Petty anger?

 

 

A pastor once said that anger ranges from mild annoyance to furious rage but always is aroused when something prevents a person from getting their own way — a desire for comfort upset by a bump in a crowded bus, a desire for quiet when the kids next door are yelling, a desire for success threatened by an employee stealing from the profits.

A NT verse says, “Be angry and sin not” indicating that human anger is not necessarily sinful. Example: reacting to news of oppressors abusing innocent women and children. However, in the lists of sin that will keep people out of the kingdom of God, anger is there alongside WRATH. The word for anger means ‘wrath’ and the word for wrath means ‘a feeling of intense anger.’ The context sorts out the intended meaning and a bit of study on these words shows there is a big difference between my anger, even my ‘righteous indignation’ and the anger and wrath of God.

God is holy and desires goodness and peace for us. When sin entered humanity, all were infected with this horrid desire to do our own thing and reject the ways of God. Imagine how a totally insolent child (aka brat) frustrates all the goodness you want for him. No matter what you do to love and guide that child, he shakes his fist in your face and says “No, I will not.” This is a tiny hint of how our human defiance affects a loving, holy God who wants the best for us.

In the OT, Moses was indignant at the sin of God’s people dancing round the golden calf, yet later outbursts of anger are depicted as a vice. Psalm 37:8 instructs readers: “Refrain from anger, and forsake wrath! Fret not yourself; it tends only to evil.” Other verses say anger and wrath are cruel, lead to quarreling, division and bloodshed. Anger is unwise, a mark of fools and should be avoided. However, God is repeatedly said to be a jealous and angry God. This is hard to sort out as this passage says:

Jeremiah 30:23–24. “Behold the storm of the Lord! Wrath has gone forth, a whirling tempest; it will burst upon the head of the wicked. The fierce anger of the Lord will not turn back until he has executed and accomplished the intentions of his mind. In the latter days you will understand this.”

I get the wrath of God against evil, but have trouble putting that alongside Jesus’ command to love my enemies. This clearly shows how God’s ways are beyond human understanding. God can be provoked by my disobedience yet He put all His wrath on His Son at Calvary. There is no escaping His wrath for those who turn from Him in unfaithfulness and violation of His grace as reflected in their thoughts and behavior. God offers love and forgiveness but many reject Him in favor of sinful selfishness. One writer puts it mildly: “God’s people often offend Him.”

Another theologian suggests that God’s wrath can be an expression of rejected, wounded love, a deep root that is slightly understood by anyone who loves deeply and are overwhelmingly rejected. However, His wrath can also be directed against nations as well as individuals who have spurned Him.

He passes judgment on the wicked sending sword, hunger and pestilence, annihilation, devastation, depopulation, scattering, and burning of the land. It makes one wonder about the stuff we see happening in our world. Is this the wrath of God because humanity has turned away from Him?

The OT speaks positively though. Isaiah 54:7–8 says:

“For a brief moment I deserted you, but with great compassion I will gather you. In overflowing anger for a moment I hid my face from you, but with everlasting love I will have compassion on you,” says the Lord, your Redeemer.

And Hosea 14:4 offers this hope: “I will heal their apostasy; I will love them freely, for my anger has turned from them.” The human response should be humility, repentance, reaffirmed obedience and response to God’s restoration.

GAZE INTO HIS GLORY. This is where the arrival of Jesus comes in. When He prayed in Gethsemane, He asked that this “cup” pass from Him. He was talking about the cup of God’s wrath — but it did not pass by; it was poured out on Him. Jesus took the full fury of God against the sin of humanity and paid sin’s awful price.

God recognizes I will become angry (either at my plans being thwarted or in righteous indignation at sin) but warns me against the fleshy response of wrath — it is not mine to express because Jesus took all wrath that is due me or anyone else — and instead of wrath, I am to acknowledge my frustration remembering that Jesus died for them also.

“Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God. Therefore put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.” (James 1:19–21)

The offer of salvation requires meek acceptance. Jesus was “raised from the dead” and has “delivered me from the wrath to come.” Any who rejects that will miss out on the gift and the Giver — and “suffer the punishment of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might.” Instead of anger, this should make me weep.