Ask the Pastor: Is Anger Sin?

by Reagan Marsh

As a pastor and biblical counselor, I receive many questions about the Bible’s application to life. Here’s one.

Q. MOUTH SHUT, MOUTH SHUT, MOUTH SHUT!!! Is anger sin? Can I just throw a table at someone? (Asking for a friend!)

A. An excellent question and a challenging struggle, for sure. I must confess that sinful anger is one of my besetting sins, a favorite way to dishonor God, so I write as one still working to put it to death by the Spirit’s grace (Romans 8:5-8, 13; Ephesians 4:22-24).

Anger itself isn’t sinful. Jesus was angry at both cleansings of the Temple (John 2:13-17; Matthew 21:12-17), God is angry with the wicked every day (Psalm 7:11), and Scripture requires that in our anger we do not sin (Ephesians 4:26). Unless we’re prepared to assert 1. that Jesus sinned (1 John 3:5), 2. that God habitually sins (Habakkuk 1:13), and 3. that God also commands us to sin (James 1:13), anger itself cannot be sinful.

Anger becomes sinful when it’s not grounded in “zeal for the Father’s house.” The sense of John 2:17 is an all-consuming desire for the glory of God. By contrast, most of my anger is an all-consuming zeal for my name, agenda, or preference, but not God’s glory.

If I’m honest, I want my name magnified. Sinful anger is my response to my wife, kids, or others not giving me the worship, fear, reverence, and obedience owed to God alone. I respond by various protests—see Ephesians 4:29-31—demonstrating my zeal for honoring the greatness of my name. Sinful anger is ultimately a response to idolatry and self-worship, of having another god besides God (Exodus 20:3)—in this case, me.

Righteous anger is God-given energy to be directed against problems, not people, so issues are handled promptly and righteously (Ephesians 4:26-27); sinful anger reacts and attacks others directly or indirectly (Ephesians 4:29-31). We prefer a tidy renaming of sinful attitudes and actions in modern psychologized circles, but Scripture presents a different picture. Bitterness exposes itself in irritability or manipulation; wrath reveals itself in rage or outbursts (rage rooms, anyone?); anger presents in settled indignation; clamor rattles around the house in loud voices or brawling attacks; slander speaks in profane or abusive words, and malice nurses desire to harm. What’s common to all such sinful anger? Self-centered, godless reactions to things that displease me or disrupt my little kingdom.

By contrast, righteous anger grasps that when someone has sinned against me, they’ve ultimately sinned against God (Psalm 51:4) …a sobering and quieting realization. It’s not wrong to mourn and grieve, even passionately, over my own sinful response to their sin against me, others, and God (Matthew 5:4)—but it is wrong to sit there feeding my anger, stoking its fires, rehearsing the wrong, replaying the conversation, or engaging the “if only’s” or “if I could do it again’s.” Such activities tempt to further sin and strengthen it (Ephesians 4:27), invariably defiling others (Hebrews 12:15). I must respond by repentance, humility, and renewing my mind by Scripture, prayerfully wrestling (Psalm 57:2; 2 Corinthians 10:5) to exercise godly self-control (Galatians 5:16-26) and godly thinking (Philippians 4:8-9).

Ultimately, anger drives us to the Cross, because it’s there we see God’s holy anger against our sins poured out on the One who was righteously zealous for the glory of his Father (John 2:17). It’s there we see him enduring such shamefully wicked sinners so we don’t lose heart (Hebrews 12:3) …there we’re instructed as to our own response under unjust treatment, accusation, or suffering (1 Peter 2:21-25) …there that all my guilt must be laid on him as the only atoning sacrifice which makes me acceptable to God (Acts 4:12; John 14:6).

From one sinner to another: there’s hope and mercy in Christ. Let us look to Him alone to find rest for our souls (Psalm 62:5).

Feel free to submit your questions at reformationdalton.com—I’ll seek to answer them from God’s word.

About The Author

Reagan Marsh, MATS, MDiv (eq.) is husband to Kara, daddy to RG and AG, and founding pastor-teacher to Reformation Baptist Church of Dalton, GA. An SBTS graduate, certified biblical counselor, and Th.D. student in Puritan studies, he has served in gospel ministry since 1998.

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