by Kim Chapman
Eph. 4:26 says “Be ye angry, and sin not.” or “Although you may have become angry, stop sinning.”
This verse is quoted from Psalm 4, which is about David’s righteous indignation at the revolt of his son Absalom. He is resisting the temptation to become angry. “Tremble with anger, yet do not sin.” He was tempted to become angry at Absalom because Abaslom had used his position to start a revolution against his father. but he didn’t become angry, he trusted the Lord (Occupation with Christ), and he asked the army to spare Absalom. 2 Sam. 18:5.
It is possible to respond to unfairness or offense without sin. A person may sin against you, yet you can remain without sin. You can put the matter in the Lord’s hands, stay in fellowship, and maintain a relaxed mental attitude. Furthermore, because you stay in fellowship, you are in the best position to be of service in the situation. You can forgive the other person and be open to any reconciliation he might offer. You will at least do your part to keep lines of communication open.
The Bible continually emphasizes righteousness maintained in the face of unfair treatment.
You cannot build your happiness on someone else’s misery. This is what retaliation tries to do. But you’ll never obtain happiness through revenge or by straightening out the other person. To punish someone else using verbal sins or violence is a revenge operation; worse yet, it obstructs divine judgment and discipline. “Judge not, that you be not judged” is intended to warn us to let The Lord handle matters of sins against Himself. The angry person who arrogates to himself the position of judge is in a position of compounded divine discipline himself, worse off than the one who originally caused the trouble.
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