Human Anger

The following are some verses that deal with fleshly, human anger.  We would do well to take them in, for if we do not listen to God’s counsel, we may be overcome by the spirit of anger that is raging on earth in our time.  And those who are overcome by fleshly anger, Paul said, “shall not inherit the kingdom of God.”

Biblical counsel #1: Forsake Human Anger

Psalm 37:8 – Refrain from anger and depart from rage.  Do not fret yourself in any way to do evil.

Ephesians 4:31 – Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamor, and evil-speaking be put away from you, with all malice.

Colossians 3:8 – And put away all these things as well: anger, rage, malice, slander, filthy talk from your mouth

1Timothy 2:8 – So then, I want the men in every place to pray, lifting up holy hands, without anger and argument.

Biblical counsel #2: Human Anger Does Not Accomplish Anything Good

James 1:19-20 – Therefore, my beloved brothers, let every man be quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to wrath, for the wrath of man does not work the righteousness of God.

Galatians 5:19-21 – Now, the works of the flesh are obvious, which are: adultery, immorality, uncleanness, licentiousness, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, emulation, angry outbursts, rivalries, disputes, divisions, envy, murder, bouts of drunkenness, revelings, and things like these, concerning which things, I forewarn you, as I also warned you previously, that those who practice such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

Examples:

Luke 4:28-29 – When they heard [Jesus speak], everybody in the synagogue was filled with rage, and they rose up and threw him out of the city, and they led him to the brow of the mountain on which their city was built, to throw him off the cliff.

Acts 19:28-29 – When they heard this, they were filled with rage and began crying out, saying, “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!” Then the whole city was filled with tumult, and they rushed with one accord into the theater, dragging Gaius and Aristarchus, Macedonians, traveling companions of Paul.

Biblical counsel #3: Fathers, Beware

Ephesians 6:4 – And fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.

Colossians 3:21– Fathers, do not provoke your children, lest they be discouraged.

Biblical counsel #4: Fools Are Full of It

Ecclesiastes 7:9 – Do not be hasty in your spirit to be angry, for anger rests in the bosom of fools.

Proverbs 12:16 – A fool is known in the day of his wrath, but a prudent man covers over an insult.

Proverbs 27:3 – A stone is heavy, and sand is weighty, but a fool’s anger is heavier than them both.

Proverbs 21:24 – His name is scorner who is proud and haughty, acting in arrogant pride. 

Biblical counsel #5: Be Slow to Anger

Proverbs 14:29 – The man who is slow to anger has great understanding, but he who is hasty exalts foolishness.

Proverbs 16:32 – He who is slow to anger is better than a mighty man, and he who governs his spirit, than he who takes a city.

Proverbs 15:18 – A hot-tempered man stirs up strife, but he who is slow to anger causes strife to cease.

Proverbs 19:11 – A man’s wisdom makes him slow to anger, and it is his glory to pass over a transgression.

Biblical counsel #6: Results of Fleshly Anger

Proverbs 19:19 – A man given to anger will bear punishment, for if you rescue him, you will have to do it again.

Proverbs 30:33 – For as the churning of milk produced curds, and the wringing of the nose produces blood, so the pressing of anger produces strife.