Hate In Your Heart Is Equivalent To Murder
4. 1 John 3:14-15 If we love our Christian brothers and sisters, it proves that we have passed from death to life. But a person who has no love is still dead. Anyone who hates another brother or sister is really a murderer at heart. And you know that murderers dont have eternal life within them.
5. Leviticus 19:17-18 You must not hate your brother in your heart. You must surely reprove your fellow citizen so that you do not incur sin on account of him. You must not take vengeance or bear a grudge against the children of your people, but you must love your neighbor as yourself. I am the LORD.
Why Is Hate So Dangerous
Many people experience anger, some even have tempers that manifest in ways that are detrimental to their relationships. Getting mad at someone does not mean the relationship is hateful. Even modern psychology identified differences between the two, with anger being a passing emotion, even for those who struggle with anger management.
Hate actively separates people from one another because it is an active decision to otherize, a word that means to view or treat as intrinsically different from and alien to oneself. This refers to someone being seen as so alien to oneself or a culture that they can be perceived as lesser, perhaps even less than human. Instead of seeing people as made in the image of God, they can be eliminated. Anger can lead to hate, and often fuels it, but that does not necessarily mean they are the same. Hate drives people to set themselves in opposition to God as well, meaning actions driven by hatred are rebellion.
Hate is intimately tied in with death, and just like Jesus called someone embracing lust an adulterer, someone harboring hate is murdering his brother in his heart. When this hate is acted upon, it leads to death. Sometimes that is spiritual or relational unfortunately it can also be the ending of the life of another. Hate is dangerous, because when taken to its logical conclusion, it is the desire to eliminate the humanity of another.
Is Anger Always Wrong
No. Anger may be justified in some cases. For example, the faithful man Nehemiah became very angry when he learned that some of his fellow worshippers were being oppressed.Nehemiah 5:6.
At times, God feels anger. For example, when his ancient people broke their agreement to worship only him and started to serve false gods, Jehovahs anger blazed against them. Even so, anger is not a dominant aspect of Jehovah Gods personality. His anger is always justified and controlled.Exodus 34:6 Isaiah 48:9.
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In James : 1 What Is Passions
James 4:1-3 and 1:13-16 teaches that passions/cravings/pleasures = our desires/motives. And these desires/motives underlie conflicts. Why do you fight? It is not because of your wife, mom, dad, child, friend, coworker, or neighbor. It is because of something within you! Within all of us!
- What are you demanding?
- What rules you?
- What is ruling you at this moment?
In contemporary language, sinful passions/cravings/pleasures often pose as, drives, demands, felt needs, expectations, goals, wishes, longings, and so forth. People talk about motives in ways that anesthetize themselves and others to the true significance of what they are describing. So what is happening to my desires?
Back to the angry outburst leaving the church parking lot. Behind the anger was a desire and motivation. For example, lets use our need to be respected or to control our outcomes. So when our desire for respect was getting frustrated and not happened the way we wanted it to we acted out in anger. Why? Because we had ungodly reasons and did it in ungodly ways. But what makes our desire bad vs when it is good?
Note: A great resource to help us understand our desires and motivations within a Biblical framework is from a book called, See with New Eyes: Counseling and the Human Condition Through the Lens of Scripture. By David Powlison. Specifically Chapter 8, I Am Motivated When I feel Desire.
Bible Verses About Anger Management
A fool always loses his temper,But a wise man holds it back.
A mans discretion makes him slow to anger,And it is his glory to overlook a transgression.
Do not be eager in your heart to be angry,For anger resides in the bosom of fools.
A hot-tempered man stirs up strife,But the slow to anger calms a dispute.
A gentle answer turns away wrath,But a harsh word stirs up anger.
What is the source of quarrels and conflicts among you? Is not the source your pleasures that wage war in your members?You lust and do not have so you commit murder. You are envious and cannot obtain so you fight and quarrel. You do not have because you do not ask.
A quick-tempered man acts foolishly,And a man of evil devices is hated.
He who is slow to anger is better than the mighty,And he who rules his spirit, than he who captures a city.
Do not associate with a man given to anger Or go with a hot-tempered man,
A fools anger is known at once,But a prudent man conceals dishonor.
Cease from anger and forsake wrath Do not fret it leads only to evildoing.For evildoers will be cut off,But those who wait for the Lord, they will inherit the land.
An angry man stirs up strife,And a hot-tempered man abounds in transgression.
He who is slow to anger has great understanding,But he who is quick-tempered exalts folly.
