Be Angry
“Be angry"
This is a command,
from the apostle to the church at Ephesus. (Ephesians 4:26)
All anger is not sin!
How could it be, when Psalm 7:11
describes God Himself as
"angry with the wicked every day",
and, we are admonished to be
“imitators of God”? (5:1)
"Be angry"
This is a command.
All anger is not sin!
Anger can be a righteous expression of indignation,
and even sanctified fury,
over sin and injustice.
"Be angry"
This is a command.
All anger is not sin!
Righteous anger is anger that is justified, controlled and used by the Holy Spirit.
First and foremost, we should be angry against OUR OWN SINS!
Now there is a legitimate object for our anger!
Be angry enough to KILL (mortify) the sins that so easily beset YOU.
"Put to death therefore what is earthly in you:
sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness,
which is idolatry."
~ Colossians 3:5
Let our anger FIRST and FOREMOST,
be against our own personal sins
to promote the glory of God in our own souls
and drive us to Christ for forgiveness, cleansing and sanctification.
"Be angry"
This is a command.
All anger is not sin!
It is not automatically sinful to be angry over wickedness and injustice,
especially as it affects the weak and needy.
The holy scriptures teach us that the fear of the Lord
(which is the beginning/foundation of godly wisdom)
is to HATE evil.
(Proverbs 1:7;8:13;9:10;15:33; Psalm 111:10)
We can, and must, feel angry hatred against the evil of sin.
In ourselves, and in others.
Why?
What is the single, most important reason that we are to hate evil,
be angry about it
and to oppose sin?
First, because sin is always and primarily, AGAINST GOD.
It robs Jesus Christ, the One through whom we were made,
of the glory due His Name.
Secondly, we are to have angry hatred against evil
because it threatens and does actual harm to our neighbor,
whom we are to love as ourselves.
[Note: Righteous anger should compel us to do something to rescue our neighbor from harm. Real love leads to real action. See the parable of the Good Samaritan in Luke 10. If our 'anger' does not compel us to real loving, interventive action towards the imperiled, we may not have the holy anger of God that we should covet.]
Thirdly, we are to have angry hatred against evil
because it wrongs the soul of the sinner (ourselves or someone else),
leading them into the sucking vortex of sin (as described in Romans 1:18-31).
"Be angry"
This is a command.
All anger is not sin!
Yet ...
What then, does it is mean to SIN with anger?
What is SINful anger?
Jesus commanded His disciples NOT to be angry with a brother without cause. (Matthew 5:22)
Being angry at yourself, or anyone else, without just and good cause is SIN.
That would be sinful anger.
So, seek the Lord in prayer, asking Jesus to search and try you to see if there be any wicked way in you.
Look to His Holy Scriptures and to trusted brethren when you are angry,
to be sure that your cause is justified.
Paul goes on to direct us what to DO with our anger;
"and do not sin;
do not let the sun go down on your anger,
and give no opportunity to the devil”
~ Ephesians 4:26-27
One commentary notes that there are "two checks" upon anger;
The first check is to beware of sinning;
to keep your anger clear of
bitterness,
spite,
malevolence,
and all such evil feelings.
The second is, "Let not the sun go down on your anger";
examine yourself in the evening, and see that you are tranquil.
See to it that your anger not be of a revengeful nature.
Matthew Henry writes:
"Take heed of anger and ungoverned passions.
If there is just occasion to express displeasure at what is wrong, and to reprove,
see that it be without sin."
The bottom line is: anger, to be the anger commanded by and approved of God must beredemptive.
Unholy anger is not redemptive.
It does not seek to glorify God and make things right between the sinner and the Savior.
Unholy anger does not seek the highest good of the sinner, which is to be made right with a holy God.
In reality, ironically, if you look closely, sinful, unrighteous anger is not truly looking for the best and highest good of those sinned AGAINST, either.
In fact, it relishes the carnal emotion of anger and steeps in bitterness, resentment, dismissive judgment and seeks personal vengeance.
Holy, righteous anger is redemptive.
It seeks to glorify God the Father, His Savior-Son Jesus Christ and the powerful work of salvation by the Holy Spirit.
Holy, righteous anger always includes a call to repentance and a clear directive to faith in Jesus Christ as the only hope in life and in death.
Holy, righteous anger causes us extend ourselves beyond what is comfortable to literally, physically SAVE the victim of cruelty and injustice, with our very lives.
Holy, righteous anger that is commanded by God, should be expressed through bold love, leaving the vengeance to the One to whom it belongs;
"Vengeance is Mine", says the Lord. "I will repay"...
~ Romans 12:19
"Be angry"
This is a command.
All anger is not sin!
"Be angry"
Do what you must do,
in the strength and power of the Holy Spirit,
to give glory to Christ
and to prevent injustice and innocent bloodshed.
Then, having done all.
Stand.
Then -
Leave it to the Judge of all the earth.
He shall do what is right on that Great and Terrible Day of the Lord.
"Vengeance is Mine, and recompense,
for the time when their foot shall slip;
for the day of their calamity is at hand,
and their doom comes swiftly.’
~ Deuteronomy 32:35
May the Lord Jesus reign in our hearts, minds, will and emotions
as we seek to live for His glory
and for the just good of ourselves,
our loved ones,
and our neighbors.
Amen.
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