BiblicalInsights.net

     Spring cleaning is an annual ritual for many folks who desire to clean their house, garage, basement, attic or the land around their house.  Sometimes this is a dreaded task.  However, once completed, it gives great satisfaction.  Have you ever considered spiritual spring cleaning?  Through self-examination we can discover those things that need to be eliminated from our thoughts and actions and completely purify the mind and heart.  Paul describes this process in Ephesians 4:22-24, “That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.”  Following these words, Paul names some specific things that need to be eliminated from every person’s life and especially those of Christians.  He mentions lying, sinful anger, stealing, and filthy communication.  A lie is a statement that is contrary to fact offered with the intent to deceive (J. D. Watson, A Word for the Day, 73).  Such things as kidding, fictional stories, figurative language, and not saying something out of politeness are not lying.  There are many things that constitute lying:  false witnessing, exaggerating or embellishing a story, cheating (because you’re saying you did something on your own when you didn’t), betraying a confidence, making excuses for wrong conduct, plagiarism, boasting, flattery, hypocrisy, false promises and many others.  Sinful anger is anger that is: uncontrolled; inspired by the wrong motives such as jealousy, revenge, and hatred; destructive in its results; and often progresses  to malice and strife.  Stealing is taking that which rightfully belongs to another.  We can be guilty of this by taking from an employer what belongs to him, reporting more hours than what we have actually worked, and not paying a debt that is owed. We can even rob God by keeping what  we should rightfully give to Him or by not giving God of our time and devotion in worship and Christian service.  Filthy communication refers to corrupt forms of speech.  Words count!  Whenever we take God’s name in vain, or use it flippantly we sin with our tongue.  Use of bad language such as profanity  would certainly qualify.  False teaching also qualifies.  The word corrupt is from a Greek word meaning “rotten or spoiled.”  Filthy stories, jokes, and vulgar words are all condemned by Paul.  
     The new man in Christ, a Christian, must remove all of these filthy and corrupt things from his life.  Instead, he or she should speak the truth, control his/her anger, work to make an honest living and speak words that encourage and edify others. 
     No doubt this type of spiritual spring cleaning will require hard work, but the results will be pleasing to God and satisfying to the soul.