Is Your
Anger Righteous or Unrighteous?
By
David A. Holden
In order to rightly understand anger we will
begin with a question. Is it wrong
to be angry? Even deeper is the question,
is anger a sinful emotion? Many Christians
would answer “yes” to these questions. Many
feel that it is wrong to be angry for any reason and that to become angry
is a sin. In my counseling ministry
I work with people who heap tremendous guilt on themselves for even having
the emotion of anger. They feel as
if they are disappointing God and they 
live
in a world of depression and shame as they wrestle with their inner emotions. The truth is that anger is a God-given emotion
and part of God’s own divine character. As
image bearers of God, we experience and express the same emotions as our Creator.
However, we shall see that God’s anger flows from His holiness and
His righteousness. God never sins in His anger. As fallen creatures we may experience righteous
or unrighteous anger. Although anger
itself is not a sinful emotion, the motives behind our anger and how we handle
our anger may be sinful. In this article
we will take a look at how to determine the difference between righteous and
unrighteous anger, and how to rightly handle our anger.
To suggest that God never experiences or
expresses anger as part of His divine character would go against biblical
teaching. For example, in Exodus 32 we read about God’s response
when
Elsewhere in Deuteronomy 29:25-28 we catch an even deeper glimpse of God’s
display of holy anger. In answer to the
question of the people of God, “Why has the Lord done this to this land? Why this fierce, burning anger?” (Deut. 29:24), Moses’ response to the
people is, “It is because this people abandoned the covenant of the Lord, the
God of their forefathers, the covenant He made with them when He brought them
out of
Finally, in Romans
As we can see from these passages, as well
as others, anger is an emotion that flows from God’s own divine character. Particularly in the Deuteronomy passage we read of God’s furious anger and His great
wrath. This passage expresses in words a
pretty significant display of God’s anger.
However, as mentioned above, God’s anger flows from His righteousness
and holiness. God’s anger is the result
of a righteous jealousy and love for His people. God’s anger flows from a violation of His
laws, morals and precepts. Most
significantly, God’s anger flows from a turning away by His people to the
worship of other gods, forsaking trust in and a genuine relationship with the
One true God. In short, God never
displays an unrighteous anger. God’s
anger is a righteous anger flowing from His perfect and holy character.
Now that we have determined that anger is a
God-given emotion and is not sinful in-and-of itself, we will turn our
attention to understanding the difference between righteous and unrighteous
anger.
Righteous Anger
Righteous anger flows from issues such as being
sinned against, experiencing injustice, a righteous jealousy, or when God
is being mocked. When Jesus chased
the money changers out of the temple (John
house
into a den of robbers. In John
2:17, as the disciples pondered the motive behind Jesus’ anger we read, “Zeal
for Your house will consume Me.” Jesus’
anger flowed from a righteous anger and His respect for God’s place of worship,
God’s integrity and His character.
An example closer to home is if you were maliciously
and falsely accused of doing some wrong and your character was publicly maligned.
In this case, it would not be sinful to experience the God-given emotion
of anger as you were publicly humiliated, shamed and alienated for an offense
that you were innocent of committing. In
this instance you have been wrongly sinned against by others.
Unrighteous Anger
Unrighteous
anger flows from issues such as pride, selfishness, fear and anxiety,
unrighteous jealousy, and unmet, self-centered expectations. We see an example of unrighteous anger in the
life of King Saul. When the people of
An example closer to home is if someone was
to give you some gracious and honest feedback on some personal growth areas,
and you became defensive and angry and lashed out at that individual. In this instance your anger is stemming from
pride, self-preservation and an unwillingness to look honestly at yourself or
appear weak.
A Heart Matter
At its roots, anger is very much a heart
matter. In Proverbs
Dealing With Anger
In dealing with your own personal anger, the
first question you must honestly ask yourself is, “Is my anger a righteous
anger or an unrighteous anger?” That is,
“Is my anger founded in a God-centered direction, having God and His glory as
the central issue and focus, or is my anger founded in a self-centered
direction, having my own selfish desires and self interests as center
stage?” If your anger is of an
unrighteous root, the answer is to repent of your selfishness, go before God
and confess your unrighteous motives, and accept God’s incredible grace and
forgiveness. In I John 1:9 we read, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and
just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” You will also need to humbly go and reconcile
with those whom you have offended in your wave of anger. In addition, you may need to seek out the
help of another to get at the root of your anger and free yourself from its
repetitive and damaging grip.
If your anger is of a righteous root, the
answer is still to go before God and seek His guidance and wisdom (largely
through His Word) in how to handle your anger in a righteous manner. Remember that a righteous anger may become
unrighteous by the way in which we handle the situation. You may also want to seek out the wisdom and
guidance of mature individuals to help you stay the course in keeping a godly
attitude and focus.
David Holden is the Practice Director for Wellspring
Christian Counseling (314- 878-5425) in
