- Joined
- Feb 9, 2004
- Messages
- 17,078
Anger Is Dynamite - Message #206 - August 14, 2005
Amazingly, the Bible says, "Be angry, and yet do not sin (Ephesians 4:26). The Bible also tells us "outbursts of anger" are among the "deeds of the flesh" (Galatians 5:19-20). The Bible exhorts you to "let all bitterness and wrath and anger... be put away from you" (Ephesians 4:31). How can this happen? How can you be angry and yet not sin?
Here is a clue. "Tremble [with anger], and do not sin; meditate in your heart upon your bed, and be still" (Psalm 4:4). The point is simple. When we get angry, we tend to attack others. We lash out at them with a torrent of verbal abuse. The better part of wisdom is to "be still." We should bite our tongues and keep silent. Why? The real sin comes in verbal abuse or worse yet, in physical abuse. Anger can build into hate which in turn takes vengeance.
And so you'd better watch out! You'd better remember the words of Jesus. "You have heard that the ancients were told, 'You shall not commit murder' and 'Whoever commits murder shall be liable to the court.' But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother shall be guilty before the court'" (Matthew 5:21-22). Anger which is not controlled is a volcano. When it erupts, everyone suffers. Such is the nature of sin.
Contributed by Dr. Dennis J. Prutow
Amazingly, the Bible says, "Be angry, and yet do not sin (Ephesians 4:26). The Bible also tells us "outbursts of anger" are among the "deeds of the flesh" (Galatians 5:19-20). The Bible exhorts you to "let all bitterness and wrath and anger... be put away from you" (Ephesians 4:31). How can this happen? How can you be angry and yet not sin?
Here is a clue. "Tremble [with anger], and do not sin; meditate in your heart upon your bed, and be still" (Psalm 4:4). The point is simple. When we get angry, we tend to attack others. We lash out at them with a torrent of verbal abuse. The better part of wisdom is to "be still." We should bite our tongues and keep silent. Why? The real sin comes in verbal abuse or worse yet, in physical abuse. Anger can build into hate which in turn takes vengeance.
And so you'd better watch out! You'd better remember the words of Jesus. "You have heard that the ancients were told, 'You shall not commit murder' and 'Whoever commits murder shall be liable to the court.' But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother shall be guilty before the court'" (Matthew 5:21-22). Anger which is not controlled is a volcano. When it erupts, everyone suffers. Such is the nature of sin.
Contributed by Dr. Dennis J. Prutow