The Destructiveness of Anger - Genesis 4-6 and Matthew 2
Today, we see a definite contrast between the people who acted in anger and those who did not. I believe we all need to have the right view of anger, because it is so destructive. Some Christians actually think that anger is good. It is not. We must convince ourselves of the truth from God's Word in this area.
The first murder in the Bible was because of the anger of Cain. He was angry at his brother, Abel, because his sacrifice to God was not accepted like his brother's sacrifice. Then, his anger led to murder. Later, we read that Lamech killed a man for wounding him, and we can assume that it was out of anger too, because he makes reference to Cain's sin. (4:23-24) Ever since anger came into the human race it has been bringing destruction and not good.
In Matthew 2 we read about Herod's anger. Herod was angry with the Magi for not telling him the location of Jesus, so he had all of the male children who were two years old and younger in the Bethlehem area killed. What a savage man! Why was he this way? He was ruled by anger.
Ephesians 4:31 commands us to put away all anger and malice. I know that Ephesians 4:26 says to be angry and do not sin, so some people use that to justify all anger. We must be careful. The Bible does not contradict itself. God does not want us to be angry with people. We are to be angry with sin. We do not wrestle against flesh and blood according to Ephesians 6:12. Therefore, we are to put away all anger. When we get angry against sin, we are to act not in anger, but in love and righteousness to put away the sin. Remember James 1:20. The anger of God does not produce the righteousness of God. We can't do any good by acting in anger. We have to overcome evil with good.
We need to live like the other people we read about in these passages who walked with God. We should be like Abel, Enoch, Noah, and Joseph. They could have acted in anger, but they chose to listen to God. As they walked with God, He showed them how to live without the destruction of anger in their lives. Let's learn from them, and put away anger.
Tomorrow, I intend to read Genesis 7-9 and Matthew 3.
The first murder in the Bible was because of the anger of Cain. He was angry at his brother, Abel, because his sacrifice to God was not accepted like his brother's sacrifice. Then, his anger led to murder. Later, we read that Lamech killed a man for wounding him, and we can assume that it was out of anger too, because he makes reference to Cain's sin. (4:23-24) Ever since anger came into the human race it has been bringing destruction and not good.
In Matthew 2 we read about Herod's anger. Herod was angry with the Magi for not telling him the location of Jesus, so he had all of the male children who were two years old and younger in the Bethlehem area killed. What a savage man! Why was he this way? He was ruled by anger.
Ephesians 4:31 commands us to put away all anger and malice. I know that Ephesians 4:26 says to be angry and do not sin, so some people use that to justify all anger. We must be careful. The Bible does not contradict itself. God does not want us to be angry with people. We are to be angry with sin. We do not wrestle against flesh and blood according to Ephesians 6:12. Therefore, we are to put away all anger. When we get angry against sin, we are to act not in anger, but in love and righteousness to put away the sin. Remember James 1:20. The anger of God does not produce the righteousness of God. We can't do any good by acting in anger. We have to overcome evil with good.
We need to live like the other people we read about in these passages who walked with God. We should be like Abel, Enoch, Noah, and Joseph. They could have acted in anger, but they chose to listen to God. As they walked with God, He showed them how to live without the destruction of anger in their lives. Let's learn from them, and put away anger.
Tomorrow, I intend to read Genesis 7-9 and Matthew 3.