Putting Aside Anger & Wrath
Putting Aside Anger & Wrath
Colossians 3:8
Sunday Evening 10/20/02
Context
Colossians 3:1-11 1 If then you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth. 3 For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory. 5 Therefore consider the members of your earthly body as dead to immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed, which amounts to idolatry. 6 For it is on account of these things that the wrath of God will come, 7 and in them you also once walked, when you were living in them. 8 But now you also, put them all aside: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive speech from your mouth. 9 Do not lie to one another, since you laid aside the old self with its evil practices, 10 and have put on the new self who is being renewed to a true knowledge according to the image of the One who created him 11 —a renewal in which there is no distinction between Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave and freeman, but Christ is all, and in all. NASB
Introduction
This evening, I want to discuss with you what I believe to be perhaps the single most difficult vice to rid ourselves of. I hope that among other things, our discussion tonight will show us that none of us have arrived and all of us need constant vigilance and repentance.
This particular matter is one that has caused me a great deal of personal conviction and I believe it is one of those issues that plague many believers. The issue I want to discuss with you this evening is the Scriptural instruction to remove anger and wrath from our lives. As I mentioned, this is a real struggle for me and I believe for many others also. So, this evening, I will not be speaking as one who has arrived, but as one who needs to improve in this area. (Expound). Note Col. 3:8:
Verse 8
Colossians 3:8 But now you also, put them all aside: anger, wrath, malice, slander,
class=Section2> and abusive speech from your mouth. NASB
This verse instructs believers to lay aside everything connected with the old nature and lists several vices which are representative of the types of things which should not be seen in true believers. (Expound – this verse deals with those vices which are particularly disruptive to our relationships with others). This evening I want us to zero in on the first two vices listed in this verse – anger & wrath. First:
Anger
The first vice listed here in verse 8 which must be removed from the lives of believers is anger. Anger translates the Greek word orgh (orga). When attributed to God the word is usually translated wrath, as in verse 6. When used of man it refers to anger and is almost always seen as a sinful expression of the flesh in the New Testament. The only place the term does not necessarily have a negative appraisal is in Ephesians 4:26. Following are all of the New Testament uses of this word (both noun and verb forms) with reference to man. Note the danger and harmfulness of this sin.
James 1:19-20 19 This you know, my beloved brethren. But let everyone be quick to hear, slow to speak and slow to anger; 20 for the anger of man does not achieve the righteousness of God. (Man's anger can not produce righteousness, only God's anger is righteous – Expound - no exceptions).
1 Timothy 2:8 Therefore I want the men in every place to pray, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and dissension. (Man's anger hinders prayer).
Ephesians 4:30-31 30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31 Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. (Man's anger grieves the Holy Spirit).
Luke 15:27-28 27 “And he said to him, ‘Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fattened calf, because he has received him back safe and sound.’ 28 “But he became angry, and was not willing to go in; and his father came out and began entreating him. (Man's anger is born of pride and selfishness).
Revelation 12:17 And the dragon was enraged with the woman, and went off to make war with the rest of her offspring, who keep the commandments of God and hold to the testimony of Jesus. (Anger is a characteristic of the Devil, and he is driven by anger against God's people).
Matthew 5:21-22 21 “You have heard that the ancients were told, ‘You shall not commit murder’ and ‘Whoever commits murder shall be liable to the court.’ 22 “But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother shall be guilty before the court; and whoever shall say to his brother, ‘Raca,’ shall be guilty before the supreme court; and whoever shall say, ‘You fool,’ shall be guilty enough to go into the fiery hell. (Man's anger is the moral equivalent of murder – we are experts at excusing our anger, but Jesus doesn't excuse it – Expound).
Ephesians 4:26-27 26 Be angry, and yet do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, 27 and do not give the devil an opportunity. (Man's anger affords the devil many opportunities to tempt us).
Anger is an extremely destructive force. It should find no place in the lives of believers. Anger breeds resentment, bitterness, hatefulness and violence. It is the very antithesis of the agape love which should mark the lives of believers. (Expound).
Note the destructive nature of man's anger in the following examples:
– Cain & Abel - Genesis 4:5,8 5 but for Cain and for his offering He had no regard. So Cain became very angry and his countenance fell. 8 And Cain told Abel his brother. And it came about when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother and killed him. (Anger = brother murders brother).
– Simeon and Levi when their sister was raped - Genesis 49:5-7 5 “Simeon and Levi are brothers; Their swords are implements of violence. 6 “Let my soul not enter into their council; Let not my glory be united with their assembly; Because in their anger they slew men, And in their self-will they lamed oxen. 7 “Cursed be their anger, for it is fierce; And their wrath, for it is cruel. I will disperse them in Jacob, And scatter them in Israel. (In their anger they exceeded justice).
