Vol.7 No.4

Q. What does the Bible mean, "Be ye angry and sin not"? Is anger ever good?

A. We all live in a world where anger is a common occurrence. And usually it is not of God For when we are angry, where is love? Where is patience? Where is gentleness? These fruits or manifestations of the Holy Spirit are rarely present when we vent out in fury (see Galatians 5:22, 23).

But there is a certain righteous indignation that is of God. Moses gives us examples of both selfish anger and righteous indignation. When Moses came down from Mount Sinai, he found the Israelites dancing around the golden calf. Indignant that Israel should forget God so soon, he broke the two tablets signifying the covenant broken by Israel's apostasy

Less noble was Moses' manifestation of anger when haggled by the people for water in Kadesh. Instead of being vexed for God's glory, he took the insult personally and became extremely offended and irritated. Notice the impatience fuming from his response, "Hear now, ye rebels; must we fetch you water out of this rock?" (Numbers 20:10).

This little outburst kept Moses out of the land of Canaan. We may think it was too severe a rebuke. But God would have us understand that an expression of anger to protect ourselves is not acceptable.

Jesus expressed anger in the cleansing of the temple. What made His expression of anger sinless? His anger was wholly devoid of self or wounded pride. It was out of a pure, holy zeal for the house of God. Love for God and His holy temple alone was revealed.

Thus the difference between righteous anger and unrighteous anger lies in the motive that activates it: Is it love for God and His cause or self defense?

Vol.7 No.4

Q. I am cursed with a hot temper and often face provocations at every turn. I know that as a Christian, things should be different. But taking a deep breath and counting to ten just doesn't cut it. What can I do?

A. The Bible offers a simple solution that works for just about any kind of temptation. James 4:7 says, "Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you."

The first thing we must realize is that we have no power to resist temptation. Notice we are not told simply to resist, but to first submit. What does it mean to submit? Strong's Greek Dictionary defines the word submit as "to subordinate; to be subject to." As we feel provoked we are to bring our vexation in subjection to the Holy Spirit through prayer. It need take but half a second to unload our aggravation. But it must be done, right then and there.

As we submit our right to be provoked to God, we must reach for strength to resist the devil. God does not expect us to fight in our own strength. He promises, "My grace is sufficient for thee, for my strength is made perfect in weakness," and through Paul's experience we know,

"I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me" (2 Corinthians 12:9; Philippians 4:13).

By keeping our hearts open to divine strength through prayer, we will find that "'there hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able: but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it" (1 Corinthians 10:13).