Anger vs. Sin

Anger is a common emotion that we all feel from time to time. Some Christians may have been taught that anger is a sin, but I am here to clarify that this is not a Biblically sound truth and it is not the case. Anger, in and of itself, is not a sin. It is what might and sometimes does follow the emotion of anger, that can be a sin. It is when we hold on to un-forgiveness, bitterness and resentment in our hearts, create strife, lash out with hurtful words or actions, rage, exude wrath or seek revenge, then anger becomes sin.

In her book, “Be Angry But Don’t Blow it,” Lisa Bevere discusses anger, how anger turns in to sin, how she overcame her own battle with rage, and how people can be set free from sin that stems from anger. I have read her book, and I recommend it to anyone who has dealt with anger issues in their lives (whether within yourself or coming from someone else). In her book Lisa states, “Anger in and of itself is not wrong, but rage and fury escalate it into the dimension of the destructive.” Ephesians 4:26 instructs us to “Be angry, and do not sin: do not let the sun go down on your wrath.” Psalm 4:4 also instructs us by saying, “In your anger do not sin; when you are on your beds, search your hearts and be silent.” We have the right to feel angry. “God gives us permission to be angry. He knows and understands mans inborn capacity for anger (Lisa Bevere).” Still, we should not sin or think that it is ok to sin because we are angry. “There is a fine line between anger and sin (Lisa Bevere).” When we are angry we need to search our hearts, and be silent. Take some deep breaths, pray, meditate and calm down, when you are angry. Talk to God about how to handle situations where you feel angry, and seek His guidance. Even though it may be difficult, when you are angry, choose to bear the fruit of self-control (Galatians 5:23) and walk in love, which is patient and kind, and is not rude or easily angered (1 Corinthians 13:4-8).

Anger is an emotion that God “is also familiar with (Lisa Bevere).” In Exodus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, Joshua, and Judges (to name a few), we see God’s anger towards people who disobeyed Him and worshiped idols. “The Old Testament records several hundred references of His anger with Israel and other nations (Lisa Bevere).” However, it is also important to note that God is not easily angered, and His anger lasts only for a moment (Psalm 30:5). God is compassionate, gracious, slow to anger, and abounds in love and faithfulness (Exodus 34:6). “He forsakes or turns away for but a small moment then returns to gather us into His arms with great and multiple mercies (Lisa Bevere).” Therefore, if we are angry because of what someone has done to us, then we should imitate God by being slow to anger, and make a choice to “turn away momentarily so we can separate the person from his actions, words, or behavior (Lisa Bevere).” Handle situations where you feel angry with prayer and thoughtfulness, because nothing good will come from sinning in anger and losing your cool. “Once we have stepped aside from the conflict, then we need to ask, ‘Why am I so upset? What is really going on inside me? Do I need to take some time to answer these questions (Lisa Bevere)?” Search your heart and ask the Lord to reveal the answers to these questions. Sleep on it, pray about it, and do what you need to do, in order to act wisely, not hastily. “Godly anger does not reject the person, it rejects his transgression and with a pure and good conscience seeks a moment of solitude to separate one from the other (Lisa Bevere).”

Often times Christian’s feel a “righteous anger,” which comes from the Holy Spirit, out of the desire to see injustice stamped out or wrongs made right. In the end, we need to know that God is the One and Only Judge, and that revenge is His to take. While it is not wrong for us to feel the emotion of anger and express it to God and people who we trust, we need to let go of any grudges that we might be holding and love others. This is not an option. This is what God commands us to do (Leviticus 19:18). No matter what we are feeling, we need to obey God. Romans 12:19 says, “Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: ‘It is mine to avenge; I will repay,’ says the Lord.” This doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t make the effort to stop injustice and bring healing and awareness to things like abuse, oppression, human trafficking, etc. We should be revolutionary in our efforts to bring healing and awareness and save lives, but we need to go about doing this without taking revenge or harming people who are perpetuating evil in our world.

“An integral part of being angry and not sinning is knowing when to let go of your anger (Lisa Bevere).” We need to make sure that we don’t let the sun go down on our wrath, like Ephesians 4:26 has instructed. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to see that when we go to bed angry, we wake up angry. When we end the night with hostility and discord, then we will wake up with our unresolved issue. Not to mention, we give the devil access to our lives, when we sin in our anger by postponing its resolution. Remember 1 Peter 5:8 warns, “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.” Resolve disputes, disagreements, and feelings of anger within a timely manner, in order to move forward with your life and be healthy. Take time to be still and hear from God. “Allow God to reveal Himself in the midst of your pain, conflict or crisis (Lisa Bevere).”

In her book, “Be Angry But Don’t Blow it,” Lisa encourages us to sleep in the light of God’s truth. Don’t hold on to anger for too long. Resolve your anger within a timely matter. Don’t go to bed angry (Ephesians 4:26). Bear the fruit of self-control and walk in love. Forgive people who have hurt you, and be willing to ask for forgiveness when you sin in anger. Break patterns of unhealthy and unnecessary anger in your life, and choose to move forward. Be still and don’t sin in your anger. Search your heart and ask God to reveal the answers. Don’t give the devil access to your life, through sin. With Christ all things are possible, so rely on Him to help you overcome rage, heal from rage that you’ve experienced, and/or deal with anger in a healthy way! Remember also not to dwell in guilt, when you sin in anger. While it is important to heed the voice of conviction from the Holy Spirit, we also need to embrace the redemption and forgiveness that God offers to us, because of His grace and the shed blood of Our Savior, Jesus.