– Saul and Jonathan - 1 Samuel 20:30-34 30 Then Saul’s anger burned against Jonathan and he said to him, “You son of a perverse, rebellious woman! Do I not know that you are choosing the son of Jesse to your own shame and to the shame of your mother’s nakedness? 31 “For as long as the son of Jesse lives on the earth, neither you nor your kingdom will be established. Therefore now, send and bring him to me, for he must surely die.” 32 But Jonathan answered Saul his father and said to him, “Why should he be put to death? What has he done?” 33 Then Saul hurled his spear at him to strike him down; so Jonathan knew that his father had decided to put David to death. 34 Then Jonathan arose from the table in fierce anger, and did not eat food on the second day of the new moon, for he was grieved over David because his father had dishonored him. (Saul's anger caused an outburst of abusive language and an attempt to kill his own son. Compare to road rage today).
– Ahab - 1 Kings 21:4 So Ahab came into his house sullen and vexed because of the word which Naboth the Jezreelite had spoken to him; for he said, “I will not give you the inheritance of my fathers.” And he lay down on his bed and turned away his face and ate no food. (Ahab got angry because he didn't get his way and pouted. How often does our anger result in our pouting?).
– Naaman - 2 Kings 5:10-12 10 And Elisha sent a messenger to him, saying, “Go and wash in the Jordan seven times, and your flesh shall be restored to you and you shall be clean.”11 But Naaman was furious and went away and said, “Behold, I thought, ‘He will surely come out to me, and stand and call on the name of the Lord his God, and wave his hand over the place, and cure the leper.’12 “Are not Abanah and Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? Could I not wash in them and be clean?” So he turned and went away in a rage. (Pride generates anger and causes people to act stupid - expound).
– Asa - 2 Chronicles 16:9-10 9 “For the eyes of the Lord move to and fro throughout the earth that He may strongly support those whose heart is completely His. You have acted foolishly in this. Indeed, from now on you will surely have wars.” 10 Then Asa was angry with the seer and put him in prison, for he was enraged at him for this. And Asa oppressed some of the people at the same time. (Asa got angry when reproved. How often do we likewise get angry when we are confronted with our wrong and error? Anger causes us to ignore reproof and suffer the consequences).
We must not allow anger a place in our lives, it must be put aside. This is really a hard one. I believe we all have to struggle with this many times every day. The key to putting aside anger is humility. I believe this is the idea behind Proverbs 19:11 A man’s discretion makes him slow to anger, And it is his glory to overlook a transgression. (Expound – we have to be able to suffer wrong without getting mad).
Closely associated with anger is the second vice listed in verse 8 – wrath or rage. Note verse 8 again: Colossians 3:8 But now you also, put them all aside: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive speech from your mouth.
Wrath or Rage
Wrath or rage refers to the outward and often sudden expressions of the more settled state of resentment indicated by the word anger. Anger wants revenge, Wrath wants to hurt something. Wrath/Rage translates the Greek word qumo~ (thumos). This word refers to a passionate outburst. Note how it is used elsewhere in the New Testament.
2 Corinthians 12:20 For I am afraid that perhaps when I come I may find you to be not what I wish and may be found by you to be not what you wish; that perhaps there may be strife, jealousy, angry tempers, disputes, slanders, gossip, arrogance, disturbances; (Angry tempers is a good way to understand this vice).
Galatians 5:20 idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, (This vice is identified as a deed of the flesh and is described as outbursts of anger)
Acts 19:28-29 28 And when they heard this and were filled with rage, they began crying out, saying, “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!” 29 And the city was filled with the confusion, and they rushed with one accord into the theater, dragging along Gaius and Aristarchus, Paul’s traveling companions from Macedonia. (Rage causes confusion, irrationality and often violence).
Luke 4:28-29 28 And all in the synagogue were filled with rage as they heard these things; 29 and they rose up and cast Him out of the city, and led Him to the brow of the hill on which their city had been built, in order to throw Him down the cliff. (Being told the truth, against which there is no rational argument, often elicits a response of rage – expound).
Believers must not be given to these kinds of outbursts. The answer to this vice is the exercise of Spirit empowered self-control. Out-of-control is what this vice looks like in practice. We see expressions of wrath or rage every day. We are tempted to it every day. We must be on guard and not let our anger explode into rage. Note:
Proverbs 12:16 A fool’s vexation is known at once, But a prudent man conceals dishonor.
Proverbs 14:29 He who is slow to anger has great understanding, But he who is quick-tempered exalts folly.
Anger and wrath must not be tolerated in our lives. We must not excuse our anger and temper, when we express anger or rage we need to call it what it is — sin, confess it and repent of it. (Expound).
One final matter we should note as we close. We should also do everything we can, not to cause rage in others. We should do everything in our power to avoid provoking others. Removing anger and rage from our practice will go a long way toward living peaceably with others. Romans 12:17-18 17 Never pay back evil for evil to anyone. Respect what is right in the sight of all men. 18 If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men. (Expound).
Expound – Are we really willing to repent of our anger? Excusing it is rebellion against God.