Managing Anger for God's Glory and Peace
Anger, as an emotion, is not inherently sinful; rather, it is an original susceptibility of human nature, similar to love [5]. However, anger can become sinful if it is causeless, excessive, or prolonged [5]. The Bible provides guidance on managing anger, emphasizing that it should not lead to wrongdoing [1].
Scripture frequently warns against sinful anger. For instance, Ecclesiastes 7:9, Matthew 5:22, and Romans 12:19 forbid it, and Galatians 5:20 lists it as a "work of the flesh" [4]. Proverbs identifies anger as a characteristic of fools and links it to pride, cruelty, clamor, evil-speaking, malice, blasphemy, strife, and contention [4]. Uncontrolled anger can bring its own punishment [4].
The apostle Paul, referencing Psalm 4:4, advises believers to "be angry and do not sin" (Ephesians 4:26) [11]. This suggests that there is a righteous anger, but it must be carefully managed to avoid transgression [11]. John Chrysostom, an early Church Father, taught that victory over anger is not about retaliating, but about meekly enduring ill-treatment and ill-speaking [7]. He also emphasized the importance of controlling one's speech when angry, as "loud speaking is the fuel of passion" [9]. Chrysostom likened anger to a "fierce fire" that devours all things and harms the body and soul, urging believers to guard against its entrance [9].
Matthew Henry, a Nonconformist commentator, notes that the gospel calls for the mortification of inordinate passions like anger, wrath, and malice, considering them "spiritual wickedness" [12]. He also highlights meekness as a virtue, defining it as being "slow to anger" and having control over one's spirit and passions [13].
The concept of divine anger is also present in scripture, though it differs from human anger. God's anger is not vindictive or bad-tempered but represents His displeasure with sin and His justice in dealing with evil [5, 8]. For example, Ezekiel 5:13 speaks of God's anger being accomplished and His wrath resting [2]. Psalms 7:6 calls upon the Lord to arise in His anger against adversaries [3]. However, God's anger is also described as slow [6]. The anger of God is averted from those who believe in Christ and from those who confess their sins and repent [6]. Believers are destined for salvation, not wrath [10].
Sources
- Psalms “Cease from anger, and forsake wrath. Don’t fret, it leads only to evildoing. -- Psalms 37:8”
- Ezekiel “Thus shall my anger be accomplished, and I will cause my wrath toward them to rest, and I shall be comforted; and they shall know that I, Yahweh, have spoken in my zeal, when I have accomplished my wrath on them. -- Ezekiel 5:13”
- Psalms “Psalms 7:6 (NASB) — Arise, O LORD, in Your anger; Lift up Yourself against the rage of my adversaries, And arouse Yourself for me; You have appointed judgment.”
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Anger — Forbidden -- Ec 7:9; Mt 5:22; Ro 12:19. A work of the flesh -- Ga 5:20. A characteristic of fools -- Pr 12:16; 14:29; 27:3; Ec 7:9. Connected with Pride. -- Pr 21:24. Cruelty. -- Ge 49:7; Pr 27:3,4. Clamour and evil-speaking. -- Eph 4:31. Malice and blasphemy. -- Col 3:8. Strife and contention. -- Pr 21:19; 29:22; 30:33. Brings its own punishment -- Job 5:2; Pr 19:19; 25:28. Grievous words stir up -- Jdj 12:4; 2Sa 19:43; Pr 15:1. Should not betray us into sin -- Ps 37:8; Eph 4:26. In prayer be free from -- 1Ti 2:8. May be averted by wisdom -- Pr 29:8. Meeknes”
- Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Anger — The emotion of instant displeasure on account of something evil that presents itself to our view. In itself it is an original susceptibility of our nature, just as love is, and is not necessarily sinful. It may, however, become sinful when causeless, or excessive, or protracted (Matt. 5:22; Eph. 4:26; Col. 3:8). As ascribed to God, it merely denotes his displeasure with sin and with sinners (Ps. 7:11).”
