Colossians 3:8 “But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth.”

The world watched with horror on international TV during the 94th Oscars Awards Presentation Ceremony on 27 March 2022 when Will Smith slapped Chris Rock in anger publicly when the latter cracked a joke about the Will Smith’s wife shaved head. Will Smith later also used vulgar words publicly against Chris, but the latter maintained his composure. How do we handle anger when it overwhelms us? Let us discuss.

Anger is an emotion that all of us have or have encountered before in others. It is a choice we make to be angry for no one can make us angry technically. If you examine the video concerning the incident of Will Smith, he was initially laughing along with the jokes by Chris Rock until he saw his wife’s facial reaction, it all changed quickly and he decided to do something about it consciously and tangibly, and the rest are history. Anger is a negative decisive emotional choice in our response to someone or something, be it a provocation, perceived or real.

Understanding the Basis for Anger

Managing our emotions including our outburst of anger is a necessary skill or attitude to acquire in a fallen world. Christian psychologists and counsellors report that fifty percent of people who come in for counselling have issues with anger. Uncontrolled expressions of anger can hinder good communication and destroy interpersonal relationships and a good witness in the home, office or even church or school, and it can adversely affect both the joy and mental health of many. Sadly, many tend to justify their anger instead of accepting responsibility for it and repenting of it. Most people struggle, to varying degrees, with the control or the expressions of fury.

God’s Word has some principles regarding how to cope and manage our anger in a godly manner, and how to overcome sinful anger if any.

Anger often can be sinful if it is not restrained but it need not be. There is only one form of anger of which the Bible approves, which is “righteous indignation.” God is angry (Psalms 7:11; Mark 3:5), and believers are commanded to be careful about our expression of anger (Ephesians 4:26). Two Greek words in the New Testament are translated as “anger.” One means “passion, energy” and the other means “agitated, boiling.” Biblically, anger is an outburst of emotion and often done out of proportion. An example of biblical righteous anger is Jesus’ rightful anger when He overturned the tables of the Jews who defiled the sabbath and sacred worship at God’s temple in Jerusalem by money-making activities (John 2:13-18). Notice that the incident is not about oneself, but a defence of a principle.

Controlled anger at an injustice inflicted against another or oneself can be appropriate if expressed properly. Anger has been said to be a warning sign to us or others especially if one has violated the law of God but in a measured manner (e.g. if someone steals things from you or lies about you). We need to be mindful of the recipient and the proper expression of our anger that often may have suffered injustice.

When Anger is Sinful

The first murder in the Bible happened when Cain killed Abel in anger and jealousy. (Genesis 4:8) Anger can be sinful when it is motivated by selfishness pride or hatred or revenge (James 1:20), when it is unproductive and thus distorts God’s purposes (1 Corinthians 10:31), or when anger is allowed to linger on till the next day which is unhealthy (Ephesians 4:26-27). A sign that anger has turned to sinful action is when we attack the wrongdoer personally or unjustly. Ephesians 4:15-19 says we are to speak the truth in love and use the right words to build others up, not to allow idle or abusive, untruthful or hurtful words to come from our lips. Let us be careful that our speech be seasoned with grace and salt. (Colossians 4:6)

Unfortunately, unedifying or abusive speech is a mark of fallen man (Romans 3:13-14). Anger becomes sin when it is allowed to build up in our lives without restraint, resulting more hurt (Proverbs 29:11). The consequences of the outburst of wrath can be serious. Anger also becomes sin when the indignant person refuses to be pacified, holds a grudge, or fester the anger into an unedifying behaviour (Ephesians 4:26-27). This, if it persists, can cause serious problems between people in the long run and can also cause irritability which can lead one to do something that he or she may regret later. King Asa lost his temper and imprisoned the seer. He also oppressed the people in a rage and a disease in his foot cleaved to him as a punishment from God. (2 Chronicles 16:10-14). “Those who fly into a rage seldom makes a good landing.”

To be continued…

By Rev Jack Sin

(Expanded and edited from GotQuestions.org, on What does the Bible says about Anger. Read also Wayne Mack, Anger and Stress Management – God’s Way, 2007)

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