Christians ... Is getting angry a sin?

Question

The Bible says be angry and sin not,let not the sun go down upon your wrath. This sounds like anger itself isn't sin, but to harbor anger is. What does it mean?

Answer 1

It means that you can get angry, but with a righteous anger, not letting it get out of control or get the best of you, causing you to sin. If, for instance, you get angry at someone, then your anger escalates and you throw a punch at the person, curse him/her with four-letter words or even murder that person due to your anger getting out of control, that is letting your anger causing you to sin. Anger is an emotion that God has given to every human. Getting angry isn't a sin, but if you let your anger go too far, you can sin because of it.

Answer 2

Being angry is not a sin, it's what we do with the anger that makes it a sin. If we harbor anger against someone, if we do something to get even because we don't like what they did or said or if we lash out at others through our anger, whether it be physically or verbal, we have sinned.

Also, anger can be a good thing if it motivates us to do something to make changes in our lives or to work towards making changes happen to help society. So anger itself is not a sin, it's how we react to that anger that makes it either good or bad. Even Jesus showed anger at the money changers in the temple.

John 2:14 And found in the temple those that sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the changers of money sitting:

John 2:15 And when he had made a scourge of small cords, he drove them all out of the temple, and the sheep, and the oxen; and poured out the changers' money, and overthrew the tables;

http://cf.blb.org/search/translationResults.cfm?Criteria=money+changers&Version=KJV&sf=1

Answer 3

Controlled, positively-focused anger is not a sin. Positively controlled anger encourages Christians to seek and find either a: a solution b: forgiveness c: reconciliation. It is a sin to let anger fester, grow, foment, and boil, for the physical, psychological, and emotional reasons that unresolved anger damages NOT the person/thing/place you might be angry at, but that it damages the person who is angry. That is why Jesus said do not let the sun go down upon wrath, because Jesus knew that angry people do NOT rest, have NO peace, and will wake up in the morning in a far worse physical, mental, and emotional state.

Answer 4

Being angry is okay. You are not supposed to sin when you are angry, by taking vengeance or doing something evil to the person who hurt you.

It is wrong to hold grudges. Practically, holding a grudge hurts you a lot more than it hurts the one against whom you're holding a grudge. It expends energy to hold a grudge while the person who caused the grudge couldn't care less and is basically stealing your happiness while you are busy holding a grudge. Deal with your anger by talking it out, or thinking or writing about it. Then be happy. It is said that living well is the best revenge.

Also, the Bible says to forgive 70 x 7 times (but don't keep a tally).

Answer 5

First of all, anger is not always sin. God is angry (Psalm 7:11; Mark 3:5), and believers are commanded to be angry (Ephesians 4:26). But anger turns to sin when it is selfishly motivated (James 1:20), when God’s goal is distorted (1 Corinthians 10:31), or when anger is allowed to linger (Ephesians 4:26-27). Instead of using the energy generated by anger to attack the problem at hand, one attacks the person instead.

Answer 6

Ephesians 4:25-27 Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to his neighbor, for we are all members of one body. "In your anger do not sin": Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold. I think that about says it about the whole anger thing. But as to your other question... I don't know why atheists think Christians are supposed to be perfect. Perhaps it is because we are called a to a high standard. Or perhaps they have encountered arrogant Christians who have actually dared to say this. I don't know. We do need to strive toward holiness. God says, "Be holy, for I am holy."

Answer 7

It sounds a little bit like emotion of any sort is a good thing to have, but dealing with that emotion as you experience it is the best way to handle yourself. I mean, even christ became angry (and showed it) with the money changers in the temples. So if the assumption that christ was without sin is correct, then anger cannot be a sin.

Answer 8

Getting angry is not a sin. It's an emotion. Jesus was angry at the people who were making a profit in the Temple. Sinning is doing something that is against God, not loving God or not loving your fellow man.

Answer 9

No. You can be angry at how sin puts people in bondage. God hates a lying tongue. We can be angry at the lies of others. It was described of Jesus toward the Pharisees...

Mark 3:5
And when He had looked around at them with anger, being grieved by the hardness of their hearts.

The anger that is a sin is when it is a selfish anger, because you did not get what you wanted or have things your way. To be angry to the point of protecting and saving others is a selfless anger. Anger can reflect the motives of the heart.

Selfish anger can be summed up with the following list...
Ephesians 4:31
Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice.

Answer 10

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