ወመኑ መሐሪ

· 2026-10-18

Saint Paul teaches that those who have received Christ must no longer live according to their former way of life. The old self—corrupted by falsehood, uncontrolled desire, anger, stealing, bitterness, and harmful speech—must be put away. Christians are called to put on the new self, created in righteousness and holiness. The new life is visible in practical actions: speaking truthfully, controlling anger, working honestly, helping those in need, using words that strengthen others, forgiving one another, and refusing to grieve the Holy Spirit. Saint James explains that conflict often begins within the human heart. Jealousy, pride, uncontrolled desires, and the desire to possess what belongs to another person destroy peace. The remedy is humility before God: resisting the devil, drawing close to the Lord, purifying the heart, and refusing to judge others. The conversion of the people in Ephesus demonstrates this transformation. When they encounter the power of Christ, they confess their sins and renounce their former practices. The Word of God becomes stronger in their community because people allow the Gospel to change their daily lives. In the parable of the workers in the vineyard, those who worked from the beginning become angry when the latecomers receive the same payment. Jesus reveals that salvation is God’s generous gift, not a reward that gives us permission to compare ourselves with others. God is free to be generous, and His mercy toward another person does not take anything away from us. A spiritually blossoming Christian does not live through jealousy or competition. The believer receives grace with gratitude, rejoices when others receive mercy, and becomes merciful because God has first shown mercy to us.

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