Anger (1)

What a stressful society we live in.  Sometimes it seems like the world is falling down around us.  To compound things, we receive conflicting advice about dealing with our problems.  And what is accepted as true today is condemned as false tomorrow. 
There is one source of advice, however, which is dependable.  Oh, it is often scoffed at and rejected.  But with the passing of time there is confirmation that the Bible provides the answers we need.  God made us.  And He is the only One who knows the real solutions we are searching for.
This is not to say that those who need professional help should not turn to professional helpers.  But it does mean that we should seek those who accept as truth what God reveals in His word.  And we must evaluate what we are told by comparing it with the Bible.
One problem which is common to all of us is anger.  How can the Bible help us in dealing with anger?  First of all, we should recognize that anger is not wrong in and of itself.  It is very risky, but it is not wrong.  The reason for our anger may be wrong.  How we deal with anger may be wrong.  What anger does to us may be wrong.  But anger is not necessarily wrong.
We know this is true because anger and wrath are attributed to God.
"Now the people became like those who complain of adversity in the hearing of the Lord;" we learn from Numbers 11:1," and when the Lord heard {it,} His anger was kindled, and the fire of the Lord burned among them and consumed {some} of the outskirts of the camp." 
"Then He will speak to them in His anger and terrify them in His fury," Psalm 2:5 says of God. 
"Who can stand before His indignation?" Nahum 1:6 asks.  "Who can endure the burning of His anger? His wrath is poured out like fire, And the rocks are broken up by Him." 
"For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men," Paul states in Romans 1:18, "who suppress the truth in unrighteousness." 
Anger is an emotion which is also attributed to Jesus.
"And He entered again into a synagogue;" we read in Mark 3:1-5, "and a man was there with a withered hand. 
"And they were watching Him {to see} if He would heal him on the Sabbath, in order that they might accuse Him. 
"And He said to the man with the withered hand, 'Rise and {come} forward!' 
"And He said to them, 'Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do harm, to save a life or to kill?' But they kept silent. 
"And after looking around at them with anger, grieved at their hardness of heart, He said to the man, 'Stretch out your hand.' And he stretched it out, and his hand was restored. 
One of the first questions we ask is, "How can anger be justified in light of teaching concerning other concepts, such as humility?"  From the Bible, we learn that these two are not mutually exclusive.
"Now the man Moses was very humble," Numbers 12:3 claims, "more than any man who was on the face of the earth." 
"And it came about, as soon as Moses came near the camp, that he saw the calf and {the} dancing; and Moses' anger burned," Exodus 32:19 reports, "and he threw the tablets from his hands and shattered them at the foot of the mountain." 
Moses could be a humble man and still become angry.  The same is true of Jesus.
"And the Passover of the Jews was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem," John 2:13-17 records.  

"And He found in the temple those who were selling oxen and sheep and doves, and the moneychangers seated. 
"And He made a scourge of cords, and drove {them} all out of the temple, with the sheep and the oxen; and He poured out the coins of the moneychangers, and overturned their table; and to those who were selling the doves He said, 'Take these things away; stop making My Father's house a house of merchandise.' 
"His disciples remembered that it was written, 'Zeal for Thy house will consume me.'" 
The key here is in the reason for our anger.  Humility never allows anger over a wrong directed toward ourselves.  But it does leave room for a wrong directed toward others, and especially toward God.  Notice that, while Jesus reacts strongly when someone abuses God's instructions, He never strikes back at those who are hurting Him.
"For you have been called for this purpose," 1 Peter 2:21-23 instructs, "since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps, who committed no sin, nor was any deceit found in His mouth; and while being reviled, He did not revile in return; while suffering, He uttered no threats, but kept entrusting {Himself} to Him who judges righteously." 
The first step in dealing with anger, then, is recognizing that it is an emotion which is neither good nor bad.  Unfortunately, anger rarely stays at this level because of problems which follow.  Anger frequently causes us either to clam up or blow up, neither of which is good.  Outbursts of anger are condemned in Galatians 5:20.  And allowing anger to build up inside is one of the things addressed by Paul in Ephesians 4:26-27.
"Be angry, and {yet} do not sin;" Paul teaches in this passage, "do not let the sun go down on your anger, and do not give the devil an opportunity." 
Anger often leads to seeking vengeance and revenge.
"Never take your own revenge, beloved," Romans 12:19 warns, "but leave room for the wrath {of God,} for it is written, 'Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,' says the Lord." 
Frequently, anger results in bitterness.
"See to it that no one comes short of the grace of God;" Hebrews 12:15 advises, "that no root of bitterness springing up causes trouble, and by it many be defiled." 
Hatred sometimes follows anger.
"Hatred stirs up strife," we read in Proverbs 10:12, "but love covers all transgressions." 
All too often, anger causes us to say or do things we regret.
"A fool always loses his temper," Proverbs 29:11 points out, "but a wise man holds it back." 
"Do you see a man who is hasty in his words?" verse 20 inquires.  "There is more hope for a fool than for him." 
"An angry man stirs up strife," Proverbs 29:22 states, "and a hot-tempered man abounds in transgression." 
"But let everyone be quick to hear, slow to speak {and} slow to anger;" James 1:19 commands. 
"For we all stumble in many {ways.}" we read in James 3:2-18.  "If anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able to bridle the whole body as well. 
"Now if we put the bits into the horses' mouths so that they may obey us, we direct their entire body as well. 
"Behold, the ships also, though they are so great and are driven by strong winds, are still directed by a very small rudder, wherever the inclination of the pilot desires. 
"So also the tongue is a small part of the body, and {yet} it boasts of great things. Behold, how great a forest is set aflame by such a small fire! 
"And the tongue is a fire, the {very} world of iniquity; the tongue is set among our members as that which defiles the entire body, and sets on fire the course of {our} life, and is set on fire by hell. 
"For every species of beasts and birds, of reptiles and creatures of the sea, is tamed, and has been tamed by the human race. 
"But no one can tame the tongue; {it is} a restless evil {and} full of deadly poison. 
"With it we bless {our} Lord and Father; and with it we curse men, who have been made in the likeness of God; from the same mouth come {both} blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be this way. 
"Does a fountain send out from the same opening {both} fresh and bitter {water}? 
"Can a fig tree, my brethren, produce olives, or a vine produce figs? Neither {can} salt water produce fresh. 
"Who among you is wise and understanding? Let him show by his good behavior his deeds in the gentleness of wisdom. 
"But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your heart, do not be arrogant and {so} lie against the truth. 
"This wisdom is not that which comes down from above, but is earthly, natural, demonic. 
"For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every evil thing. 
"But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without hypocrisy. 
"And the seed whose fruit is righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace."
Anger is neither good nor bad.  But it has so much negative potential.  What is it, anyway, that causes us to become angry?  Lord willing, we will consider this question next week, along with some biblical suggestions for dealing with anger.
 What we want to remember for now, though, is that anger is neutral.  But it has a powerful potential to lock us up in its grasp. It can so easily control our lives.  All too often the advice of the world in dealing with anger just buries us deeper in its clutches.  Only the truth can set us free.

Unless otherwise noted, "Scripture taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE(R), (C) Copyright The Lockman Foundation 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977. Used by permission."