Young People's Group

The Challenge to Put Away Our Sins

by Mitchell Tan
July 15, 2020

PUTTING OFF THE SIN OF LYING

Very often, it is easy to lie just to get out of a problematic situation. Even after being saved by the Lord, there are times when we may still struggle with speaking that which is false. This was what the apostle Paul was dealing with as he strongly entreated the Ephesians to put away such sins.

“Therefore, putting away lying, ‘Let each one of you speak truth with his neighbour,’ for we are members of one another.”
Ephesians 4:25

This verse was quoted by Paul from the book of Zechariah (Zechariah 8:16). The Lord in this passage wanted His people to do the things that were good. One of them was to speak the truth to each other with all honesty and integrity and not lie to each other. Paul applied this verse to the context of the Ephesian Church. He saw the need for them to totally rid themselves of this sin. The challenge was to speak forth truth all the time to each other because they were members of the same body of Christ. There should be peace in our hearts as we speak the truth to each other.

PUTTING OFF UNBRIDLED ANGER THAT LEADS TO SIN

“‘Be angry, and do not sin’: do not let the sun go down on your wrath …”
Ephesians 4:26

Another challenge that Paul gave to the Ephesians was to understand that on the one hand there was a place for a person to be angry with another person but on the other hand, there was no place for wrath that leads to sin. Anger can turn to unbridled wrath when it is not checked. It can cause us to sin. The Lord Jesus had taught that a person who is angry with a brother without a reason is in danger of judgment (Matthew 5:22). Paul was challenging the brethren to not allow themselves to let wrath stay with them overnight. It can be detrimental to their soul. Part of the above verse was quoted from Psalm 4:4. It is good to end the day not focusing on anger but to meditate on the Lord’s word and to be still. It is better to fill the heart with His word when the day ends rather than with wrath.

DO NOT GIVE PLACE TO THE DEVIL

“… Nor give place to the devil.”
Ephesians 4:27

One of the things that can happen when we allow our sins to take the better of us is giving place to the devil. We are not to give place or to give an opportunity to the evil one to gain a foothold on us. He can influence us in such a way that he can come between us and the will of God without us even knowing it. This was what happened to the apostle Peter. When the Lord Jesus spoke of suffering, being killed and resurrecting from the dead after three days, Peter pulled Him aside and rebuked Him.

“Then Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him. But when He turned around and looked at His disciples, He rebuked Peter, saying, ‘Get behind Me, Satan! For you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men.’”
Mark 8:32-33

The Lord Jesus rebuked Peter in return (appropriately so). He rebuked Satan for coming between Him and Peter. He did not know it but Peter had allowed the evil one to have a place in him. He was mindful of the things of men rather than the things of God. Peter had allowed himself to be influenced by worldly ideas. The challenge for us is to not give place to the devil through any form of influence or sin. Let’s seek to pray constantly that the Lord would deliver us from the evil one.

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