A Christian’s approach to life situations part 3

Anger

Everyone has to deal with anger from time to time. Hopefully this lesson will help you to understand what the Bible says about anger and how to deal with it.

There is good anger, which is being angry at those things that God get angry about and then there is a bad anger, which causes someone to say things that are sinful or even cause someone harm another person.

First let’s look at good kind of anger.

Psalm 119:127 Therefore I love Your commandments More than gold, yes, than fine gold! ¹²⁸ Therefore all Your precepts concerning all things I consider to be right; I hate every false way.

When Moses came down from the mountain.

Exodus 32:19 So it was, as soon as he came near the camp, that he saw the calf and the dancing. So Moses' anger became hot, and he cast the tablets out of his hands and broke them at the foot of the mountain. ²⁰ Then he took the calf which they had made, burned it in the fire, and ground it to powder; and he scattered it on the water and made the children of Israel drink it. ²¹ ¶ And Moses said to Aaron, "What did this people do to you that you have brought so great a sin upon them?"

Jesus was angry and He did not sin

Mark 3:1 And He entered the synagogue again, and a man was there who had a withered hand. ² So they watched Him closely, whether He would heal him on the Sabbath, so that they might accuse Him. ³ And He said to the man who had the withered hand, "Step forward." ⁴ Then He said to them, "Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do evil, to save life or to kill?" But they kept silent. ⁵ And when He had looked around at them with anger, being grieved by the hardness of their hearts, He said to the man, "Stretch out your hand." And he stretched it out, and his hand was restored as whole as the other.

Jesus also ran out money changers from the temple twice.

Paul was angry.

Acts 17:16 Now while Paul waited for them at Athens, his spirit was provoked within him when he saw that the city was given over to idols.

There are certain things that we should be angry at and it is not a sin, but we have to be careful of how we deal with our anger because if we are not careful we may sin.

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

We can see how Paul dealt with his anger with Athenians.

Acts 17:17 Therefore he reasoned in the synagogue with the Jews and with the Gentile worshipers, and in the marketplace daily with those who happened to be there.

Then later he addressed the Athenians themselves.

Proverbs 14:29 He who is slow to wrath has great understanding, But he who is impulsive exalts folly.

Now let’s take a look at the bad kind of anger. Again this is the type of anger that causes us to lose control our tongue and say things that we should not or when we allow ourselves to physical harm someone because of our anger.

David gives this advice.

Psalm 37:8 Cease from anger, and forsake wrath; Do not fret -- it only causes harm.

Christians are supposed to put this type of anger to death

Colossians 3:8 But now you yourselves are to put off all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth. ⁹ Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds,

Nothing good will come from anger like this. Let’s take a look at some of the things that cause anger like this.

Our first example comes from Jonah

Jonah 4:1 But it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he became angry. ² So he prayed to the LORD, and said, "Ah, LORD, was not this what I said when I was still in my country? Therefore I fled previously to Tarshish; for I know that You are a gracious and merciful God, slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness, One who relents from doing harm. ³ "Therefore now, O LORD, please take my life from me, for it is better for me to die than to live!" ⁴ Then the LORD said, "Is it right for you to be angry?" ⁵ So Jonah went out of the city and sat on the east side of the city. There he made himself a shelter and sat under it in the shade, till he might see what would become of the city. ⁶ ¶ And the LORD God prepared a plant and made it come up over Jonah, that it might be shade for his head to deliver him from his misery. So Jonah was very grateful for the plant. ⁷ But as morning dawned the next day God prepared a worm, and it so damaged the plant that it withered. ⁸ And it happened, when the sun arose, that God prepared a vehement east wind; and the sun beat on Jonah's head, so that he grew faint. Then he wished death for himself, and said, "It is better for me to die than to live." ⁹ Then God said to Jonah, "Is it right for you to be angry about the plant?" And he said, "It is right for me to be angry, even to death!" ¹⁰ But the LORD said, "You have had pity on the plant for which you have not labored, nor made it grow, which came up in a night and perished in a night. ¹¹ "And should I not pity Nineveh, that great city, in which are more than one hundred and twenty thousand persons who cannot discern between their right hand and their left -- and much livestock?"

He had no mercy in his heart and he was not willing to forgive.

Cain and able Gen. 4

Luke 15 The prodigal son, the brother was jealous and unforgiving.

Proverbs 6:34 For jealousy is a husband's fury; Therefore he will not spare in the day of vengeance. ³⁵ He will accept no recompense, Nor will he be appeased though you give many gifts.

Some will allow the Word of God to make the angry. Stephen Acts 7 and most of the prophets.

This kind of anger causes all kinds of problems. It can break up marriages and can destroy friendships and a congregation. We will give an account for every word that we speak Mat. 12:36

We have to be careful when comes to our children.

Colossians 3:21 Fathers, do not provoke your children, lest they become discouraged.

It can affect your prayer life.

1 Timothy 2:8 I desire then that in every place the men should pray, lifting holy hands without anger or quarreling

This is why we are commanded to put this type of anger to death

Proverbs 22:24 Make no friendship with an angry man, And with a furious man do not go, ²⁵ Lest you learn his ways And set a snare for your soul.

Anger is contagious. This can be seen in the angry mob that put Jesus to death and the angry mob that tried to kill Paul.

The greatest danger of anger is that it can cause us to lose our soul.

Matthew 5:22 "But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment.

Galatians 5:19 Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, ²⁰ idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, ²¹ envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

As Christians we must stay away from this type of anger. The best way for us to overcome this kind of anger is to

1. Pray to God for help in this area.

2. Follow God’s example.

Nahum 1:3 The LORD is slow to anger and great in power,

2 Peter 3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.

3. Follow the advice of the Bible.

Proverbs 15:1 A soft answer turns away wrath, But a harsh word stirs up anger.

We need take the advice of James

The best way to accomplish this is taught by James.

James 1:19 So then, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath; ²⁰ for the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God.

In conclusion there is a good anger where we should be angry at those things that make God angry, but we must use our anger in constructive way. Then we have learned that there is a bad anger that can cause us to sin and to lose our soul. The best way to deal with this type of anger is by praying for help and following Gods example and finally we must train ourselves to be swift to hear, slow speak and slow to wrath.