Eph 4:25 How are we to understand what Paul says here?
Eph 4:25 How are we to understand what Paul says here?
In Eph 4 Paul is admonishing the Ephesian Christians - and by extension every Christian throughout the church age - to give up their old way of life which was corrupted by deceitful lusts - the old man, and demonstrate their new life in Christ - the new man (CP V1-3, 17-32 and Col 3:1-14).
Lying includes in its meaning every form of dishonesty, cheating and deceit; any false and fictitious statement; exaggeration, broken promises, betrayal of confidences; flattery, or understating income for tax benefits. Christians must speak only in accordance with the truth that is in Christ (CP Zech 8:16).
Truth is a debt Christians owe to all men, particularly fellow Christians. Their word should be their bond (CP Mt 5:33-37; Jas 5:12).
Be ye angry and sin not in Eph 4:26 means that while Christians are permitted to be angry with righteous indignation in certain circumstances, they are not to let that anger lead them into sin. They cannot remain angry into the night, lest they give a foothold to the devil (CP V26-27).
Jesus Himself was angry with righteous indignation against the moneychangers and merchants in the temple three times in His earthly ministry (CP Mt 21:12-13; Mk 11:12-16; Jn 2:13-17 (see also comments on Jn 2:13-17)).
Christians also must not engage in any immoral, impure, frivolous, empty, idle of profitless talk.
They must be careful to speak only that which ministers grace to the hearers and builds them up for their spiritual profit (CP Eph 4:29 and 5:1-4 with Col 3:16 and 1Th 5:11). See also comments on Eph 5:3-4.
This clearly refutes the teaching by some in the church of sinless perfection - that Christians cannot sin. Christians can, and do sin (CP 1Jn 1:8, 10).
Conversion to Christ does not mean the eradication of the sin nature - it can still assert itself over the new nature of God in Christians, if they let it. Scriptures throughout teach that it cannot assert itself in Christians under grace, walking in the spirit (CP Ro 6:1-14, 19; 8:1-13; 2 Cor 10:3-5; Ga 5:16-18, 24-25; Eph 6:11-18; Jas 4:5-10; 1Jn 5:4, 18).
See also comments on Ro 6:1, 6:3-5, 6:6-11, 6:12-14, 6:15, 6:16, 6:17-20, 6:21-23, 2Cor 10:3-5, Ga 5:17, Eph 6:11-12, Jas 4:5, 4:7-10, 1Jn 1:9 and 1:10.