Cease from anger and forsake wrath Do not fret it leads only to evildoing.
He who restrains his words has knowledge,And he who has a cool spirit is a man of understanding.
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Our Anger Usually Is Not Righteous Anger
Angry people usually justify their anger, saying its someone elses fault they are angry. Yet the Bible repeatedly warns us against giving in to anger when we are upset by other peoples words or actions.
There is such a thing as righteous anger. And sometimes we need to talk about problems or deal with dangerous situations. Yet most of the time, our anger is not righteous. As James wrote, Mans anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires .
When we give in to anger, we often focus on our own welfare, comfort or happiness. Instead, we should be primarily concerned about other peoples welfare and being a good witness for God.
As you can see in the following Scriptures, God does not want us to simply react emotionally to others actions. Instead, we should respond with wisdom and a gentle spirit.
Pray To Be Patient And Kind
A patient man has great understanding, but a quick-tempered man displays folly.
Better a patient man than a warrior, a man who controls his temper than one who takes a city.
Do not be quickly provoked in your spirit, for anger resides in the lap of fools.
And the Lords servant must not quarrel instead, he must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful.
A hot-tempered man stirs up dissension, but a patient man calms a quarrel.
A man of knowledge uses words with restraint, and a man of understanding is even-tempered.
Do not say, Ill pay you back for this wrong! Wait for the LORD, and he will deliver you.
A fool gives full vent to his anger, but a wise man keeps himself under control.
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.
Next: Stop, think, pray when you are angry
Doug Britton, MFT
Doug Britton, Bible-based Marriage and Family Therapist, has helped hundreds of thousands of people as a therapist, clinical director of a treatment center, seminar speaker, radio cohost, and author of over twenty books that show how to apply God’s truths in your daily life.
Copyright © 2020 Doug Britton. Permission granted to print for personal use. See reprint policy.
Visit www.dougbrittonbooks.com for practical, biblical, cross-cultural books, Bible studies, and ebooks.
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Anger And Physical Health
When anger is frequent and prolonged, its a problem. Numerous studies show that it causes stress hormones to release in the body, which weakens the immune system and destroys neurons in the brain. Because anger also fires up the bodys fight or flight response, which studies show causes a burst of energy that tightens blood vessels and causes blood pressure to soar, its also tied to increased risk of heart disease and heart attack.
Galatians : 22 23 Kjv
For us to cultivate the fruits of Gods Spirit, we have to spend time in His presence. The more we seek and see God, the more we become like Him, for by beholding we become changed. . Seeking out godly community and spending quality time in His presence is key to ripening the fruits of His Spirit within us.
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How To Deal With Anger Gods Way
So, if youve identified that you have anger issues, how do you deal with it Gods way?
1. Restrain It
Proverbs 29:11 tells us that Fools vent their anger, but the wise quietly hold it back. This scripture does not mean that the wise bury their anger or do not deal with it, but it means that they control their anger and how they express it. When you restrain your anger, you keep it within limits.
2. Re-evaluate It
James 1:19-20 says, My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires.
Gods way of dealing with anger is to be slow to anger. There are some things that you need to let roll off of your shoulders and not internalize or act on. When you re-evaluate a persons words or action, you often find that theres no need to get angry as that person really did not intend to hurt you or was merely acting out of their own biases, which is not a reflection of you.
3. Release It
Colossians 3:8 says But now you must also rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. When you deal with anger Gods way, you feel it, vent it in a safe way where no one is harmed, and then release it. You get rid of it from your body, heart, and mind.
Address Your Anger In A Biblical Way
Anger is a God-given emotion and meant to be expressed righteously, not in unrighteousness. As the Lord by the Holy Spirit addresses your anger, repent, confess it, and seek help from your pastor and trained biblical counselors. By recognizing what causes you to get angry, you can grow in grace and prevent future outbursts of unrighteous anger. We all need one another. I need you, and you need me in our local churches. So, lets keep the lines of communication open, share openly and honestly with one another and aim to grow together in grace in community with one another in the local church.
Dave Jenkins is the Executive Director of Servants of Grace Ministries, the Executive Editor of Theology for Life Magazine, and the Host of the Equipping You in Grace Podcast. He received his MAR and M.Div. through Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary. You can follow him on Twitter at , find him on Facebook at Dave Jenkins SOG, , or read more of his writing at Servants of Grace, or sign up for his email newsletter. When Dave isnt busy with ministry, he loves spending time with his wife, Sarah, reading the latest from Christian publishers, the Reformers, and the Puritans, playing golf, watching movies, sports, and spending time with his family.
