Ask Your Preacher - Archives
“In The Heat Of Anger”
Categories: CONQUERING SIN, RELATIONSHIPS, SELF, WITH MANKINDGod bless you, brethren. Mark 3:5 says that Jesus "looked at them with anger, being grieved at the hardness of their hearts". I would like for you to help me understand when it is okay for us to be angry at someone for something. When is anger not a sin?Sincerely,
Tempering My Anger
Dear Tempering My Anger,
Anger isn’t a sin, but it often leads us into sinful behavior. The Bible says, “Be angry and do not sin” (Eph 4:26). Anger is a natural emotion, but we often allow that emotion to control us, and we end up saying or doing things that are sinful. The example you gave from Mk 3:5 is a good example of the proper use of anger. Jesus was angry because the Pharisees had such hard hearts that they would have denied an injured man healing just to spite Jesus (Mk 3:1-2). Jesus was enraged by their attitudes. So what did Jesus do with that anger? He healed the man and taught people God’s truth (Mk 3:3-5). Jesus was angry, but He didn’t say or do anything He would later regret. We should rule over our spirits when we are angry (Pr 16:32) and be slow to speak when our hearts are hot (Jas 1:19).
