Whats Bad about Bitterness

[Ncdataman]

What's Bad about Bitterness

Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior. Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.
— Ephesians 4:31–32



Augustine reportedly had a sign on his wall that read, "He who speaks evil of an absent man or woman is not welcome at this table." That would have ended a lot of conversations, wouldn't it?

The Bible tells us to "get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior" (Ephesians 4:31). Slander speaks of saying evil things about others behind their backs.

Bitterness, which is an embittered and resentful spirit that refuses to be reconciled, makes the Holy Spirit sad and sorrowful. Yet some people like to be mad. They live for conflict. They live for arguments. They live for fighting. They seem to actually like it.

Then there are the people who avoid conflicts, and I will admit that I am one of them. I don't like conflict. I dread it in fact. But some people are just looking for something to fight about, and they seem to go from conflict to conflict. You probably know people like this. They are always mad at someone. They always have their nemesis, the one person who is the source of all their misery, and they are always talking about him or her. And they often are very critical, constantly nitpicking and trying to uncover things in other people's lives.

Yet I have made an interesting discovery: the person who has been covering up sin in his or her life typically is always trying to uncover sin in the lives of others. It never surprises me when I find that the most critical people are guilty of something far worse themselves.

So don't live that way. It grieves the Holy Spirit. If you let bitterness go unchecked, it could lead you to take the next step—and to something even worse.


From Harvest

 

[Quantum1982]

bitterness

What you are saying is true. If you don't deal with your inner bitterness, it can stay with you for 30 years or more. The most dificult bitterness to overcome is one against another relative, especially if that relative abused you in some emotional,physical or psychological way.

However you touched on something very contraversial when you said that the people who are the most guilty are the ones to quickly point out the wrongs of others. Maybe this is true most of the time, but there are also times when another christian is just genuinely trying to help or to be a good shephard. A good example is warning brethren about a wolf in sheep's clothing. As christians it takes carefull consideration and grace to find the balance between the two.

Another is when a specific lifestyle is pointed out as being false, for example a wife-beater, and there are many famous VIP's who fall into this category. This is something that deserves a topic on it's own, I need to get other people's opinions, since one of our obligations as christians is to identify false teachers by name.

 

[RJ]

It is indeed sin that seperates us from God.

But what many fail to understand is the ways in which we sin.
Another way of looking at it, is that God is perfect and therefore, there is no imperfection in Him.

On the other hand we are imperfect and we are literally incapable of bridging that void that seperates us from God.
In that sense, bitterness is no different than any other imperfections that can old us in bondage. Hate, jealousy, envy, doubt, fear, covetness and , the list of imperfections that keep us seperated from God, goes on!.

Like St. Paul said, he didn't know what covetness was until he realized he could'nt control it, thanks be for Jesus Christ in our lives!

 

[Tyler]

What's Bad about Bitterness

Yet I have made an interesting discovery: the person who has been covering up sin in his or her life typically is always trying to uncover sin in the lives of others. It never surprises me when I find that the most critical people are guilty of something far worse themselves.

From Harvest

Your comment about this aspect of people just made these few verses pop into my head. =]
Most often a person picks and scratches at the things he or she is most ashamed of in his or her own life.

Matthew 7:3
And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?

Matthew 7:4
Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye?

Matthew 7:5
Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye.

Luke 6:41
And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but perceivest not the beam that is in thine own eye?

Luke 6:42
Either how canst thou say to thy brother, Brother, let me pull out the mote that is in thine eye, when thou thyself beholdest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Thou hypocrite, cast out first the beam out of thine own eye, and then shalt thou see clearly to pull out the mote that is in thy brother's eye.

 

[Quantum1982]

bitterness

There is also "judge not least ye be judged".
You just have to remember one thing : The bible is supposed to be used for correction. So if your parents see that you are into drinking and driving ( hypothetically speaking ) then they will say something about it to you. You cannot then tell them to "remove the log from your eye before you try and take out the twig from mine". You will be grounded. They have authority over you.

Although, it shouldn't be restricted to only your relatives. If one christian sees another brethren falling, must he remain silent ? There is also a duty and a responsibility.

I know so many people who are deceived by Benny Hynn's teachings. The bible says we MUST identify false teachers by name. Since everybody has sinned, this implies that you can't listen to anyone, because that would be hypocrisy, but then who do you listen to ? I suppose a safe way of understanding it is to ask, " What would Jesus do ? "