Anger is an emotion that is expressed much more frequently than we care to admit. All of us, at one time or another, have unleashed a barrage of words and expressions that have caused our peers, and even family members, to retreat to safety. The anger a believer exhibits tends to have not only external ramifications, but also internal effects. We have seen anger displayed by non-Christians, but seeing it displayed by believers is puzzling and confusing. Is it normal for a follower of Christ to express anger? Is it a sign of spiritual weakness when it shows?
The Bible says we can get angry, but we are warned not to let that anger reach a level where it becomes sin. (Ephesians 4:26) The word “anger” here means “to provoke or enrage, exasperate.” (Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance) Whenever something or someone provokes or provokes spiritual or personal discomfort, it is normal for there to be signs of displeasure. But personalizing it towards the one it antagonizes is entering very dangerous territory. One of the qualities of a bishop is that he “does not get angry quickly.” (Titus 1:7) Every time someone’s emotion is quickened by the shortness of their fuse, the door to the arena of sin is opened. A believer must exhibit great tolerance when it comes to areas of frustration. The Bible warns against letting the day end without laying “anger” in bed. (Ephesians 4:26b) Every time we let anger remain active during our sleep time, the subconscious will be a breeding ground for tomorrow’s attitude. If we have not dealt with anger before going to bed, it is very likely that our rest will be anything but restful. Anger should never be directed at an individual. When we show anger towards another person, we have opened the door to other emotions that can promote disharmony and pain.
Scripture tells us that in a certain synagogue Jesus experienced a confrontation with a number of Pharisees who exhibited religious hypocrisy. They were waiting for Jesus to break one of the rules of Judaism. On this particular day, there was a man with a dry hand and everyone was looking to see if Jesus was trying to heal him. Jesus asked the religious hypocrites a question, to which they did not answer. The Bible says that Jesus then became angry and saddened by the hardness of his hearts. (Mark 3) There were two other occasions when Jesus expressed himself with aggressive action. Twice Jesus cleansed the Temple with a display of physical energy that caused the moneychangers to flee in haste. Jesus was not displaying a carnal anger, but a religious indignation against the desecration of the House of God. The Temple had become a “merchandise house” and a “thieves’ den” instead of a House of Prayer. (John 2; Matthew 21; Mark 11; Luke 19) I wonder what Jesus thinks of trading in his Father’s house today. In the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5), Jesus made it clear that there would be responsibility if someone “continues” to be angry with his brother or harbors malice against him. (Amplified Translation) There is a difference between carnal anger and spiritual anger. One steps away from the boundary of Faith with the resolution to bring satisfaction to a wounded ego, while the other stays within the boundary of Faith to defend the Kingdom of God. A believer can be angry with a system, but not with the person who is being used to attack the faith. Carnal (carnal) anger takes the situation out of the hands of God and puts it under the control of man. Spiritual anger puts the situation in the hands of God and the judgment is manifested through the Believer.
Sometimes carnal (carnal) anger is shown towards ourselves. We feel frustrated by our inability to overcome certain challenges. If that anger stayed focused on oneself, there would be limited damage, but we usually take it out on those we love. There is also the misdirected carnal anger that finds the individual confronting God. God is blamed for certain tragedies that have been experienced or witnessed. Carnal (uncontrolled) anger has serious consequences that will have a negative effect not only on the initiator, but also on the lives of others. Spiritual (controlled) anger prompts one to representative action and is directed by the Holy Spirit. Let us never allow the emotion of anger to control us; rather, let us learn through the Holy Spirit how to control anger.