Slow to anger

[dunstantom]

I've started to read James with some other men in my church and we were discussing how we should deal with anger. So, in James 1:19-20 we have:

My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, 20 because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires

If 'human anger' doesn't produce righteousness, should we strive to never act on our anger? Should we strive to never become angry? The Bible attests to times of God's anger in the OT and possibly Jesus' anger in dealing the moneychangers, so it seems that we humans could also be angry (if it's something that would make God angry). But since discernment is a tricky thing, could we be sure our anger was not human-anger-not-producing-righteousness?

My personal impression is that we can't avoid the emotion of anger, but we can control how we react. In particular, as James suggests, we can and should practice control of our words when we become angry.

What are your thoughts?

 

[Incariol]

I've started to read James with some other men in my church and we were discussing how we should deal with anger. So, in James 1:19-20 we have:

If 'human anger' doesn't produce righteousness, should we strive to never act on our anger? Should we strive to never become angry? The Bible attests to times of God's anger in the OT and possibly Jesus' anger in dealing the moneychangers, so it seems that we humans could also be angry (if it's something that would make God angry). But since discernment is a tricky thing, could we be sure our anger was not human-anger-not-producing-righteousness?

My personal impression is that we can't avoid the emotion of anger, but we can control how we react. In particular, as James suggests, we can and should practice control of our words when we become angry.

What are your thoughts?

We aren't God, so just because God becomes angry and exterminates entire people's or whips people out of His own Temple doesn't give us license to do the same. Just pointing that out.

 

[juvenissun]

I've started to read James with some other men in my church and we were discussing how we should deal with anger. So, in James 1:19-20 we have:

If 'human anger' doesn't produce righteousness, should we strive to never act on our anger? Should we strive to never become angry? The Bible attests to times of God's anger in the OT and possibly Jesus' anger in dealing the moneychangers, so it seems that we humans could also be angry (if it's something that would make God angry). But since discernment is a tricky thing, could we be sure our anger was not human-anger-not-producing-righteousness?

My personal impression is that we can't avoid the emotion of anger, but we can control how we react. In particular, as James suggests, we can and should practice control of our words when we become angry.

What are your thoughts?

How do you know what Jesus did in the temple is a behavior of angry? Could He do that with a calm mind and steady hands like carrying out a strategic plan?

 

[ebia]

How do you know what Jesus did in the temple is a behavior of angry? Could He do that with a calm mind and steady hands like carrying out a strategic plan?

Mmm. It's a well calculated political statement, not the fit of pique it often seems to be presented as.

 

[dunstantom]

How do you know what Jesus did in the temple is a behavior of angry? Could He do that with a calm mind and steady hands like carrying out a strategic plan?

Indeed, it might have been accomplished calmly. I used it as an example because I've typically heard of it as an example of the emotional side of Jesus. I suppose it's the "turning over of tables" that lends the passage a sense of anger and that Jesus wasn't calm or steady.

Still, the point I was going for was how Christians are to handle anger, as suggested by the Bible. The passage of James I refer to (James 1:19 "slow to anger") comes soon after James warns that our desires are the source of our temptations and, unchecked, will lead to sin and death (James 1:14-15). If we join this with the James 1:19-20, that anger/wrath does not produce the rightousness of God, then it seems to me that anger/wrath/desires have a commonality.

When anger rises up in us, does that give us a hint that there is some sinful desire behind it? Perhaps it only happens when our pride is hurt or under some sense of personal injustice (ie. feel we deserved something, rather than being humble)? Even if we can practice some self-control, is it appropriate to show anger when teaching (for example, I've seen sermons that were delivered with yelling and explicit anger in order to shame the congregation)?

 

[Jonny Doe]

We are emotional human beings. It's ok to be angry, but to not let it fester in us to cause unholy behavior. When the involuntary reaction of anger comes about in us, i believe it would do well to temper it by trying to understand the reason or the unfairness behind it. And also understand that it is not your place to avenge your hurt feelings, but it is God's sovereignty to balance the scales of justice if necessary. By going through this thought process, you can slow your anger that way and let it disappear before the sun goes down on it.

 

[Forge3]

I've started to read James with some other men in my church and we were discussing how we should deal with anger. So, in James 1:19-20 we have:

If 'human anger' doesn't produce righteousness, should we strive to never act on our anger? Should we strive to never become angry? The Bible attests to times of God's anger in the OT and possibly Jesus' anger in dealing the moneychangers, so it seems that we humans could also be angry (if it's something that would make God angry). But since discernment is a tricky thing, could we be sure our anger was not human-anger-not-producing-righteousness?

