“Be Angry & Do Not Sin”

Handling Anger in a Godly Way

 “Be Angry & Do Not Sin”
What is Anger?

Merriam-Webster ew Collegiate Dictionary

“A strong passion or emotion of displeasure, and
usually antagonism, excited by a sense of injury
or insult.”
•Late in picking you up •Disappointment
Anger – Stimulated •Doesn’t Clean up •Hurt
by an event •Mower Doesn’t Work •Rejection
•Made fun of you in •Embarrassment
public
 “Be Angry & Do Not Sin”
Anger: Rooted in
the Nature of God
God is Holy God is Love
Leviticus 11:44, 45 Exodus 34:6
I am the LORD your God; consecrate "The LORD, the LORD, the
yourselves and be holy, because I am holy. Do compassionate and gracious God,
not make yourselves unclean by any creature slow to anger, abounding in love
that moves about on the ground. 45 I am the and faithfulness,
LORD who brought you up out of Egypt to be
your God; therefore be holy, because I am holy.

1 Peter 1:15, 16 1 John 4:8

Whoever does not love does not
But just as he who called you is holy, so be
know God, because God is love.
holy in all you do; 16 for it is written: "Be holy,
because I am holy."
 “Be Angry & Do Not Sin”
Anger: Rooted in
the Nature of God
God is Holy
+ God is Love

God is OT Anger…

But, God does get Angry…

The word Anger is found 455 times in the Old

Testament; 375 of these times it is used of
God’s Anger.
Psalm 7:11
God is a righteous judge, a God who expresses
his wrath every day.
 “Be Angry & Do Not Sin”
Anger: In the
Imago Dei
Genesis 1:27
Anger is the emotion that
So God created man in his own image,
arises whenever we encounter
in the image of God he created him;
what we perceive to be
male and female he created them.
wrong.
 “Be Angry & Do Not Sin”
What is Anger?

Emotional Physiological Mental

•Disappointment •Epinephrine •Thoughts against
(Adrenaline) individuals
•Hurt
•Rejection + •Norepinephrine
(Noradrenaline)
+ •Thoughts of
Revenge
•Embarrassment
•Heart Rate •“Stewing” over the
issue
•Blood Pressure
•Imprecatory Prayers

Psalm 139:19
If only you would slay the wicked, O
God! Away from me, you
bloodthirsty men!
 “Be Angry & Do Not Sin”
What is Anger?
Emotional
Hard to
Physiological Control

Mental Must Control

“Although we have little control over our emotional and

physiological responses to a troubling event, we can (and must)
learn to control out thoughts”
Gary Chapman – The Other Side of Love
 “Be Angry & Do Not Sin”
The Battle of the Mind
2 Corinthians 10:5
And we take captive every thought to make it
obedient to Christ.

2 Corinthians 13:11
Finally, brothers, farewell. Aim for perfection,
listen to my appeal, be of one mind, live in
peace. And the God of love and peace will be
with you.

Romans 8:6
The mind of sinful man is death, but
the mind controlled by the Spirit is life
and peace;

Romans 12:2
Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be
transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to
test and approve what God's will is--his good, pleasing and perfect
will.
 “Be Angry & Do Not Sin”
The Purpose of Anger
God’s Response to Anger
Jeremiah 3:12
Go, proclaim this message toward the north:
" `Return, faithless Israel,' declares the LORD,
`I will frown on you no longer,
for I am merciful,' declares the LORD,
`I will not be angry forever.

Jonah 3:8, 9
But let man and beast be covered with sackcloth. Let
everyone call urgently on God. Let them give up
their evil ways and their violence. 9 Who knows?
God may yet relent and with compassion turn from
his fierce anger so that we will not perish."
 “Be Angry & Do Not Sin”
The Purpose of Anger
Jesus’ Response to Anger
John 2:16, 17
To those who sold doves he said, "Get these out of
here! How dare you turn my Father's house into a
market!"
His disciples remembered that it is written: "Zeal for
your house will consume me."

Mark 3:4, 5
Then Jesus asked them, "Which is lawful on the
Sabbath: to do good or to do evil, to save life or to
kill?" But they remained silent. He looked around at
them in anger and, deeply distressed at their stubborn
hearts, said to the man, "Stretch out your hand." He
stretched it out, and his hand was completely
restored.
 “Be Angry & Do Not Sin”
The Purpose of Anger
Our Response to Anger
“Human anger is designed of God to
motivate us to take constructive action”
-Chapman

•Society of Friends (Quakers) – Isaiah 58:6, 7

Antislavery movement in 1671
•William Wilberforce – Bill
against slave trade 1807
•Emancipation Proclamation – All
slaves declared free 1863
•Civil Rights Movement – Martin
Luther King Jr. 1960
"Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen:
to loose the chains of injustice and untie the
cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free
and break every yoke?
Is it not to share your food with the hungry
and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter--
when you see the naked, to clothe him, and not
to turn away from your own flesh and blood?
 “Be Angry & Do Not Sin”
What to do with Anger
5 Steps in Dealing with Your Anger
(Adapted from “The Other Side of Love”)

1. Consciously acknowledge to yourself that you are angry

2. Restrain your immediate response.

3. Locate the focus of your anger.

4. Analyze your options

5. Take constructive action.

 “Be Angry & Do Not Sin”
What to do with Anger
1. Consciously acknowledge to yourself that you are angry

Anger is not Sin… …but we must not Sin when we’re Angry!

Ephesians 4:26, 27
"In your anger do not sin" : Do not let the sun go down while
you are still angry, 27 and do not give the devil a foothold.
 “Be Angry & Do Not Sin”
What to do with Anger
2. Restrain your immediate response. “Count to 10”
Proverbs 29:11
A fool gives full vent to his anger, but Or 100, or 1000,
a wise man keeps himself under or 10000!
control.
Proverbs 16:32
Better a patient man than a warrior,
a man who controls his temper than one
who takes a city.

“Speak when you are angry and you will

make the best speech you will ever regret.”
 “Be Angry & Do Not Sin”
What to do with Anger
3. Locate the focus of your anger.

1st – What’s the Issue? 2nd – How serious is the Issue?

Who?

What?

How?
 “Be Angry & Do Not Sin”
What to do with Anger
4. Analyze your options

•Put them down

1. Is it positive & loving?
•Talk down to them
2. Does it really deal with the
•Talk bad about them wrong committed?
•Beat them with a bat!
3. Is it helping the
relationship?

4. Is it the best for the

person that I’m angry with?
 “Be Angry & Do Not Sin”
What to do with Anger
5. Take constructive action.

Romans12:18
If it is possible, as far as it depends on
you, live at peace with everyone.
Galatians 6:1
Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you
who are spiritual should restore him gently.
But watch yourself, or you also may be
tempted.