“Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and give no opportunity to the devil.” Ephesians 4:26–27
When Jesus entered the Jewish temple just before his crucifixion, he observed something terrible: the temple had been turned into a mall. Local merchants had set up their businesses and were making a profit on temple property. This made Jesus furious. In response, he flipped over their tables and drove them out of the temple. Yet, even in his anger, Jesus did not sin.
It’s not always a sin to be angry. There are appropriate times to feel and express anger. Yet, many times people tell us that we shouldn’t feel that way about the wrongs we’ve suffered. This type of counsel is both unbiblical and unhelpful.
God has a long wick and is slow to anger. But we are told throughout the Bible that God does get angry in response to sin.
Righteous anger is the right response to sin. This is a far more consistent response with the character of God than faking happiness, approval, or acceptance. The Bible, on many occasions, gives us examples of human anger that is justified. This is why Paul didn’t say, “Don’t be angry,” but rather, said, “Be angry, and do not sin.”
Paul accepted anger as a legitimate emotional response to sin. But he also warned us to be careful not to accept or empower anger that comes from our own sin. Instead, he said, we should harness the energy of our anger toward righteousness rather than letting it fuel our descent into clamor, slander, and malice.
Read
- How are we to deal with anger in our lives?
- Why do you think God wants us to deal with anger like this?
- What has your response been to anger in your life?
Prayer
Thank God that Jesus died for the anger in your life and that Jesus, not your anger, identifies you. Ask for his help in dealing with any lingering anger as soon as possible.
For more on the sentence “be angry and do not sin,” be sure to see Pastor Mark’s Tough Text Thursday post on Ephesians 4:26.
This devotion is adapted from the Who Do You Think You Are? Study Guides with Daily Devotions resource.
