Bible Study Outline: Is Being Angry A Sin?
Written By: Steve Shirley
*For Answer Key To Fill In The Blanks Go: Here
First off, let me begin by saying that I believe there are two types of anger:
______________________ and ________________________.
Righteous anger is when we become angry over an injustice done to another, be it another person or God. This kind of anger seeks to right a wrong. It is a holy anger.
Jesus gave us some examples of righteous anger. Let’s look at two of these:
(Jn 2:15-16)(Jn 21:12-13)
(Mk 3:5)
God is also shown to have righteous anger in the Bible, especially in the Old Testament. The main reason was because He saw His chosen people doing things that would ultimately lead to their harm. God gave His people guidelines and laws to follow that would lead to blessed and bountiful lives, and when they failed to follow these standards, it angered God because He wanted the best for His people. When we fail to put God first in ALL areas of our lives, it can do nothing but harm.
Can you think of some examples of what righteous anger might be today?
On the other hand, unrighteous anger is when we become angry over injustices done to US. In the Bible, we never see Jesus becoming angry over anything that was done to Him personally. On the contrary, He was quick to forgive those who accused and attacked Him. Even in His dying moments, He asked the Father to forgive those who crucified Him (Lk 23:34).
**Note: I think it is also important to keep in mind that (as far as I am aware), the Bible never once tells us to forgive a wrong done to someone else, but rather we are to help and defend the one who is being, or has been harmed. We are only commanded to forgive wrongs done to us.
This being said, I do believe that anger is an emotion. It begins as a natural reaction. For example, if we are cut off by someone in traffic, our natural reaction to that is generally anger. This is not necessarily sinful. However, what do we do with that natural reaction? Do we immediately forgive the one who caused the anger and turn from it, or do we “give birth” to that anger, dwelling on it and possibly seeking revenge? Can you think of any other examples where this might apply?
I believe a good parallel to our anger can be found in the Bible when it speaks of lust. Let’s turn to (James 1:14-15).
I believe if we put the word “anger” in place of “lust” in these verses, we can see how the natural “emotion” of anger can turn sinful.
For example, when a man sees a woman in a bikini, his natural reaction is usually an increase in heart rate and blood pressure. He cannot control that “emotional reaction” any more than he could control that same emotion occurring when he is scared. I do not believe lust has been conceived at this point.
Let’s look at what Jesus said in (Mt 5:28).
I believe that Jesus is talking about our thought life. When a man begins to “give birth” to, or “conceives” thoughts of fantasizing about what he might do with that woman in the bikini, lust has begun at that point, and he has sinned by committing adultery.
The same idea can be used with anger. When a person does something to us that brings the natural reaction of anger, how do we respond when “enticed?” Do we immediately forgive and turn from our anger, thinking on things that are “pure, lovely, worthy of praise, right, and honorable” (Phil 4:8), or do we turn that “emotion” to anger by “giving birth” to it?
I see unrighteous anger as being totally linked to unforgiveness. It is very important that we forgive quickly and immediately. We should do this because if we don’t, unforgiveness turns into bitterness, which the Bible says in (Heb 12:15) is:
______________________________ and (2 Cor 2:10-11) says it:
______________________________.
We want to stop anger BEFORE it has any chance to take root and turn to bitterness.
Think about this, if we fail to forgive immediately when someone has angered us, isn’t this unforgiveness? How long can we hold on to anger before it turns to unforgiveness and sin?
This is what the Bible seems to be telling us in (Eph 4:26). Let’s look at this verse.
I see this as saying that anger is something that we need to remove QUICKLY from our lives or else it becomes sin.
(I do not think this means that we can LITERALLY stay mad all day if someone angers us early in the day, as long as we get over it by bedtime.)
(Eph 4:27) continues by saying that: ______________________________.
It is also interesting to note that verse 31 links both bitterness and anger as forms of: ___________________ that we need to: ______________________________.
(Also see: Col 3:8).
(Gal 5:20) says: ______________________________.
(Gal 5:17) says: ______________________________.
And, (Rom 8:8) says: ______________________________.
We must die to ourselves and what our “flesh” wants (Gal 5:24)(Col 3:5)(Eph 4:22).
(Dying being the opposite of “giving birth.”)
It is said that depression is: ______________________________. I can testify to this myself. The night I gave my life to Christ, the one change that happened IMMEDIATELY was peace. I had spent my whole life prior to that being angry, and as a result, depressed. I was miserable…
Jesus tells us in (Jn 13:27)(Jn 16:33) that He: ______________________________.
It is called the (Phil 4:7): ______________________________.
While my life has had its ups and downs since that night, the inner peace that replaced that anger has never left me. Let Jesus replace your anger with peace!
Let’s close by looking at a few other Bible verses that speak about anger, beginning with the Proverbs.
(Prov 29:8): ______________________________.
(Prov 14:17)(Prov 15:18)(Prov 16:32) tell us to be: ______________________________.
(Prov 19:11) The discretion of a man ______________________________; And it is his glory to ______________________________.
(In other words: FORGIVE!)
(Ecc 7:9) Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry: for anger resteth in the bosom of ____________________.
(James 1:19-20) … let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath: (20) for the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God.