"God is a righteous judge, and a God who feels indignation every day" (Psa
lm 7:11, ESV).
"The LORD is slow to anger..." (Num. 14:18, ESV).
"...Let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, and slow to anger" (James 1:19, ESV).
"But now you must put them all away: anger, malice, wrath, slander..." (Col. 3:8, ESV).
"Now the works of the flesh are evident: ...fits of anger..." (Gal. 5:19-20, ESV)
Anger is an emotion that we all have and there is nothing wrong with it in its proper place. What I'm primarily concerned with is anger among believers, not unbelievers.
We've all heard of "righteous indignation" (not a biblical term), and believe we have it when we get angry, no matter what, as a "defense mechanism." God is angry with the wicked every day (cf. Psalm 7:11--through a better translation in the NIV says, "God is a God who expresses His anger every day"). "Like the rest, we were by nature the objects of wrath" (Eph. 2:3, NIV). He never got angry at Adam when he sinned because Adam was His son. God's wrath is averted by the blood of Christ--"...When I see the blood, I will pass over you" (Ex. 12:13, KJV). Jesus had something to say about what anger is equated with, in case we justify ourselves when angry at someone.
We never have the right to play God and express wrath directly at a brother: Jesus said in Matthew 5:22 (NIV) "But I tell you that anyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment..."--anger is on a level with murder and Jesus didn't justify, since He internalized sin . He had displayed the right to get angry in the temple, for instance, and this is "righteous indignation." He urged us to pray for and love our enemies, lest they are judged for said behavior. "Cease from anger, forsake wrath," says Psalms 37:8. Paul says in Galatians 5:19 that "fits of anger" are a work of the flesh.
What then is "righteous indignation?" Well, what gets God angry? Getting angry at things and circumstances that are inherently unfair or unjustified, e.g., poverty, racism, terrorism, discrimination, etc. Jonathan Edwards sermon, Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God, shows that unbelievers are on dangerous territory. God never gets angry at us, but about us, what we do, and prunes us in love, He doesn't punish us in anger. Loving parents don't lose their cool and express outrage directly at a child, though he is in the wrong and needs the rod of correction--they shouldn't discipline till they have got control of themselves.
We are never justified in getting angry at a brother and must strive to always keep the peace and be peacemakers. "If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone" (Rom. 12:18, NIV). We must do everything in our power to restore fellowship when a chasm or cleavage occurs and to take the initiative even when it's not our fault. "But I tell you that anyone [no exceptions] who is angry with a brother or sister, will be subject to judgment..." (Matt. 5:22, NIV). N.B. I checked out all the translations: CEB, NASB, NIV, ESV, and the NLT all agree that there is no excuse, though the KJV and NKJV say one can get angry if he has "cause." Searching the Scriptures I cannot find one legitimate person having "righteous anger" except possibly Moses when he came down from Mt. Sinai--he was in authority as the priest over the people.
When we become believers we are "delivered from the wrath to come" (2 Thess. 1:10), and the sign of the unbeliever is that "the wrath of God abides on him" (John 3:36). To conclude the matter: being angry at your brother only demonstrates that you are only a man, and one who has not learned to be controlled by the Spirit--possibly even a fool ("A fool gives full vent to his anger"). Soli Deo Gloria!
We've all heard of "righteous indignation" (not a biblical term), and believe we have it when we get angry, no matter what, as a "defense mechanism." God is angry with the wicked every day (cf. Psalm 7:11--through a better translation in the NIV says, "God is a God who expresses His anger every day"). "Like the rest, we were by nature the objects of wrath" (Eph. 2:3, NIV). He never got angry at Adam when he sinned because Adam was His son. God's wrath is averted by the blood of Christ--"...When I see the blood, I will pass over you" (Ex. 12:13, KJV). Jesus had something to say about what anger is equated with, in case we justify ourselves when angry at someone.
We never have the right to play God and express wrath directly at a brother: Jesus said in Matthew 5:22 (NIV) "But I tell you that anyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment..."--anger is on a level with murder and Jesus didn't justify, since He internalized sin . He had displayed the right to get angry in the temple, for instance, and this is "righteous indignation." He urged us to pray for and love our enemies, lest they are judged for said behavior. "Cease from anger, forsake wrath," says Psalms 37:8. Paul says in Galatians 5:19 that "fits of anger" are a work of the flesh.
What then is "righteous indignation?" Well, what gets God angry? Getting angry at things and circumstances that are inherently unfair or unjustified, e.g., poverty, racism, terrorism, discrimination, etc. Jonathan Edwards sermon, Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God, shows that unbelievers are on dangerous territory. God never gets angry at us, but about us, what we do, and prunes us in love, He doesn't punish us in anger. Loving parents don't lose their cool and express outrage directly at a child, though he is in the wrong and needs the rod of correction--they shouldn't discipline till they have got control of themselves.
We are never justified in getting angry at a brother and must strive to always keep the peace and be peacemakers. "If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone" (Rom. 12:18, NIV). We must do everything in our power to restore fellowship when a chasm or cleavage occurs and to take the initiative even when it's not our fault. "But I tell you that anyone [no exceptions] who is angry with a brother or sister, will be subject to judgment..." (Matt. 5:22, NIV). N.B. I checked out all the translations: CEB, NASB, NIV, ESV, and the NLT all agree that there is no excuse, though the KJV and NKJV say one can get angry if he has "cause." Searching the Scriptures I cannot find one legitimate person having "righteous anger" except possibly Moses when he came down from Mt. Sinai--he was in authority as the priest over the people.
When we become believers we are "delivered from the wrath to come" (2 Thess. 1:10), and the sign of the unbeliever is that "the wrath of God abides on him" (John 3:36). To conclude the matter: being angry at your brother only demonstrates that you are only a man, and one who has not learned to be controlled by the Spirit--possibly even a fool ("A fool gives full vent to his anger"). Soli Deo Gloria!