Put off and put on
"Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you."(NIV) Ephesians 4: 31-32
Bible Reading: Ephesians 4: 29-32
In God's divine wisdom and loving kindness, He sent his only begotten son, our saviour, Jesus Christ to die for our sins; even when we were without strength, in due time Christ died for us, the ungodly. This incomprehensible and unconditional love beckons us to repentance and bear fruit worthy of it. The fruit is a reciprocal love to God and us wholeheartedly. Paul demonstrates this paradoxically in Ephesians 4: 31-32, "put off, put on" he says.
He admonishes us to put off ill bitterness, wrath, and ANGER... And put on kindness, tender-heartedness, FORGIVING one another, even as God through Christ forgave us.
Our call to love and forgive is one prompted by God first loving and forgiving us. This makes it more of a command than just an admonishment. Take a flashback, the last time you were angry, your reactions, the consequences of your anger, definitely not a pleasant one. Phil. 2:5 says “let the mind of Christ be in you..." consider the worst situation that will irritate you, infuriate you, something that will "piss you off". Christ our model has led an exemplary life by experiencing such situations and even worst - He was despised and rejected, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief, He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities, oppressed and was afflicted YET He did not open His mouth. What form of humiliation is greater than this?
We have no cause to be angry for whatsoever reason but put on whole adornment of Christ's nature and imitate His life. Remember now that you are a CHRISTian (it is not you who lives but Christ lives in you -Gal 2:20).