January 11 2026

Sunday January 11

Putting Away Bitterness

Ephesians 4:30-32

30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31 Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. 32 And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God in Christ forgave you.

Today we are looking once again at Ephesians 4. As we come to the end of this chapter, it is important to remember that the apostle Paul is writing to believers at the church in Ephesus. This is the same church that received the first of Jesus’ letters that He wrote through John to the churches in Asia (Revelation 2:1-7). In that letter, the Lord acknowledged that the church at Ephesus was a good church, though they had left their first love.

From the New Testament it is obvious that the members of the church at Ephesus were sincere believers, people who were following Christ and had a powerful testimony. In fact, according to the book of Acts, through this church all Asia heard the Word of the Lord (Acts 19:1-10). What an incredible testimony. Yet, at the same time, the believers there still struggled with many of the same sins the lost world struggles with. And it is the same today in our present churches. Sometimes the old man shows up more visibly than the new man who is meant to be ruling our lives.

As we consider these verses, I want to clarify something I may have implied yesterday. When Paul says in verse 29, “Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth,” I may have given the impression that Christians should instantly be perfect in their speech because I shared that when I was saved, I stopped cursing immediately. My friend, I realize that this is not the experience of every believer. For all Christians, growth in sanctification is a process. Some find it easier to put off certain sins and old habits than others. God helps some people quit smoking the moment they are saved, while others struggle with it for years, yet they are sincere believers who love the Lord Jesus Christ. We can’t make excuses for any kind of sin, but I remind you also that there are sins far worse than smoking, drinking, or cursing—such as bitterness in the heart. Bitterness can destroy not only ourselves, but also other people and even entire churches.

Just because I said some things yesterday does not mean a Christian cannot fall back into sinful speech. Sadly, they can. Look at Peter, who walked with Jesus for three and a half years, and yet, on the night while Jesus was being tried before the high priest, Peter was outside in the courtyard cursing. We all struggle with the flesh, (Read what Paul wrote in Romans 7.), and old habits can resurface, especially when we place ourselves under the wrong influences.

The emphasis of verse 29 is not only what we must put off, but what we must put on: speech that builds up, edifies, and ministers grace—speech that flows from a life filled with the Holy Spirit. And this brings us to the final verses of this chapter, Ephesians 4:30–32: “And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God in Christ forgave you.”

These verses warn us against several sins of the attitude and amplify what Paul wrote about anger. Bitterness refers to a settled hostility that poisons the whole inner man. Somebody does something we do not like, so we harbor ill will against him. "Husbands, love your wives and be not bitter against them" (Col. 3:19). Bitterness leads to wrath, which is the explosion on the outside of the feelings on the inside. Wrath and anger often lead to brawling (clamor) or blasphemy (evil speaking). The first is fighting with fists, the second is fighting with words. It is difficult to believe that Christians would act this way, but they do, and this is why Paul warned us.

After the great faith chapter in Hebrews 11, the writer gives practical instruction in Hebrews 12. In verse 14, we are told to “pursue peace with all people and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord”. Then in verse 15, he warns us to be diligent “lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled.” Bitterness must be dealt with, and it is often rooted in unforgiveness. We will see more about this in our chat tomorrow.

For today, let us be mindful to walk in purity, love, and grace. Let us not grieve the Holy Spirit by allowing bitterness to remain in our hearts toward those who have hurt us.

God bless you, and may you have a wonderful, wonderful day.