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Anger of God, The — Averted by Christ -- Lu 2:11,14; Ro 5:9; 2Co 5:18,19; Eph 2:14,17; Col 1:20; 1Th 1:10. Is averted from them that believe -- Joh 3:14-18; Ro 3:25; 5:1. Is averted upon confession of sin and repentance -- Job 33:27,28; Ps 106:43-45; Jer 3:12,13; 18:7,8; 31:18-20; Joe 2:12-14; Lu 15:18-20. Is slow -- Ps 103:8; Isa 48:9; Jon 4:2; Na 1:3. Is righteous -- Ps 58:10,11; La 1:18; Ro 2:6,8; 3:5,6; Re 16:6,7. The justice of, not to be questioned -- Ro 9:18,20,22. Manifested in terrors -- Ex 14:24; Ps 76:6-8; Jer 10:10; La 2:20-22. Manifested in judgments and”
- CCEL/NPNF (Eastern Orthodox) “John Chrysostom, Homilies on John & Hebrews: none reproves us, and do not many feelings of repentance come over us, both for what we have said and done; but when we gain the mastery, then are we not proud, and exult as conquerors? For victory in the case of anger is, not the requiting evil with the like, (that is utter defeat,) but the bearing meekly to be ill treated and ill spoken of. To get the better is not to inflict but to suffer evil. Therefore when angry do not say, “certainly I will retaliate,” “certainly I will be revenged”; do not persist in saying to those who exhort you to gain a ”
- 2 Kings (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on 2 Kings 17:11: 17:11 arousing the Lord’s anger: When God becomes angry, he is not vindictive or bad tempered. Instead, human evil angers him because people have rebelled against God and done evil to one another. God responds to human evil with his justice in dealing with sin and evil (see also 13:3; 17:17-18; 21:6; 22:13, 17; 23:26-27; 24:20; Rom 3:23; 6:23; 14:10; 2 Cor 5:10; Col 3:6; 1 Jn 1:8-10).”
- CCEL/NPNF (Eastern Orthodox) “John Chrysostom, Homilies on John & Hebrews: speaking 692 692 lit. “shouting.” for loud speaking is the fuel of passion. Let us then bind 693 693 lit. “tie the feet of.” the horse, that we may subdue the rider; let us clip the wings of our wrath, so the evil shall no more rise to a height. A keen passion is anger, keen, and skillful to steal our souls; therefore we must on all sides guard against its entrance. It were strange that we should be able to tame wild beasts, and yet should neglect our own savage minds. Wrath is a fierce fire, it devours all things; it harms the body, it destroys the”
- 1 Thessalonians (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on 1 Thessalonians 5:9: 5:9 God’s anger (1:10; 2:16; Rom 5:9; cp. 2 Thes 1:6-10; 2:8) represents the carrying out of his judgment against evil. However, God destined believers for salvation, not wrath (2 Thes 2:13-14), and they will escape the terrors of the day of the Lord (1 Thes 5:1-3).”
- Psalms (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Psalms 4:4: Stand in awe, and sin not,.... That is, stand in awe of God, and his righteous, judgments; be afraid of him, and tremble before him; make him your fear and your dread, and go on no longer and proceed no further in sinning against him. The Septuagint, Vulgate Latin, Syriac, Arabic, and Ethiopic versions, render it, "be ye angry, and sin not": which are the words of the apostle, Eph 4:26; referring to this place; and which doubtless is the reason of these versions. There is an anger that is sinful, when it is without a cause, or exceeds due bounds, and is not directed to”
- Colossians (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on Colossians 3:8: As we are to mortify inordinate appetites, so we are to mortify inordinate passions (Col 3:8): But now you also put off all these, anger wrath, malice; for these are contrary to the design of the gospel, as well as grosser impurities; and, though they are more spiritual wickedness, have not less malignity in them. The gospel religion introduces a change of the higher as well as the lower powers of the soul, and supports the dominion of right reason and conscience over appetite and passion. Anger and wrath are bad, but malice is worse, because it is more rooted ”
- Proverbs (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on Proverbs 16:32: This recommends the grace of meekness to us, which will well become us all, particularly the hoary head, Pro 16:31. Observe, 1. The nature of it. it is to be slow to anger, not easily put into a passion, nor apt to resent provocation, taking time to consider before we suffer our passion to break out, that it may not transgress due bounds, so slow in our motions towards anger that we may be quickly stopped and pacified. It is to have the rule of our own spirits, our appetites and affections, and all our inclinations, but particularly our passions, our anger, kee”