Sinful Anger or Righteous Indignation?

Chuckle: Golfer: "I'd move heaven and earth to break 100 on this course." Caddy: "Try heaven. You've already moved most of the earth."

Quote: "A man that does not know how to be angry does not know how to be good." --Henry Ward Beecher

“My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, for man's anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires” (James 1:19-20 NIV).

Wikipedia defines righteous indignation as, "a reactive emotion of anger over either an obvious or perceived mistreatment, insult, criticism, overpowerment, oppression, malice, etc." It is akin to what is called the sense of injustice." How can we be certain that our anger is righteous indignation and not sinful rage? I believe the answer is rather simple to state, but difficult to live out. Anger is righteous indignation when it is directed at that which angers Jesus Himself and when we react as Jesus reacted when He was angry.

Following Jesus' example, righteous anger and indignation are justified when we are confronted with sin and injustice. Some examples would be anger towards spousal abuse, child neglect/abuse, pornography, homosexual activity, racism, abortion, discrimination and the like. Jesus' anger and indignation, were directed at obvious sinful behavior and injustice. However, Jesus' anger was always couched in His overriding love and compassion. Even when hanging on the cross, He could have expressed anger and hatred toward His tormentors, but instead, He showed love and forgiveness by saying, "Father, forgive them for they do not know what they are doing."

When Jesus was angry with the Pharisees because of the hardness of their hearts, He did not exact revenge, but showed grief and compassion for them (Mark 3:5). When we become angry, we best examine our motives before we act. We should resist the temptation to retaliate in kind or exact revenge when we, or others, are mistreated. Aren't you thankful that Jesus didn't react in kind to the rejections, insults and agony He suffered. In McCosh's book, Motive Powers, he provides some cautions concerning righteous indignation.

"We may be angry and sin not; but this disposition may become sinful, and this in the highest degree. It is so when it is excessive, when it is rage, and makes us lose control of ourselves. It is so, and may become a vice, when it leads us to wish evil to those who have offended us. It is resentment when it prompts us to meet and repay evil by evil. It is vengeance when it impels us to crush those who have injured us. It is vindictiveness meant to give pain to those who have thwarted us. Then sin has Already entered."

God knows our hearts and motives and we should never try to disguise hateful anger as righteous indignation. Destructive anger has a condemning component, while righteous indignation always has a redemptive component based on love and forgiveness. Believers have many opportunities to channel their righteous anger into constructive ministries that counter the influence of evil in society. If our anger results in bringing others into a loving and saving relationship with Jesus Christ, it is righteous indignation. Forces antagonistic toward God and Christianity challenge us to love as Jesus loved while acting in opposition to such forces.

Love, Jerry & Dotse