3 Myths about Anger
Among Christians, there are three 3 common myths about anger that need to be clarified.
1. All anger is bad.
Most of us have been trained that anger is bad. However, all anger is not bad. In the Bible, roughly half the times anger is mentioned, it is in reference to God being angry. If we say that all anger is bad, we are saying that it is bad for God to get angry—or even that He sins by being angry.
That is clearly not the case. God is without sin. His anger is just and true and flows from a heart of love.
We are made in His image (Gen. 1:26), therefore we are made with emotions. One of those is anger. It is normal and natural for us to get angry.
2. Anger can be good if used properly.
If God’s anger is good, we are made in His image, and it is natural for us to experience anger, it follows that our anger can also be good.
However that leaves out an important fact. We have fallen since we were formed in His image. Our hearts are no longer pure. Because the issues of life, including our emotions, flow from the heart, our anger is not pure. It is polluted.
While anger is not bad, it’s contaminated in our hearts and it is harmful to us and to relationships with God and with others.
Consequently, God specifically tells us to put all anger aside, to get rid of it.
“Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice (Eph. 4:31).
“But now you also, put them all aside: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive speech from your mouth (Eph 4:31).
Because man is self-centered and sinful, “the anger of man does not achieve the righteousness of God” (Jas. 1:20). Instead of expressing it and justifying ourselves, we need to put it aside. All of it.
When we are angered, we can sometimes use the burden and energy from anger to do good, but if we want righteous results, we first need to deal with the anger and get rid of it.
Christians have harmed the Gospel of Jesus Christ many times as they seek to do good from an angry heart. When that happens, what the unsaved experience is anger and judgment. It does not produce the fruit we hope for.
3. God told us to be angry.
In Ephesians 4:26-27, we are told “Be angry, and yet do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and do not give the devil an opportunity.” Many people use this as permission to be angry, especially if they feel justified in their cause. After all, the Bible tells us to be angry, right?
Let’s look a little closer. In Greek “be angry” is a passive verb. That means it is an action done to the subject, not one which the subject does. In other words, rather than “be angry,” or “when you are angry,” it could be properly translated, “When someone angers you” or “When you are angered” do not sin.
This verse recognizes that anger is a natural response for mankind. We will have things done to us that make us angry.
However, when that happens—when we are angered—we are to deal with it quickly, i.e. before the sun sets. Anger that hangs around is destructive. It gives the devil opportunity to further complicate things—by stirring up negative responses in our hearts and in relationships.
The Lord knows our makeup. He knows we will be angered. He also understands our tendency to nurse our offenses until they become major issues. He is also a relational God. He wants us to be at peace and in unity with those around us. Therefore in His love and wisdom, He gave us instructions to deal with anger quickly when we are angered.
Anger makes us miserable and damages our relationships with others and with God. However, we can avoid its destruction if we obey God and deal with it quickly. To learn to identify the roots of anger and get rid of it, check out Uprooting Anger: Destroying the Monster Within.
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