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Verse 32

And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving each other, even as God also in Christ forgave you.

These are the opposites of the things forbidden in Ephesians 4:31.

Kind one to another ... Nothing blesses mankind any more than ordinary kindness, which is not in any sense ordinary, but the most extraordinary endowment that any Christian possesses.

Tenderhearted ... How much at variance with the pagan cultures of antiquity was this Christian virtue is pointed out by MacKnight thus:

This precept is very different from that of Epictetus who speaks to this purpose, "If one is in affliction, thou may say to him that thou hast pity on him; but take care not to feel any pity.[38]

Forgiving ... as Christ forgave you ... The longest parable Matthew recorded, that of "The Unmerciful Servant" (Matthew 18:21-35), concludes with these words: "So shall also my heavenly Father do unto you, if ye forgive not every one his brother from your heart." The watchword for Christians, and for all people, is "Forgive or forfeit forgiveness!"

As Christ forgave ... The great motivation for all virtue is in Christ, especially that for forgiveness. All thought of malice toward others should perish in the flood of joy that sweeps over the soul which has been cleansed and forgiven of all sins.

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