Jim Taylor in Currents tells the following story about his friend, Ralph Milton: One morning Ralph woke up at five o’clock to a noise that sounded like someone repairing boilers on his roof. Still in his pajamas, he went into the back yard to investigate. He found a woodpecker on the TV antenna, "pounding its little brains out on the metal pole." Angry at the little creature who ruined his sleep, Ralph picked up a rock and threw it. The rock sailed over the house, and he heard a distant crash as it hit the car. In utter disgust, Ralph took a vicious kick at a clod of dirt, only to remember -- too late -- that he was still in his bare feet. Uncontrolled anger, as Ralph learned, can sometimes be its own reward.
Jim Taylor, Currents.
What Should we know of Anger?
Anger: the growth of anger is dangerous. Unresolved anger festers and can become uncontrollable and give birth to murder.
There are three steps in the growth of anger given here.
1.The anger that broods, that is selfish. It harbors malice; it will not forget; it lingers; it broods; it wills and sometimes seeks revenge.
2.The anger that holds contempt (hraka.) It despises; it ridicules; it arrogantly exalts self and calls another person empty and useless. This is an anger that is full of malice. It despises and scorns. It arises from pride—a proud wrath (Proverbs 21:24). Such feelings or anger walk over and trample a person. It says that whatever ill comes upon a person is deserved.
3.The anger that curses. It seeks to destroy a man and his reputation morally, intellectually, and spiritually.
There can be a justified anger.
We are admonished to be angry with those who sin and do wrong, and are unjust and selfish in their behavior. However, a justified anger is disciplined and controlled; it is always limited to those who do wrong against God or against others. The difference between justified and unjustified anger is that justified anger is never selfish; it is never shown because of what has happened to oneself. It is purposeful and the believer knows they are angry for a legitimate reason, and they seek to correct the situation in the most peaceful way possible (Ephes. 4:26-27; Romans 12:18; John 2:14-17).
“Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath” (Ephes. 4:26).
“If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peacably with all men” (Romans 12:18).
“And the Jews’ passover was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem, and found in the temple those that sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the changers of money sitting: and when he had made a scourge of small cords, he drove them all out of the temple, and the sheep, and the oxen; and poured out the changer’s money, and overthrew the tables” (John 2:13-16).
Anger is cast against many. Too often hurt feelings exist between those who are supposed to be the closest: husband and wife, parent and child, neighbor and friend, employer and employee. The Lord is clear about the matter: we must never allow anger to take hold of us without just cause.
“But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth” (Col. 3:8).
“Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath” (James 1:19).
“Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him” (1 John 3:15).
“Cease from anger, and forsake wrath: fret not thyself in any wise to do evil” (Psalm 37:8).
“He that is soon angry dealeth foolishly; and a man of wicked devices is hated” (Proverbs 14:17).
“He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty; and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city” (Proverbs 16:32).
“The discretion of a man deferreth his anger; and it is his glory to pass over a transgression” (Proverbs 19:11).
“Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry: for anger resteth in the bosom of fools” (Eccles. 7:9).
There are reasons why people get angry and develop feelings against others:
To seek revenge and to hurt.
To show ego or authority.
To reveal passion or secure some end.
To show hurt, resentment, and bitterness.
To express disagreement and displeasure.
To correct a wrong (a justified anger).
To give warning.
Anger: the judgment of anger. It is a serious matter to hold feelings against another person—a very serious matter.
There is
(1) the danger of judgment
(2) the danger of having to come before earthy courts, and
(3) the danger of hell fire.
Violence is to be judged—not only before the courts of the world, but before the court of God.
Anger: the answer to anger is reconciliation.
Christ had two surprising things to say about this point.
1.The urgency of reconciliation. Reconciliation is always to precede worship. Even when we are coming to worship, if there is a problem with a brother, we are to go to our brother seeking reconciliation.
Four reasons why reconciliation is more important than worship.
Reconciliation with God is one of the major purposes for worship. A person worships in order to seek reconciliation and fellowship with God and His people. Therefore, God does not accept the worship of a person who holds malice against Him or against any of His people. Statements of the fact make the point perfectly clear.
A break with another person means a break with God.
Unforgiveness toward another person means unforgiveness by God.
Not being right with another person means not being right with God.
Broken fellowship with another person means broken fellowship with God.
Bad feelings toward another person mean unacceptance by God.
Anger against another person means rejection by God.
