Ephesians 4:26 Be you angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down on your wrath: I. A GENERAL PRINCIPLE. It must keep clear of sin "be ye angry, and sin not." 1. Unjust anger is clearly wrong. 2. Excessive anger comes under the same condemnation. 3. Personal anger is scarcely ever without sin; yet this is the character of the greater number of cases. We are angry with the person, rather than with his misconduct. 4. Selfish anger may always be suspected of sin. II. A SPECIAL RULE. "Let not the sun go down upon your wrath." III. AN AWFUL MOTIVE. "Neither give place to the devil." There are two characters which the devil sustains towards us: he is our accuser, and our tempter. In both these characters he gains an advantage over us by means of sinful anger. 1. It furnishes him with a charge against us. Dream not that angry words are mere idle breath: "By thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned." 2. It assists his temptations of us. Everyone must know what a pitiable creature he is, who gives way to unbridled anger. Only work on his passion, and you may make him believe anything — say anything — do anything. And the man unconsciously "gives place" to his enemy. While proudly resolving not to give way to a fellow creature, whose ill-will could do him little injury, and might have been disarmed by gentleness or yielding: he throws himself into the arms of one who seizes the occasion for promoting the destruction of both body and soul in hell. (J. Jowett, M. A.) Parallel Verses KJV: Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath:WEB: "Be angry, and don't sin." Don't let the sun go down on your wrath, |
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