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WHAT DOES GOD”S WORD TELL US ABOUT ANGER © Sue Found 1985

God’s response to evil:

The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love. He will not always accuse, nor will He harbor His anger forever. He does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities. Psalm 103:8-10.

God is a righteous judge, a God who expresses His wrath every day. Psalm 7:11.

God was angry with Moses when he refused to go to Egypt to talk to Pharaoh about releasing the Israelites. Exodus 4:14

God was angry with the disobedience of Uzziah. 1 Chronicles 13:10.

God was angry with the lying and stealing of Achen. Joshua 7:1.

God’s warning and instruction to us concerning anger:

Do not make friends with a hot-tempered man, do not associate with one easily angered, or you may learn his ways and get yourself ensnared. Proverbs 22:24,5.

Do not be quickly provoked in your spirit, for anger resides in the lap of fools. Ecclesiastes 7:9.

In your anger do not sin. Do not let the sun go down while your are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold. Ephesians 4:26-27.

Get rid of all bitterness, rage, and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ Jesus forgave you. Ephesians 4:31-32.

Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, for man’s anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires. James 1:19.

I tell you that anyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment. Matthew 5:22

Do not repay anyone evil for evil, do not take revenge, for it is written, “It is mine to avenge; I will repay!” says the Lord. Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. Romans 12:17, 19, 21.

Live in harmony with one another, be sympathetic, love as brothers, be compassionate and humble. Do not repay evil with evil, or insult with insult, but with a blessing. 1 Peter 3:8, 9.

Results of hot temper / patience

A quick-tempered man does foolish things … Proverbs 14:17a
An angry man stirs up dissension (strife), and a hot-tempered one commits many sins. Proverbs 29:22
A hot-tempered man stirs up dissension, but a patient man calms a quarrel. Proverbs 15:18
Better a patient man than a warrior, a man who controls his temper than one who takes a city. Proverbs 16:32
A man’s wisdom gives him patience; it is to his glory to overlook an offence. Proverbs 19:11

Comparing being hot-tempered with being patient:

Hot-tempered examples would be Cain versus Abel and Saul versus David:

Being out of control, defending self, taking revenge, and slander —
Leading to
Setting up barriers to further communication —
Leading to
Your bad reaction is reported to others —
Leading to
Others join in reacting against you —
Leading to
Others take up an offence, and you have new enemies

Examples of patience would be Joseph to his brothers, and David to Saul:

Being humble and receiving God’s grace to love and forgive —
Leading to
Continuing of the relationship, and a chance to help —
Leading to
others get a good report —
Leading to
new opportunities to build friendship and share gospel

Justified Anger?

David prays, “Arise, O Lord, in your anger; rise up against the rage of my enemies. Awake my God; decree justice. Psalm 7:6
The deeds of the faithless (those fallen away) I hate; they will not cling to me (fasten their grip on me). Psalm 101:3
Moses was angry because of the idolatry of the people — Aaron let them get out of control — God’s people became a laughing stock of their enemies. Ex. 32:19ff
Nehemiah was angry because of social injustice. “What you are doing is not right. Shouldn’t you walk in the fear of our God to avoid the reproach of our Gentile enemies. Nehemiah 5:6
Jesus cleansing of the Temple. “My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations” (By allowing the temple area, which was the only area where the Gentiles were allowed, to become a noisy, smelly marketplace, the Jewish religious leaders were interfering with God’s provision for the Gentiles.) “but you have made it a den of robbers.” (the money changers took financial advantage of people.)
Jonah was greatly displeased and became angry because God was gracious, compassionate, slow to anger, and abounding in love toward the people of Nineveh. God asked him, “Have you any right to be angry?” He was unhappy when the vine that was giving him shade withered. God asked, ‘Do you have a right to be angry about the vine?” Jonah was angry with God because He was willing to extend His compassion to the Gentiles and because of the discomfort he felt when the vine God provided dried up.

Do we have a right to be angry?

“Jesus committed no sin, and no deceit was found in His mouth. When they hurled their insults at Him, He did not retaliate; when He suffered, He made no threats. Instead, He entrusted Himself to Him who judges justly. He Himself bore our sins in His body on the tree, so that we might die to sins (like anger) and live for righteousness” 1 Peter 2:22-24
Paul wrote to the Corinthians; “If others have the right of support from you, shouldn’t we have it all the more? But we did not use this right. On the contrary, we put up with anything rather than hinder the gospel of Christ. 1 Corinthians 9:12 And to the Thessalonians; “with labor and hardship we kept working night and day so that we might not be a burden to any of you; not because we do not have the right to this, but in order to offer ourselves as a model for you” 2 Thessalonians 3:8,9

When we become angry about something it is usually because we think that one of our rights have been violated. The key to controlling and getting rid of anger is in identifying that right and transferring it to God. When I surrender myself and my rights to God, He may chose to withhold the right from me. If so, He is able to bring about blessing in the midst of my loss. The following is a list of rights that I may cling to or yield to the Lord:

Good health
Certain possessions that I wish I had
Time to do what I want to do
Desire for an apology from someone who has wronged me

Practical Application.
Think about a source of anger in your life.
What negative feelings are involved?
What right has been violated?
Apply a scripture verse that will help to overcome the temptation.

Examples. For each source of anger listed here, consider what negative feelings might happen, and what rights have been violated.

Inconsiderate drivers
I did something stupid
I had to cancel my plans
My boss made a poor decision
Pollution caused by people who don�t care

Other questions to discuss:
What rights do I give up when I dedicate myself to serving others?
What rights do I give up when I marry?
What rights do I give up when I have children?
What has been the result of the emphasis on “claiming rights” in America?

Additional verses to consider:
2 Cor 6:3-10, 2 Cor 9:8, 2 Cor 12:8-10, 2 Cor 4:17, Hebrews 12:2-3, James 4:3, 1 Peter 5:6-7, Psalm 31:14-15, Psalm 56:3-4.

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