Man's Anger

In light of Monday’s campus massacre, I have found myself thinking a lot about anger. The gunman was described as filled with “seething rage”. And we see the destructive result that has left of stunned and shocked. This verse came to my mind:

James 1:19 My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, 20 for man's anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires.

The verse talks not of anger in general, but qualifies it as man’s anger. This must be to distinguish it from God’s anger which is altogether righteous. Since God is described as getting angry, anger can not be bad, in and of itself. It is man’s anger that is the problem and that leads to evil.

The problem, contrary to our culture worldview, is that mankind has a flawed nature resulting from being estranged from God. In biblical categories, this condition is called by names such as fallen, lost, depraved, corrupted. Therefore, man’s anger arises for invalid reasons. It comes from an inaccurate perception of justice. A proud man feels injustice resulting in anger if he is criticized, even fairly. A rebellious man feels he has been wronged and gets mad if he does not get his way, right or wrong. A selfish man believes he should have whatever he wants and becomes enraged if he can not get what he wants:

James 4:1 What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don't they come from your desires that battle within you? 2You want something but don't get it. You kill and covet, but you cannot have what you want. You quarrel and fight. You do not have, because you do not ask God.

Another perversion of justice is in the double standard. This happens when someone judges themselves by one standard, usually very lenient, and others by a different standard in which the slighest offense becomes worthy of severe punishment. So evil rage and violent intent bursts forth for nothing more than a car pulling in front of a person on the road.

Still a third way man’s anger in unrighteous is anger toward the innocent through association. This is when a person becomes angry at someone who belongs to a certain catetory (race, religion, gender, career, economic status, personality, position, you name it) and so is angry with every person in that category. It’s called prejudice.

The epitomy of man’s anger is when it is directed toward God. The greatest perversion of justice is to believe that God is unjust. Multitudes are enemies toward God because of this. It is one of the key reasons so many remain in unbelief. They feel that they are right and God is wrong. But who is wrong, God, who created man, or man, who was created. How can the lesser be greater than the Greater? It is God who gives man a sense of justice in the first place!

Ezekiel 18:25 "Yet you say, 'The way of the Lord is not just.' Hear, O house of Israel: Is my way unjust? Is it not your ways that are unjust?...30 Repent! Turn away from all your offenses; then sin will not be your downfall. 31 Rid yourselves of all the offenses you have committed, and get a new heart and a new spirit. Why will you die, O house of Israel? 32 For I take no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Sovereign LORD. Repent and live!

As cultural distances itself further and further from God, its sense of justice will also move further and further from God until what is right and good is seen and evil and what is evil is seen is good. As it moves further from God it comes more under the control and jurisdiction of Satan, becoming more demonic in nature:

Ephesians 2:1 As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, 2in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient.

We must humble ourselves before God, confess our sin of forsaking him and petition him to heal our land. Otherwise things will be worse before they get better. Such is the judgment on the nation who forsake the LORD.

As believers in the glorious Lord, we are to turn away from anger and bitterness and pursue peace, mercy and love:

James 3:13 Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. 14But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. 15Such "wisdom" does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, of the devil. 16For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice.
17But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. 18Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness.