Anger

Anger

Ephesians 4:26-27 “Be angry, and do not sin”: do not let the sun go down on your wrath, nor give place to the devil.

Twice this week I was blessed to hear preachers preaching on the topic of anger. In both cases the question was, is it a sin to be angry? That is a good question. In both cases the preacher came to the Biblical conclusion that anger, in and of itself, is not a sin.

There are times when Christians should be angry. What kind of people would we be if we did not get angry when abuse takes place, when innocent people are hurt or killed, or when evil is rewarded? There are many things, especially in our culture, that disciples of Jesus Christ should be angry about. Anger is not a sin, but we must be careful. Anger can be misplaced, and it can lead us into sin. I often hear people speak of “righteous anger,” but if your anger causes you to do something, say something, or even think something sinful, then your anger is not righteous anger.

Scripture often speaks to how Christians should be disciplined—self-controlled. When anger makes a person lose control it quickly becomes sin. When anger leads to rage, hatred, or violence anger becomes sin, but when anger drives a person to pray, love, and act in a positive way it can be godly.

Anger is a powerful emotion. It can drive you to do something good, or it can drive you to do something evil, so be angry and do not sin.

Have a God Filled Week,
Brother Donnie