The portion of Scripture we are examining this morning in my Bible is labeled "Rules for Holy Living." There are so many different concerns that we have throughout our days that we often fail to "set our hearts" on the Lord or to "set our minds" on things concerning our spiritual lives. It is so easy for the worries of this life to overshadow the deep need in our lives to focus on our spiritual walk with Christ.
If you have watched the news lately, it is filled with emotional outbursts on so many different levels. The Apostle Paul is very clear in this passage of Scripture about the things we are to PUT OFF. It is quite a list! He lists everything from sexual sins to greed and idolatry. But then the writer really gets down to the nitty gritty..."rid yourselves of: anger, rage, malice, slander, lying, and filthy language. These emotionally based actions are not to be a part of a believer's life.
If any of these things are a part of our lives, we are encouraged to put them off and to put on the new self which is being renewed day by day as our knowledge of Christ and His ways increase in our hearts and minds. It takes work to put away old habits and wrongful attitudes and actions. It isn't that we don't get angry, but sometimes it depends on how you express that anger. It can either be used for benefit to improve or to destroy. We are admonished in Ephesians 4:26, "in your anger do not sin. Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry" and the thought concludes in verse 27--"and do not give the devil a foothold!"
Let each of us examine our hearts today to see if there be any wicked way in us; and then let us fix our eyes on Jesus, desiring nothing less than His best in our lives.