Be Ye Angry and Sin Not

Be Ye Angry and Sin Not

It was a day where almost nothing went right. Bible class was getting closer and there were papers which needed to be printed. The problem lies in the fact that the printer was not very cooperative. It earned the nickname “Bob Marley” because whenever you tried to print a large number of papers “it be jammin’.” True to its nature the printer jammed and I had to fix it. While in the process of fixing it my hand touched a metallic piece inside the printer which was extremely hot and I got burned. An hour later I received a phone call from a telephone company which will go unnamed. Rather, I received a call from a collection agency on behalf of said company for a bill I never owed. The person on the other end was as understanding as you’d expect them to be. They wanted money and no explanation would solve the issue. These two factors caused something major to happen. I got angry. Very angry. It happens to all of us at one time or another. No matter how hard we fight it something will trigger our anger. The question we want to ask is, “Are we sinning every time we grow angry?” It is important that we answer such questions.

Is There an Anger Contradiction?

When one reads Ephesians 4:26-27 and 31-32, it seems there may be a slight contradiction. One teaches that one may grow angry as long as he does not commit sin the process or allow the sun to set on it. The other tells us to completely get rid of anger. There are a few things the Bible student should understand on the subject.

Ephesians 4:26-27 is nor a prohibition or a license to get angry. There are times in which we read of the Christ getting angry. One instance is in Mark 3. The chapter begins with Christ entering the synagogue and seeing a man with a withered hand. There were many who watched him closely hoping that He would heal the man so they might accuse Him (v. 3). He asked them if it was lawful to do good or evil on the Sabbath (v. 4). In verse 5, we notice that “…He had looked round about on them in anger…”.

We must answer a statement many will make as they look to verses such as these. “Well, Christ was able to get angry and so can I.” Now, it is true that Christ grew angry with these who tried to condemn Him for doing good but is our anger the same as His? Those who like to point to verses like this usually grow angry for what we would call “trifles.” A trifle is something of little importance. Why did Christ grow angry? Did Christ grow angry because traffic was not moving as He would like it? Was He stuck in line at the DMV and no one was moving as He would like them? Why did Christ grow angry? He was angry at this group “…being grieved for the hardness of their hearts…” (Mark 3:5).

There is such a thing as “righteous indignation” (Psalm 7:11; Ezekiel 7:3). This is the type of anger which God has. Why was God angry with these people? He was angry because of the rampant idolatry, hatred/injustice toward the weak, sacrificing of infants/children, pacts made with other nations, and all around forgetting God. His anger was fueled towards the sinfulness and hardness of heart which the people exhibited. Can a Christian show righteous indignation? Yes. The world has many problems at the moment. When one looks at homosexuality, abortion, and the general ungodliness of the world around us, it should make us very upset. At the same time, a Christian can go way too far with his actions. If one is against abortion, does he allow the anger to cause him to murder a doctor who performs them? No.

There lies the answer to the possible contradiction we have. There does not seem to be a problem with anger in and out of itself. It is what we do with it when we have it. In fact, the word “anger” in verse 26 means “to be provoked to anger.” That tells me there will be a time when I grow angry. I need to react appropriately. Paul calls on Christians to “let not the sun go down on your wrath.” Literally, do not harbor these feelings of anger. If you hold on to feelings of anger against an individual it is only going to get worse. It is somewhat like a scab. What do you do when you have a wound which scabs over? You do not continually pick at the scab and peel it. It will not get better that way. It will actually likely get worse, get infected, and possible kill you.

He also says, “neither give place to the devil.” What happens if we hold on to that anger and act upon it? We give place to the devil. There is a common saying we have concerning our thoughts and actions. “Well, you thought it so you might as well say it.” Wrong. “You thought it so you might as well do it.” Wrong. You might have thought it but it is best to keep those thoughts between you and God. If you act on it you end up hurting others and yourself. What should we go when we get angry? Walk away.

That brings us to verses 31-32. The word for “anger actually means something completely different. In verse 26 it just meant “to be provoked to anger.” What is listen in verse 31 is what righteous indignation can become if it goes unchecked. Paul lists destructive forms of anger.

·         Bitterness refers to an “acrid taste in the mouth” and describes one who is constantly disagreeable. Ever met someone who was “weaned on a pickle”?

·         Wrath is an “outburst of fury.” This is actually seen more than the Greek term for anger.

