuous.

Or chain theangry vengeance of the waves.

WRATH, n. L.

1.Violent anger; vehement exasperation; indignation; as the wrath of Achilles.

Whenthe wrath of king Ahasuerus was appeased--Esther 2.

OLord--in wrath remember mercy. Habakkuk 3.

2.The effects of anger. Proverbs 27.

3.The just punishment of an offense or crime. Romans 8.

Gods wrath,in Scripture, is his holy and just indignation against sin. Romans 1

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A major factor I would have loved to have learned earlier in life, is being willing to forgive, to lay down my "rights" if I've been wronged, to be willing to be the first to reach out in love for reconciliation. Imagine how much anger, wrath and frustration we could have eliminated from our lives had we been doing such from early on.