"Put Away" - Give No Opportunity To The Devil

In counseling, I always remind the couples that affairs do not happen from major riffs most generally. They happen from doors that are cracked ever so slightly. We give the devil opportunities in our relationships and bad things happen. The same is true of our relationships with God and with each other as believers. This week we will take a look at how we can "Give No Opportunity To The Devil" as we study Ephesians 4:25-27.

Ephesians 4:25–27 ESV

Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another. Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and give no opportunity to the devil.

Opening Up Ephesians Chapter 10: The Christian’s Wardrobe, Part 2 (4:17–5:20)

Over and again Paul puts before us an old habit that we must “lay aside” or put away—followed immediately by the description of a new habit that should take its place. “Lay aside that habit, and put on this one,” Paul says repeatedly. “Stop doing that, and start doing this.” While he does not specifically use the wardrobe metaphor in each instance, the pattern of laying aside the old and putting on the new is quite plain to see.

Emotion Should Not Determine Behavior

Why would this be the main point here? Why can I not trust my feelings?

Jeremiah 17:9 ESV

The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?

Obedience Should Determine Behavior

John 14:15 ESV

“If you love me, you will keep my commandments.

1 Samuel 15:22 ESV

And Samuel said, “Has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to listen than the fat of rams.

James 1:22 ESV

But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.

Paul has been telling us in the previous verses to “Put off” the old self and “Put on” the new self. To at least some degree he means to put aside the normal reactions and put on an obedience to Christ. Those normal, sinful, reactions are largely driven by emotion.

Falsehood

Proverbs 6:16–19 ESV

There are six things that the Lord hates, seven that are an abomination to him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that make haste to run to evil, a false witness who breathes out lies, and one who sows discord among brothers.

Proverbs 12:22 ESV

Lying lips are an abomination to the Lord, but those who act faithfully are his delight.

Colossians 3:9–10 ESV

Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator.

God doesn’t lie to us and we shouldn’t lie to one another.

why? because we are not those people anymore. We are corrupt through evil desires. We are now being renewed in the spirit of our mind.

More than that,

We Are Members One of Another.

Ephesians Verses 25–30

Truthfulness maintains communal unity. Lying destroys it. Ephesians is not providing a revelation here but is reminding its readership of a fact of human existence. Here is another example of the deep concern for Christian unity and harmony in the book of Ephesians.

Truthfulness maintains our unity

Lying Destroys it

We are dependent on each other. We need each other. If we are going to rely on one another, then truthfulness is key.

When we lie to each other, we also give opportunity to the devil.

John 8:44 ESV

You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies.

Jesus is teaching them that the reason they don’t recognize the truth of God is because they are not of God. Instead they believe lies because they are of their father.

I do not want this to be the characteristic of my life. I want truth to define me. I want to see truth in each of you.

If We, as sinners, have a habit of lying - practice the new discipline of being truthful.

Lying is not something we have to be taught. Actually, we have to be taught not to lie.

Truth maintains relationships

Proverbs 12:22 ESV

Lying lips are an abomination to the Lord, but those who act faithfully are his delight.

Zechariah 8:16 ESV

These are the things that you shall do: Speak the truth to one another; render in your gates judgments that are true and make for peace;

Ephesians 4:15 ESV

Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ,

Truth aids in our growth in the Lord

Well, what about being angry?

If we, as sinners, become angry, we need to develop the habit of not allowing that to make us behave in a sinful manner.

Anger is unavoidable in life. The bible here acknowledges that. How we respond is not unavoidable however.

Be Angry and Do Not Sin

Ephesians Verses 25–30

When Growth Is Not Growth

Too often Christianity multiplies by division. Someone cannot get his or her own way in a congregational disagreement and pulls out of the congregation and starts a new one. There is a new congregation without new converts. This is not what the New Testament envisioned as expansion. Christians above all others should be able to disagree without becoming disagreeable.

Colossians 3:8 ESV

But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth.

Proverbs 14:17 ESV

A man of quick temper acts foolishly, and a man of evil devices is hated.

James 1:19–20 ESV

Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God.

Emotion Should Not Determine Behavior

Obedience Should Determine Behavior

“Christianity has not so much been tried and found wanting, as it has been found difficult and left untried.” - Christian, G. K. Chesterton.

Willard, Dallas. The Spirit of the Disciplines (p. 1). HarperOne. Kindle Edition.

1 John 5:3 ESV

For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome.

Dallas Willard. The Spirit of the Disciplines

Emotions are not wholly bad - fear makes us not pick fights we cannot win.

Anger can drive us to healthy reactions to deal with injustice and defense. But, these cannot be allowed to drive us completely. The difference between a mature person and an immature person is the ability to regulate emotions. Imagine the extra advantage we have as believers in Christ.

James 1:22 ESVBut be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.

Luke 11:28 ESVBut he said, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and keep it!”

Once we have “Put Away” falsehood and anger, do not let them back up again.

Ephesians 5:1–2 ESV

Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

Cracks in the door leave open the possibility of entry.

Anger leads to these ungodly behaviors

There are four keys that Ephesians 4:15 and Ephesians 4:25-32 highlights for us.

Be honest about the problem and speak to it (Ephesians 4:15, Ephesians 4:25).

Ephesians 4:15 ESV

Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ,

Ephesians 4:25 ESV

Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another.

After all, people cannot read our minds, and we must speak the truth in love. 

Do not allow your anger to build up, so you lose control.

It’s essential to address what’s bothering you before it builds up. Communicate how you feel with those close to you is one helpful tool to combat blowing up. Stay current on communicating about your feelings (Ephesians 4:26-27).

Ephesians 4:26–27 ESV

Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and give no opportunity to the devil.

Don’t see people as opponents to be won but communicate in love with people (Ephesians 4:29, Ephesians 4:31).

Ephesians 4:29 ESV

Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.

Ephesians 4:31 ESV

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

One key to doing this well is to watch the volume of our voice and to keep it low (Proverbs 15:1).

Proverbs 15:1 ESV

A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.

Counting to ten in our head is an invaluable tool to respond in a godly way to others (Ephesians 4:32). 

Ephesians 4:32 ESV

Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.

Helpful Application Questions to Ask

The next time you feel that anger is coming I encourage you to ask yourself the following questions:

“What tends to make you feel mad, and why?” 

“What behavioral characteristics annoy me, and what are the reasons?” 

“What is my anger revealing about the present state of my walk with Jesus?”

Colossians 3:12 ESV

Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience,

Romans 12:10 ESV

Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor.

John 14:15 ESV

“If you love me, you will keep my commandments.

Put Away Falsehood and Anger that arouses sinful behavior.

remember the seat of the scoffers from last week.

Just like that sin, it is easy to see these sins in others while we miss them in ourselves. We need to pray asking God to reveal that in our lives. We need each other to help hold us each accountable - IN LOVE

Let us “Give No Opportunity To The Devil”