AN EXPLOSIVE EMOTION:  ANGER

Victor M. Eskew

 

INTRODUCTION

 

A.   Have you heard this statement:  “He just exploded on me?”

1.    Either we have made the statement, or, we have experienced the statement.

2.    The words are understood to mean someone who loudly, vehemently, and possibly, dangerously succumbs to his anger.

 

B.   Because anger can manifest itself in this way, we have entitled our lesson:  “An Explosive Emotion:  Anger.”

 

C.   The use of the word in Scripture

1.    The word “angry” is found 44 times.

2.    The word “anger” is found 234 times.

3.    The word “angered” is used only once.

 

D.   In and of itself, anger is not evil. 

1.    The Bible tells us:  “…God is angry with the wicked every day” (Ps. 7:11).

2.    If anger is always a sin, then God sins every day.

 

E.   Anger, however, can be evil and sinful.  Thus, the Bible warns about anger in numerous places (Prov. 14:17)

 

He that is soon angry dealeth foolishly…

 

I.             THE FORMS OF ANGER

 

A.   There is no established scale of anger that has been developed. 

 

B.   One has said that anger ranges from Annoyance to Rage.

 

     LEVEL                       DESCRIPTION                                   SIGNS

 

1.    Annoyance             Mild irritation over something               Impatient, sighing

unpleasant                                        

 

2.    Frustration            Obstacles or repeated problems,           Complaining, short

increase emotional tension          temper, tense body                                                                     language

 

3.    Resentment           Anger lingers and begins to take           Replaying offences,

root                                                    bitterness, withdrawal

 

4.    Indignation            Strong anger in response to a               Feeling morally offended,

perceived in justice, can be                   desire to see wrong

appropriate or inappropriate                corrected

5.    Wrath                    Intense anger with a desire for              Harsh words, hostility,

punishment or revenge                        loss of compassion

 

6.    Rage                      Anger becomes overwhelming and         Yelling, aggression,

difficult to control                                impulsive behavior,

                                                          possible violence

 

II.           EXAMPLES OF ANGER IN THE BIBLE

 

A.   Annoyance:  The friend at midnight (Luke 11:5-7, esp. v. 7)

 

And he from within shall answer and say, Trouble me not:  the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot rise and give thee.

 

B.   Frustration:  Martha regarding Mary (Luke 10:40)

 

But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone?  bid her therefore that she help me.

 

C.   Resentment:  Joseph’s brothers (Gen. 37:4)

 

And when his brethren saw that their father loved him more than all his brethren, they hated him, and could not speak peaceable to them.

 

D.   Indignation: 

1.    This is a word that can have a positive side or a negative side to it.

2.    Examples:

a.    Negative:  Mordecai (Est. 5:9)

 

Then went Haman forth that day joyful and with a glad heart:  but when Haman saw Mordecai in the king’s gate, that he stood not up, nor moved for him, he was full of indignation against Mordecai.

 

b.    Positive:  God (Nah. 1:6)

 

Who can stand before his indignation?  and who can abide in the fierceness of his anger?

 

E.   Wrath: 

1.    This, too, can manifest itself negatively or positively.

2.    Examples:

a.    Negative: Simeon and Levi (Gen. 49:7)

 

Cursed be their anger, for it was fierce; and their wrath for it was cruel…

 

b.    Positive:  God (Deut. 29:28)

 

And the Lord rooted them out of the land in anger, and in wrath, and in great indignation, and cast them into another land, as it is this day.

F.    Rage:  Naaman (2 Kings 5:12)

 

…So he turned and went away in a rage.

 

III.         DANGERS (of Man’s Anger)

 

A.   Too much expression (Simeon and Levi, Gen. 49:7)

 

B.   Directed toward the wrong person (Cain toward Abel, Gen 4:8)

 

C.   Clouds judgment (Naaman, 2 Kings 5:12)

 

D.   Harms relationships (Paul and Barnabas, Acts 15:39-40)

 

E.   Ruins our reputation (Herod Antipas, Matt. 2:16)

 

F.    Keeps on from leadership positions (elders, Tit. 1:7)

 

G.   Turns into bitterness (Heb. 12:15).

 

H.   Opens the door to other sins, especially unforgiveness (See Matt. 6:14-15)

 

I.     Keeps one from obeying God (Moses struck the rock, Num. 20:10-11).

 

J.    Causes one to lose his soul (“wrath”, tenth in the list of the works of the flesh, Gal. 5:19-21).

 

IV.         VICTORY

 

A.   Proper thinking (Prov 23:7)

 

For as he thinketh in his heart so is he…

 

1.    Allow God’s word to transform you (Rom. 12:2).

2.    Questions to ask while angry:

a.    Why am I angry?

b.    With whom am I really angry?

c.    Should I be this angry?

d.    How should I express my anger?

 

B.   Self-control (1 Cor. 9:25)

 

And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things.  Now they do it to receive a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible.

 

C.   Be slow to anger.

1.    Proverbs 15:18

 

A wrathful man stirreth up strife:  but he that is slow to anger appeaseth strife.

 

2.    Proverbs 16:32

 

He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty…

 

3.    James 1:19

 

Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath.

 

D.   Be open to the advice and instruction of others.

1.    David to Abigail (1 Sam. 25:23-24)

2.    Naaman to his servants (2 Kings 5:13)

 

E.   Take it off (Eph. 4:31).

 

Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice.

 

F.    Leave vengeance to God (Rom. 12:19)

 

Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath;  for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.

 

CONCLUSION

 

A.   Some of our emotions endanger our souls. 

 

B.   Anger is one of them.

1.    It can make me a person who lives by the flesh.

2.    It can bring other sins into my life.

3.    It can keep me from obeying God.

 

C.   Anger is not worth losing heaven (Gal. 5:21).