Ephesians 4:32 And be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving one another, just as God also forgave you in Christ.
Paul reminds the church that they were once dead in their sin, with no hope, BUT God made them alive in Christ. Paul calls believers to live in a way that is worthy of the gift that God has given them. In this section Paul gives examples of what a new life in Christ looks like in relationships.
Paul details the life believers are meant to have in Christ. Even though it is a free gift from God, that we can do nothing to earn, it is a new life, with a new standard. He goes through a list of all the things church members should not be doing, but the whole list can be summed up in this last verse. “Be kind and compassionate.” If this one verse is followed, all the rest will fall into place. And they are not being told to forgive one another because it is easy, or the right thing to do, or because anyone deserves it, but because no one deserves it, and God forgave us through Christ anyway.
This letter was written to the church in Ephesus, but it could have just as easily been written to any local church today. As a believer you have been given a new life in Christ, and God has given us clear guidance on what to do with that life. He calls us to rise above anger, deceit, and malice, and to give the compassion and forgiveness that we are capable of only through Christ.
Zechariah 7:10 “This is what the LORD of Armies says: Administer real justice, and be compassionate and kind to each other. Don’t oppress widows, orphans, foreigners, and poor people. And don’t even think of doing evil to each other.
Matthew 6:14–15 “If you forgive the failures of others, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you don’t forgive others, your Father will not forgive your failures.
ALLOW THIS WORD FROM GOD TO BE A GUIDE UNTO YOUR LIFE.
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PASTOR ANDRA HIGGINBOTHAM