·         Anger is “a disposition which holds on to feelings of anger, often seeing revenge.” Not seen as often as our definition of anger.

·         Clamour means “imitating the cry of a raven.” This is often seen in shouting contests between two people.

·         Evil speaking is when someone has a harsh saying against another individual. When the Greek word is used of one speaking against God it is translated as “blasphemy.”

·         Malice is the disposition from whence all these flow. This is wickedness/evil. It we allow ourselves to act on anger with any of the actions, it is evil.

Paul commands the Ephesians, “Let [These things – aac] be put away from you.” Literally, he’s telling these Christians to “throw this destructive anger away.” Instead, be kind one to another. Be compassionate or sympathetic towards your needs. As Christ showed His love for you in forgiving you when you came to obedience, be willing to forgive each other instead of harboring an angry attitude. Christians can have righteous indignation but are to have no part of this destructive anger. There are certain things which anger will hurt.

Anger Hurts Influence

“Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men” (Matt. 5:13). Salt has had many uses throughout the ages. It is a season, preservative, and used in the purification process. We want to focus on the fact that it is a purifier. It is used in salt pool purifiers because it is eco friendly and a cheaper alternative to the chemicals used in the past. The Jews were to be purifying force to the Gentiles.

Christians are to be salt today. One factor to our ability to be a purifier is our influence. Anger can help ruin that influence. For instance, I once heard of an elder who was in the Lowe’s parking lot with molding. The molding was too big for his vehicle. He tried to maneuver it every which way he could and it would not fit. Finally, in a fit of anger he breaks the molding in half and throws it in his vehicle. What effect would that have if someone saw him in this act? James wrote that we should be “slow to wrath” because the “wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God” (James 1:19-20). Want your influence destroyed in a matter of seconds? Show your anger in a public setting.

Anger Hurts Innocent People

There is a Biblical example of this happening in Genesis 34. Dinah is defiled by Shechem. Before we go any further, let us say that this is an inexcusable action. It does not matter if he intended on marrying her. It was something he should not have done. We notice that the sons of Israel were distressed and filled with wrath (v. 7). Hamor and Shechem were willing to do anything for Shechem to have Dinah as his wife (v. 8-12). Their reasoning was to integrate the people together (v. 9). Notice the response of her brothers (v. 13).  They spoke deceitfully (lied) to Shechem and his father. They were plotting revenge on the two. The brothers told the two the only reason they would allow Dinah to marry Shechem. The entire city must be willing to be circumcised before they were willing to integrate the people together. Hamor and Shechem made sure this would occur (Gen. 34:24). Three days after the circumcision when the men were “incapacitated” Levi and Simeon went into the village and killed them. They also killed Hamor and Shechem. Why did they do this? “The sons of Jacob came upon the slain, and spoiled the city, because they had defiled their sister” (Gen. 34:27). What Shechem did was terrible. Hamor trying to excuse his son’s actions was just as bad. Did an entire village deserve death?

Anger can and will hurt innocent people. While at preaching school, we were warned against preaching a sermon while angry. Chances are that in our anger we would saying something that would make the desired point but would do so in a hurtful manner. Anger affects those who are innocent.

Anger Hurts Self

In Numbers 20, we read of Moses at the Rock of Horeb. Verses 1-6 speak of the people complaining again. God commands Moses to speak to the rock (v. 7-8). What does Moses do? “And Moses took the rod from before the LORD, as he commanded him. And Moses and Aaron gathered the congregation together before the rock, and he said unto them, Hear now, ye rebels; must we fetch you water out of this rock?” (Num. 20:9-10). Well, he spoke to the rock but committed two sins in the process. He gave himself and Aaron credit for bringing the water which God provided (v. 12). He also broke the type of Christ (1 Cor. 10:4).

Look back at verse 12 and notice the punishment given to Moses. “…therefore ye shall not bring this congregation into the land which I have given them.” Moses would not be allowed to enter into the land of promise. His anger kept him from the promise given by God.

Anger and wrath can make or break our eternity. Galatians 5:19-21 mentions the works of the flesh. One of them is wrath. “…of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God” (Gal. 5:21b). It can keep us from heaven if we allow it.

There an old Hindu saying which is appropriate. “Holding on to anger is like grasping a hot coal with the intent of throwing it at someone else; you are the one who gets burned.”