31 Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Ephesians 4:31 (NIV)
The devotional, Daily Strength for Daily Needs, uses the KJV for its verses. While I generally post the NIV translation, I found the KJV of today's entry added an extra layer. (I have posted the NIV translation for comparison.)
Paul is writing to Christians and providing advice/guidelines for day-to-day living. Nothing ethereal or theological. In verses 25-31, he lists a series of attitudes, actions and speech patterns that have no place in a Christian's life. Verse 31 lists 6 of those. Malice having made the list. However, when I first read the verse in the KJV, I read it a bit differently.
Rather than "malice" being one of the listed transgressions, I read it as how we were to react to the other items in the list. Similar to "let us storm the castle, posthaste." Put away bitterness, wrath, anger, clamour, evil speaking with malice. Put these things out of our life with a hatred for them. Then I looked up the definition for "malice", as well as other translations of the verse, and realized that I had incorrrectly interpreted the KJV.
However, it got me to thinking. Do we really HATE the sin in our lives? Are we driven to our prayer closets, on our knees, tears streaming down our faces for the sin in our lives? As individuals do we find personal sin disgusting and sickening?
Sure we know sin is wrong. We shouldn't be doing it. Shouldn't have those thoughts. Shouldn't be saying those things. Blah, blah, blah. But disdain and hatred for the sin in our lives? Do we have a loathing for the sin that continues to plague us as individuals?
In almost every Southern Baptist Church one
can find those who will rail against gay marriage, abortion and President Obama. I wonder how much rage one could find against personal, individual
sins.
How often do Christians line up along Glenstone carrying signs protesting adultery? How many marches on Washington, D.C. have taken place to protest malice? How many Christian PACs have come out against a political candidate because he was bitter?
Perhaps if, as individual Christians, we spent more time in sincere, fervent pray for God's deliverance from our personal sin, we would find our country needed fewer marches, protests and rallies.
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