A person just cannot hope or expect to be right with God if he is not right with his brother (1 John 4:20-21). He must forgive and be reconciled if he expects to be forgiven and reconciled to God.
“Forgive us, as we forgive our debtors” (Matthew 6:12; Luke 11:4).
“If ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly father will also forgive you....” (Matthew 6:14-15; Mark 11:25-26).
“If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen? And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also” (1 John 4:20-21).
A person is to worship, for worship is essential to life and eternity. But worship is unacceptable to God unless a person is reconciled with all his brothers.
Bad feelings between believers hinder worship. Worship is meaningless unless a person is right with his brother. Reconciliation must always precede worship.
Worship is a time for a person to reflect and to examine his heart and life to see if there is “any wicked way” within him (Psalm 139:24). It is essential that he search his heart. Worship is not acceptable if bad or wicked feelings against others are within the human heart.
How deceitful the human heart is!
1)Some persons try to worship while there are bad feelings between themselves and other persons (Matthew 5:23-24).
2)Some persons try to pray with wrath in their heart (1 Tim. 2:8; Isaiah 1:15).
3)Some persons say, “I love God” while they hate their brother (1 John 4:20).
And each person thinks he is acceptable to God!
Some persons say they stay away from worship because they have something against a brother. The point of Christ is clear: get right with your brother and get in worship. One sin heaped upon another is twice as dangerous and shall bring forth double judgment.
2.The time for reconciliation is while some openness still exists between the two parties. Reconciliation should be attempted immediately...
·while a person is still in a brother’s presence: “While thou art in the way with him” (Matthew 5:25).
·before the sun goes down on a person’s wrath.
“Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath” (Ephes. 4:26).
·because a person cannot truly worship with barriers existing in the heart.
·because a person cannot offer acceptable prayers with barriers existing in his heart.
·because a person could die before reconciliation takes place and be forced to face judgment with some unconfessed sin.
“And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses” (Mark 11:25).
“And if he trespass against thee seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turn again to thee, saying, I repent; thou shalt forgive him” (Luke 17:4).
“Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: and be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you” (Ephes. 4:31-32).
“Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye” (Col. 3:13).
Anger— Judgment: the danger or damage of holding anger. The danger is twofold.
1.There is an earthly danger. Barriers can lead to serious action ranging from legal suits to imprisonment. Such action is tragic to God and among God’s people. It is even forbidden among true Christian brothers (1 Cor. 6:1-8). The damage of anger is manyfold:
It leads to increased barriers and bitterness.
It hurts families.
It is costly.
It damages the name of Christ and one’s own testimony.
It says to unbelievers that Christianity is a sham—no better than any other belief.
It takes advantage of another person—always.
It can cause an injustice to be done. The law is not always right.
It can cause a weak brother to turn away—forever.
It can cause fights, wars, suffering, and death.
2.There is an eternal danger. Life does not last and the day of final judgment is coming. A person’s judgment for holding a grudge against a brother will be severe (Matthew 5:22; Matthew 5:25).
Anger— Judgment: the terrible end of anger—judgment is sure. Christ made three strong points.
1.Judgment is sure. “The uttermost farthing,” the last cent must be paid.
2.There will be no escape. “Thou shall by no means come out.” There will be nothing and no one to deliver a person from the judgment (2 Cor. 5:10).
“Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell?” (Matthew 23:33).
“And thinkest thou this, O man, that judgest them which do such things, and doest the same, that thou shalt escape the judgment of God?” (Romans 2:3).
“How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him” (Hebrews 2:3).
“Therefore thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will bring evil upon them, which they shall not be able to escape; and though they shall cry unto me, I will not hearken unto them” (Jeremiah 11:11).
“Woe unto you that desire the day of the LORD! to what end is it for you? the day of the LORD is darkness, and not light. As if a man did flee from a lion, and a bear met him; or went into the house, and leaned his hand on the wall, and a serpent bit him” (Amos 5:18-19).
3.Reconciliation should be sought quickly: right now—before judgment, for Christ has borne all punishment for every believer (Matthew 5:25).
“But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ. For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us....and that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby” (Ephes. 2:13-14, 16).
“And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven” (Col. 1:20).
“Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people” (Hebrews 2:17; cp. 2 Cor. 5:18-21).
“Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed” (1 Peter 2:24).
How should we deal with anger then?
Anger used 228 times in the Old and New Testaments.
Let us be reconciled with all so that we may show the light of Christ within us…
