Introductory Thoughts
Interestingly, the Lord actually commands His people to be angry! This may surprise or concern some believers who fail to study the entirety of scripture within context, but the Lord admonished believers at Ephesus to be angry. No doubt this was a call for a righteous anger with a cause, but nonetheless it was a call for anger. Why? The Bible points out that a godly anger can put a stop to sin. According to Proverbs 25:23, “The north wind driveth away rain: so doth an angry countenance a backbiting tongue.” This directly correlates to the context of Ephesians 4:26 as the surrounding passages speak of ceasing from sin. Simultaneous to the Lord admonishing believers to be angry, He also cautioned them not to let their righteous anger turn into sin.
Devotional Thoughts
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(For children): Nehemiah displayed a godly anger. He drove out Tobiah (an enemy) from the chamber in the house of God, restored the Levites and singers to their proper place in the temple, and stopped those who were working on the sabbath day (Nehemiah 13:7-22).
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(For everyone): Why would God warn about anger in one verse and encourage anger in another? What kind of anger does God approve? What kind of anger does He disapprove?
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How could righteous anger turn to sin (Ephesians 4:26)? How could righteous anger eventually give place to the Devil (Ephesians 4:27)?
Prayer Thoughts
- Ask God to help you be angry as He guides.
- Ask the Lord for a scriptural balance on anger.
Song
I AM RESOLVED
