Pastor John,
I woke up this morning with the tract SUBDUED on my mind. Brother Gary said he had recently re-read it and it was instrumental in helping him seek God. I felt a strong kinship with him in Spirit, going through similar situations. I really felt the need to get low before God and ask Him to do for me as he had done for Gary.
In that tract, “Subdued”, your father used some phrases from Ephesians 4, although he doesn’t quote them. I found them through my concordance and began researching and enjoying Ephesians, which is full of gold nuggets!
In comparing the KJV with the NIV, I noticed a glaring difference in Eph 4:26, 27. Since you know the exact Greek, could you speak about this difference? Is it a difference in translation or interpretation, or both?
I got the feeling that the NIV’s Christian bias, typical for Christianity, is one of a “forgiving” nature, i.e., “Don’t go to bed while you are still angry at someone” or “Settle your disputes and don’t be angry at bedtime.” So, I’m curious as to the meaning of the precise Greek translation. According to the KJV and NIV, Paul was saying two completely different things! I would like to know if you have discerned God’s true meaning in that section.
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The NIV translation is dead wrong. Your suspicions are correct. In that verse, Paul is saying just the opposite of the way the NIV translates it.
Paul is telling his readers never to stop being angry. The Greek says, “Be angry, and do not sin. Do not let the sun go down on your fury. Neither give place to the Slanderer.” It has been my observation that whenever a child of God loses that holy anger against sin, he becomes confused about who is the enemy. The phrase, “never let the sun go down on your fury,” means “never let your fury come to an end”, not “Make sure you get over it before you go to bed.”
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Another Q I had was about Eph 5:15, 16, 17.
“Don’t waste time, because the days are evil.” (?) and “. . .don’t be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is.” (?)
Many times I cannot get an answer from God what His will is for a particular situation or circumstance. How do we KNOW what God’s will is everyday, to walk according to it? I do not want to be considered unwise (or foolish) by God. That frightens me. And if I am unwise, won’t God have mercy on me and help me to make better decisions? He doesn’t want His children to be foolish, right? Hope you can help.
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God is not always going to make things clear to our understanding. In fact, many times He does not. He tries the heart, not the head, so that we, as well as others, will see where we really stand with Him. Many times, He creates hard situations, impossible to understand, just to show let everyone in the body know who is who in His kingdom (see 1Cor. 11:19). If you are wise, regardless of what anyone thinks of you, it will be made obvious during those trying times. You will make the right chocie because your heart, not your head, is close to God and understands in its own way what the will of God is.
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Another great section of Ephesians that I enjoyed was 6 :16, 17. It clearly states that the “sword of the Spirit. . .is the word of God.” (!!) Paul is saying plainly that the holy ghost is the word of God, NOT the Bible! PRAISE GOD!! That felt so good to me! Such validation of the truth!
Brad
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Yes, that verse says quite plainly (even more plainly in Greek than in English) that the Spirit is the word of God. I’m glad you noticed that.
Pastor John