Why do we get angry? - Part 1

Our article for today will examine why a Houston mother would get so angry to the point of burning her 10-year old daughter’s face with an iron. What did her daughter do to warrant an iron to the face? Well, the young daughter was simply not reading words correctly in a book. Although not all of us may project our anger in such irrational extremes, we all do have a predisposition for anger from time to time.

Anger is a mental attitude sin and as such it can display itself in antagonism, hatred, frustration, bitterness or irrational behavior. It can also be seen in such attitudes as gossiping, judging and maligning others, as well as in violence and murder. Our sinful human nature tempts us to be angry. You may notice that all these sin nature inclinations come naturally to us all. We do not have to take a class in school to learn how to be angry, to gossip, judge and malign others. No parent will ever have to say to their child, “Johnny, come here because I want to teach you some principles on how to be angry, jealous, disobedient and a liar.”

Though our sin nature is what motivates us to anger, we still choose to succumb to it or not from our free will. The Bible is consistent on exhorting us not to choose to follow our sin nature tendencies (Col 3:5-10).

Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry: For which things’ sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience: In the which ye also walked some time, when ye lived in them. But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth. Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds; And have put on the newman, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him: (KJV Col 3:5-10)

The word “members” in verse 5 is a reference to the contamination of our sin nature. This contamination is genetically in our bodies. It is our sin nature that constantly wages war against our mind. Our mind is where we learn and retain God’s biblical principles so we can have them available to use to make good choices (Rom. 7:23).

But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. (KJV Rom. 7:23)

Therefore, God is never the author of sin or temptation. It is an arrogant mind that blames God for such factors as sin or temptation (James 1:13-15).

Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man: But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death. (KJV 1:13-15)

As is obvious from our featured story, anger makes us commit some very irrational actions. Anger is the reason for so much embarrassing and dumb behavior. We should never try to solve any kind of problem in anger, but instead, should wait until we have calmed down and regained our senses. For the believer in Jesus Christ, the confession technique of 1 John 1:9 should be the first step in this recovery process continued by the application of biblical principles to our problem.

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (KJV 1 John 1:9)

When we retaliate in anger against any person, we are simply trying to find satisfaction in that individual being unhappy from our retaliation. Our retaliation may be in the form of revenge through gossiping, maligning, or physical harm against the person. Getting revenge on someone should never be a basis for our satisfaction. We hinder God’s divine punishment and justice to resolve the problem when we take revengeful actions through verbal sins or violence on our part.

Therefore, the question to consider now is that if anger is a sin, why is anger associated with God when the Bible speaks of the “anger” or “wrath” of the Lord? This is what we will examine in the second part of our article.