INTRODUCTION

Is anger a problem among Christians?

--- churches split over the silliest of reasons ... PT's example: choices of curtains ... methods of education ... variations of biblical interpretation

--- why? ... submit that it is because we do not see anger coming

--- proper understanding and knowledge is vital for you to act properly

Various phases of anger ... forewarned is forearmed

--- mild irritation: discomfort brought on by someone or something (antipatiko ... nakakainis)

--- indignation: frustration over something unfair or unreasonable

--- wrath : a strong desire to avenge or punish ... never goes unexpressed ... how expressed? ... put downs, gossip

often the only time we begin to see anger ... and often only when it's already full blown

--- fury : a state of violence and temporary loss of control

--- rage : most dangerous form of anger ... it leads to acts of violence by people scarcely aware of what they are doing ... crazies of the west ... our amoks

Expectations of proper Christian behavior usually take us only through the first three phases ...

--- and our anger is rarely seen by others (except possibly by our spouses or kids ... those with whom our guards are down) ... we are great hypocrites!

--- repressed anger ulcerates ... into bitterness, resentment

--- repressed irritation/indignation eventually turns into wrath (see definition) ... even fury (though rarely so in Christian)

ANGER IS GOD-GIVEN ... IT IS NOT NECESSARILY SINFUL

Read Eph 4:26-27

Context:

18 times in the Old Testament, the Lord's anger is recorded ... not once was He sinful

in the New Testament, Jesus with the money changers (jn 2:13-16)

Grammatical Exposition

--- be ORGE yet, do not sin ... do not let the sun go down on your PARAORGISMOS ...

--- the first, ORGE, refers to Justifiable Anger ... it is the anger of the Lord in both the Old Testament and the New Testament ... and the understandable anger of believers over violations of settled convictions

--- the second, PARAORGISMOS, is anger that has become seething, boiling ... (the intensifier PARA added to root word implies that) ... anger so nurtured becomes a wide open door for Satan to come in to

Safeguards against having our anger explode into sin

--- do not let the sun go down on your anger (v26)

--- do not give the devil an opportunity (v27)

remember: even justifiable anger can become sin for us, if nurtured and harbored

much of our Anger stems not from a violation of God's Righteousness or of settled Righteous Convictions ... but from actual or perceived "Personal Violations"

--- survey scriptures to see this ... (next section)

ILLUSTRATIONS OF SINFUL ANGER

ILLUSTRATIONS OF SINFUL ANGER ... see Swindoll (pp56-58 ... Reference Materials)

Illustrations:

--- wrong motives ... lk 15: Jealousy

--- when things don't go our way ... Jonah, displeased with turn of events (jon 3:10-4:1)

What is common among the Brother and Jonah?

--- a focus on self ...

--- the source of the Anger is Personal, a violation of personal rights or expectations ...

How to deal with Sinful Anger ... see Swindoll (pp59-60 ... Reference Materials)

--- learn to ignore petty disagreements ... pro 19:11

--- refrain from close association with the short-tempered ... pro 22:24- 25

--- keep a close check on your tongue ... pro 15:1

--- cultivate honesty in communication ... don't let anger ulcerate in your heart ... pro 27:6

--- control your anger or it will destroy you ... pro 25:28