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Important Bible Verses About Anger
Youve had one of those days. You know ’em. The kind where you wake up late and have nothing to wear to work. Once at work, your boss is on your case for a project you found out about just this morning, you get stuck in traffic on the way home, and then your house is abuzz with demands and noises and its all about to send you over the edge. Anger is rising and you can feel that the next person that asks you for something is going to get it. When you finally do snap, you feel guilty and wonder how you let yourself get to this point again. Where can you go when your struggle with anger feels like a dailymaybe even hourly occurrence? Gods Word! Scripture points us to the danger and foolishness of anger, but it also directs us with Bible verses about peace, Bible verses about stress, and Bible verses about perseverance. And not all anger is bad. Jesus got angry, but angry for the right reasons: the things that dishonored God and people taking advantage of others. Let these verses lead you to healing, peace, and the right kind of anger.
Words Can Fuel Or Diffuse Anger
Words have great power and its no different when it comes to anger. Proverbs tells us that a gentle word can turn away wrath and that a harsh one can stir it up. The power you have to fuel or diffuse anger in a tense conversation or situation is both heavy and fragile. You can completely change the dynamic of a situation with one word.
When youre faced with the chance to fuel or diffuse anger, what words will you choose to use?
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Wrath is the uncontrolled feelings of bitterness, rage, anger, or even hatred. It is one of the seven deadly sins. When you see a hot-tempered person, you will notice that they often resort to harsh words, malice, or slander. But God desires us to get rid of all bitterness in our hearts. We should refrain from anger, brawling, and slander, if we want to grow closer to God.
Anger does not produce the righteousness that God demands. If we are easily angered, we must repent for our quick temper. We should denounce all forms of malice, slander, or rage or we will become subject to judgment from God. When we start controlling anger and forsake wrath, we are able to overcome evil and love our brothers and sisters more. At Testimonio, we have composed the top list of Bible verses about anger below. May it help you grow closer to the righteousness of God.
Bible Verses About Anger: Overcoming Anger Issues Gods Way
Anger is one of the most problematic of human emotions. It gets human beings into all sorts of trouble. While most everyone will acknowledge that acting out of a place of anger isnt good, most of the times it isnt a choice. People rarely choose to become angry, instead, it happens whether they want it to or not.
Many people characterize anger as inherently wrong. But is this true? Can emotion be inherently evil? If so, then a lot of people in life are evil because everyone gets angry sooner or later.
The truth is anger is an emotion like any other that can be used for good or evil, the same way sadness can either lead you into anxiety and depression or into the loving arms of our community.
Another reason Christians need to evaluate their beliefs about anger being inherently evil is that God expresses anger in the Bible. If God is angry, then it cant be evil in and of itself. Instead, Christians need to see that inappropriately acting in anger is what is sinful, not the feeling of anger brought about by injustice.
As you can see, the topic of anger is more complex than you might at first think. You cant simply write off anger as wrong and try to remove it from your life. Luckily, there are many Scriptures on anger in the Bible, which help shed light on the topic.
So, what does the Bible say about anger? Lets find out.
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Winning Desires Shape Behavior
The desire that wins shapes our behavior. Anger is caused by legitimate desires that come, wrongly, to rule us. These desires could be called natural desires, like love, fear, hope, longing, respect, control etc. Natural desires for good things are meant to stay below our desire to please God.
Realizing that the evil lies in the ruling position of the desire, not the item of temptation is important because this is where our will replaces Gods will.
To illustrate Lets look at an excerpt from the Lords Prayer :
Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.
Now, lets replace Gods will and demand our own. Hollow be MY name. MY kingdom come. MY will be done. HERE, NOW, NOT in Heaven! Do you see how we inverse the passage when we get selfish?
Anger Management: How To Deal With Anger Gods Way
Anger is an emotion that can cause a lot of harm and get people into a lot of trouble, but anger in and of itself isnt bad. In fact, experiencing righteous anger towards injustice can be a positive catalyst for change. We should get angry about injustice, especially towards the weak or poor. God experiences anger and his wrath and anger are talked about in the Bible.
Just like any emotion, anger is a feeling that can be used for good or evil. In the same way an individual can experience happiness or sadness and make a bad decision, a person can experience anger and sin.
The problem with anger comes when its not dealt with in a healthy way or results in sinful actions and behavior. When the severity of anger begins to interfere with your relationships or work performance, its time to seek out healthy strategies for how to handle the way you react to anger. Its your reactions that need to be kept in check.
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