Before the Sun Sets: Anger Inside & Out

Key Passage

Ephesians 4:26–27 NKJV

26 “Be angry, and do not sin”: do not let the sun go down on your wrath, 27 nor give place to the devil.

When Eilene and I married we made a pact that we would never go to sleep at night angry with one another. We would instead talk everything out until every frustration was settled. I believe this has contributed to our 3 decades plus of healthy married life.

It is easy to sin when you are angry.

Matthew 5:21–22 NKJV

21 “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder, and whoever murders will be in danger of the judgment.’

Matthew 5:21–22 NKJV

22 But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment. And whoever says to his brother, ‘Raca!’ shall be in danger of the council. But whoever says, ‘You fool!’ shall be in danger of hell fire.

Anger Definition

 Anger is a God-given powerful emotion (see Eph. 4:26) with intensity that ranges from being frustrated to severe fury. It can last from a few seconds to a lifetime. Anger itself is not a sin. What we do in our anger determines whether we sin.

• Anger is best understood as a state of readiness. It is a natural response to a real or perceived injustice, and it inspires a powerful alertness that allows us to defend good or attack evil. Even Jesus showed anger (see Mark 3:5).

• Anger is mentioned more than five hundred times in Scripture; the only emotion in the Bible more common than anger is love. Anger first appears in Genesis 4:5 and last appears in Revelation 19:15.

• Anger can lead to healthy or unhealthy/sinful behavior. Careful assertiveness is a healthy response to anger that involves problem-solving and compassion. Aggression is an unhealthy/sinful response to anger that involves hurting or controlling others, revenge, or hatred.

• Anger, when it is an automatic response to a situation, is considered a primary emotion. Anger can also be a secondary emotion, meaning it is felt in reaction to another feeling, such as fear, hurt, or sadness.

Anger Issues

Genesis 4:1–15 NKJV

1 Now Adam knew Eve his wife, and she conceived and bore Cain, and said, “I have acquired a man from the Lord.” 2 Then she bore again, this time his brother Abel. Now Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground.

Genesis 4:1–15 NKJV

3 And in the process of time it came to pass that Cain brought an offering of the fruit of the ground to the Lord. 4 Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat. And the Lord respected Abel and his offering,

Genesis 4:1–15 NKJV

5 but He did not respect Cain and his offering. And Cain was very angry, and his countenance fell.

Genesis 4:1–15 NKJV

6 So the Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry? And why has your countenance fallen? 7 If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin lies at the door. And its desire is for you, but you should rule over it.”

Genesis 4:1–15 NKJV

8 Now Cain talked with Abel his brother; and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother and killed him.

Genesis 4:1–15 NKJV

9 Then the Lord said to Cain, “Where is Abel your brother?” He said, “I do not know. Am I my brother’s keeper?”

Genesis 4:1–15 NKJV

10 And He said, “What have you done? The voice of your brother’s blood cries out to Me from the ground. 11 So now you are cursed from the earth, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand.

Genesis 4:1–15 NKJV

12 When you till the ground, it shall no longer yield its strength to you. A fugitive and a vagabond you shall be on the earth.”

Genesis 4:1–15 NKJV

13 And Cain said to the Lord, “My punishment is greater than I can bear! 14 Surely You have driven me out this day from the face of the ground; I shall be hidden from Your face; I shall be a fugitive and a vagabond on the earth, and it will happen that anyone who finds me will kill me.”

Genesis 4:1–15 NKJV

15 And the Lord said to him, “Therefore, whoever kills Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold.” And the Lord set a mark on Cain, lest anyone finding him should kill him.

Observations from Cain’s Story

Cain did not offer the best sacrifice.

Cain was jealous.

Cain was angry without a just cause.

Cain sinned in his wrathful anger.

Cain murdered Abel.

Anger Management

We have a choice how we manage anger.

Colossians 3:8 NKJV

8 But now you yourselves are to put off all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth.

Paul commanded the Ephesians to divorce themselves from the sins involved with unmanaged anger.

Ephesians 4:31 NKJV

31 Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice.

Wrath stands in the way of a healthy prayer life.

1 Timothy 2:8 NKJV

8 I desire therefore that the men pray everywhere, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting;

When you get angry, James says control it by pacing how much and how intense you get inflamed.

James 1:19 NKJV

19 So then, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath;

It is not our place to exercise wrath out of our anger, whether it is righteous indignation or not.

James 1:20 NKJV

20 for the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God.

When somebody insults you or rubs you the wrong way, remember this passage...

Romans 12:19 NKJV

19 Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord.