Ephesians 4:24-30 And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness. Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another. Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath: Neither give place to the devil. Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth. Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace to the hearers. And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed to the day of redemption.

This passage speaks of righteousness, holiness, and redemption and reflects the same thought as 1 Corinthians 1:30:  "It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God--that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption."  Only through Christ that we can receive righteousness, holiness and free redemption.  Romans 6:19 I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity to iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness to holiness.

Some detail is given to the works that proceed from righteousness and holiness.  Be angry and sin not.  Anger here is mentioned, but strong negative emotion of any kind follows the same pattern.  There is a type of sin that, if translated literally, is "slipping across."  If you think of the law as a line, this is slipping across the line.  There is another type of sin that can be translated as: "stepping across."  There is a difference between slipping across and stepping across.  You may slip across into sin involuntarily.  This is what happens when you get angry.  This is what happens with a man looks on a woman to lust after her.  This is what happens when a sarcastic word comes out of your mouth.  It happens so fast that you have no time to react.  Then, there are sins that are on purpose.  They are willful.  You slip across and get angry, then you defend your "right to be angry" so that you can hold a grudge.  Or a man looks at a woman and slips across into sin, but then continues to gaze in willful sin.  When you willfully sin, you know that you are wrong, then you contend with God to ease your conscience, and you continue in sin.

When you slip across, this is the temptation.  It is the sin that is already in your heart springing up.  When you refuse to listen to your flesh and you listen to the Holy Spirit, you do not step across into sin.  Instead, you open the door to grace and grace does the work of God through you.  This plants good seed in your heart.  If, on the other hand, you listen to your own flesh, your own desires, and you ignore the Holy Spirit, then you sin and plant evil seed in the garden of your heart.  These seeds will grow and spring up and trouble you.  Either way, you reap what you sow.