Getting Angry

[Michael Vichiola]

Since the bible says "be angry but do not sin" Ephesians 4:26, how can we be angry then?

 

[bèlla]

God’s anger is righteous. Human anger often leads to sin. The caveat in that text is your ability to refrain from acting on it and relinquishing it too.

It is far easier to avoid getting worked up and stepping away from situations that incite your emotions in a negative way.

 

[FutureAndAHope]

Since the bible says "be angry but do not sin" Ephesians 4:26, how can we be angry then?

There are time in life, be they few, that we can get angry. Our goal as Christians according to scripture should be to control our anger. And there are a lot of passages that talk about that.

Some times we justify, or have a habit of getting angry, this should not be. Self control is a fruit of the Spirit. We should be spending time with God frequently, so He can strengthen our emotions, and give us self control. As the bible says "Pray that you enter not into temptation, for the spirit is willing and the flesh weak." This says we are likely to act in the flesh, in anger, if we don't spend time receiving strength from God.

 

[Halbhh]

Since the bible says "be angry but do not sin" Ephesians 4:26, how can we be angry then?

The rest of the verse explains:

Ephesians 4:26 "Be angry, yet do not sin." Do not let the sun set upon your anger, Ephesians 4:27 and do not give the devil a foothold.

When you get angry, don't stay angry. To keep anger, hold it, and not let it go, that's the sin. We are to forgive instead:

Matthew 6:14 For if you forgive men their trespasses, your Heavenly Father will also forgive you.
Matthew 6:15 But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive yours.

Anger in the good way is to be angry at an injustice, a wrong, and then to do a good thing with that energy, to use it to try to make what is wrong right, or at least to say what is right (thus using up the anger energy in expression that is speaking truth) --

16 Wash and make yourselves clean.
Take your evil deeds out of my sight;
stop doing wrong.
17 Learn to do right; seek justice.
Defend the oppressed.
Take up the cause of the fatherless;
plead the case of the widow.

Isaiah 1 NIV

We can use our rightful anger at injustice by speaking up for the victims of that injustice, and then the anger is used up, and we do not hold it, do not keep it, but it is then gone, and we rest easy.

 

[miggles]

i get angry at people who are long dead. i remember what they did and it really upsets me.

 

[paul1149]

Since the bible says "be angry but do not sin" Ephesians 4:26, how can we be angry then?

The complete statement - this verse and the next - allow for feelings of appropriate anger (orge in the Greek), but tell us to let go of heightened anger (epi-orge) before day is done. This is a healthy way to respond to situations in this world that are undeniably anger-inducing. We know these situations exist because even Christ became angry at times. Sometimes anger is the necessary and right response, but when harbored it turns malignant. Thus the balanced directive in Ephesians.