My personal impression is that we can't avoid the emotion of anger, but we can control how we react. In particular, as James suggests, we can and should practice control of our words when we become angry.

What are your thoughts?

I am of the mind to say it depends on what we are angry about. Jesus cannot be faulted for His anger at those who turned the temple into a place of profit. And realistically we cannot just go about suppressing or repressing our anger. In doing this it will eventually surface in a very ugly way (Jung). Anger is part of our emotional make up. Having a temper tantrum because we did not get our way I doubt that is pleasing to God. But becoming angry at the injustice in third world countries where the poor are trodden under the foot of a selfish dictator is a different matter. But if I could speak for the Lord. I think He would want action based upon compassion. Anger in and of itself does not produce good fruit.

 

[loveabounds]

Ephesians 4:26 tells us to "be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger". Being angry and sinning are two different things. Here, Scripture tells us it's ok to be angry but it isn't ok to sin while in our anger. Hope this helps the discussion.

 

[dayhiker]

An other aspect of Jesus and the money changers is:

Tip over tables .. coins could be picked up.
Drove out the sheep/goats etc, they could be rounded up.
The turtle doves weren't set from from their cages. They couldn't be caught again.

 

[SharonL]

It is not the anger that is the sin, but what we do with the anger.

 

[juvenissun]

Indeed, it might have been accomplished calmly. I used it as an example because I've typically heard of it as an example of the emotional side of Jesus. I suppose it's the "turning over of tables" that lends the passage a sense of anger and that Jesus wasn't calm or steady.

Still, the point I was going for was how Christians are to handle anger, as suggested by the Bible. The passage of James I refer to (James 1:19 "slow to anger") comes soon after James warns that our desires are the source of our temptations and, unchecked, will lead to sin and death (James 1:14-15). If we join this with the James 1:19-20, that anger/wrath does not produce the rightousness of God, then it seems to me that anger/wrath/desires have a commonality.

When anger rises up in us, does that give us a hint that there is some sinful desire behind it? Perhaps it only happens when our pride is hurt or under some sense of personal injustice (ie. feel we deserved something, rather than being humble)? Even if we can practice some self-control, is it appropriate to show anger when teaching (for example, I've seen sermons that were delivered with yelling and explicit anger in order to shame the congregation)?

The way Jesus behaves in the temple is exactly what a Christian should do to handle his anger. I think Jesus is angry about the situation. But the angry should have happened when He walked into the temple at the first time (2 years ago? How many time have Jesus visited the temple?), but not at the last time. So, how does He handle His anger? Nothing on the surface. But carried out the plan in His last visit.

 

[dunstantom]

Ephesians 4:26 tells us to "be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger". Being angry and sinning are two different things. Here, Scripture tells us it's ok to be angry but it isn't ok to sin while in our anger. Hope this helps the discussion.

Thanks, this is an interesting quote of Psalm 4:4. While the anger has more to do with what I would call frustration (with sinful people who don't turn to God), it is immediately recommended to not act on it and to release that anger in some quiet reflective time.

So, it does support the idea that we probably cannot expect to never have anger arise within us. However, it also supports that we can practice self-control to release this anger and prevent it from "conceiving sin" and becoming "full-grown", or in other words, to keep the anger from festering. Further, we can take from Psalm 4 that this will often require time spent in quiet prayer, where I believe the Holy Spirit most often meets us and aides us.

 

[dunstantom]

I'm also curious if this thought around anger can be applied to all feelings and emotions. Not that we should be stoic and apathetic people, but that we should be able to let these emotions be without acting on them.

To elaborate with personal experience, I think many of my emotions come from my attachment to worldly things. Emotions that I'm familiar with being sinful (pride or anger) and also emotions that are not quite as seemingly sinful (enjoyment, admiration, awe). This second kind of emotions are fine, I believe, when God is the focus. But I find myself in these same emotions with other things (idols, you could say) like music, movies, certain people, etc.

I know the idea of having idols is in no way new, but I think it's more pervasive than we sometimes realize. I can sometimes become tied to certain music or people bringing me enjoyment or excitement. But these things are worldly and can fail, which would lead to disappointment and/or depression. I think, perhaps, if I can accept these occasions of enjoyment, rather than tie them to anything but God, I can avoid the failure of my idols. If I could truly accept that all good things in my life are always from God (directly or indirectly through others) then I would not seek out anything than to follow God's commandments and Jesus' example in order to continue in a state of joy and excitement. I could accept these good things as they come, but never expect the same situtation to bring the same emotions (even though they might, I just wouldn't count on it).

Feel free to rip this apart or correct my train of thought, but I think this is a proper line of thinking.