Before we were saved, we were easily filled with anger, easily filled with wrath, even with malice. There were times when we just felt mean. Nobody did anything to us, but we just did something to somebody because we felt like doing it. Now that we are born again, we must put away anger, wrath, and malice.
Malice is an intent to commit an unlawful act or to cause harm without justification. Now some folks are just downright mean. Do you know anybody like that? They can be downright ornery. They have no reason to plot to do something against somebody, but they do it anyway.
It is unfortunate, but before we were saved we acted with malice. This is a non-Christian behavior. But now that we are saved it is time to put it away. Christians do not plot to harm other people with or without reason. Christians think the best of every person. And since you are thinking the best, instead of harm, you are planning blessings for others, with or without reason.
And see, children get angry like that all the time because they have not been taught yet. They haven't yet learned how to resist the enemy and how to flow in God's love yet. So, there could be a kid who has not had anything done to him. But that kid will sit there and plan how to do something mean to another person, and he'll and do it too.
Have you ever watched what two and three-year-olds will do to one another? One kid will be playing by himself, and another kid will set a trap. Or they might come over there and whop the other kid upside the head for no reason. That's the nature of sin. Those are the clothes that you had coming into this world.
But it is time to put on some new clothes now. You are no longer of this world now that you are born again. You are in this world, but you are not of this world.
Therefore you do not operate the way the world operates. You have a different instruction book. It is called the Bible. And the Bible will help you to put off that old way of malice and put on the new way of love.
Scripture References: John 10:10; 1 Corinthians 5:8; Colossians 3:8
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Keith Butler has been an ordained minister since 1974. He is a graduate of the University of Michigan and holds diplomas from Canada Christian College and Rhema Bible Training Center.
He serves in ministry with the support of his lovely wife, Pastor Deborah L. Butler, and their children: Pastor Andre Butler (granddaughters Alexis, Angela, and April), Pastor MiChelle Ferguson and husband Pastor Lee (grandson Lucas), and Minister Kristina Jenkins and husband Pastor Joel (grandsons Andrew and Austin, and granddaughter Alyssa).
