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The Difference Between Wrath And Anger


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This thread is started so we can discuss the difference between wrath and anger (and definitions) according to the Bible.

Do you think wrath (in the Bible - referring to the word itself) is ungodly, but anger may be godly or ungodly? It’s been a long time since I studied out these words, but I remember someone defining wrath as uncontrolled anger or rage in regards to man (not God); whereas anger could be righteous or unrighteous depending upon whether you are angry at something against God and His Word and how you deal with that anger.

Let's state this right off the bat to curtail this discussion going in endless circles:

The Bible does NOT state anger in itself is sin. It teaches we can respond angrily in a sinful manner, and that unjustified anger is sin - but not anger itself. Otherwise, that makes our Saviour a sinner (which IS NOT THE CASE) because the Bible specifically stated He was angry at sin and sinful behaviour/attitudes.

Matthew 5:21-22 Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment: But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire.

Mark 3:5 And when he (Jesus) had looked round about on them with anger, being grieved for the hardness of their hearts, he saith unto the man, Stretch forth thine hand. And he stretched it out: and his hand was restored whole as the other.

Ephesians 4:26-27 Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath: Neither give place to the devil.

Whereas wrath in itself MAY be sinful. Someone I read years ago had defined it as uncontrolled anger (in regards to man, but not God).

James 1:19-20 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath: For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God.

Any input? Feel free to define these two words, show Biblical usage and examples, and show the difference between these two words and the way they are shown.

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Obviously there are many wrong ways to be angry. For example, if I am impatient in dealing with someone, getting annoyed with them because I don't like their personality or their indecision on something, reacting negatively for some reason because of sin in my life - but not sin in theirs. That would make me wrong.

If I get angry because they say or do something wrong or inappropriate in a certain setting, and I choose to say or do something about it, that is not wrong in itself - IF I conduct myself in an appropriate/godly way. Swearing back at someone or throwing a fit would be sinful on my part. Shutting them out because they "annoy" me would be wrong.

Also, Matthew five gives some pretty good ways to deal with wrong treatment by others. So we may be justified in getting angry when someone mistreats us, but there may be a better way at times, such as blessing them instead, choosing to use a soft answer, turning the other cheek, treating them with kindness and love instead of giving them the same treatment back, praying for them, being more patient (longsuffering is the Bible word) with them.

Matthew 5:43-48 Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same? And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so? Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.

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On 12/4/2021 at 11:14 AM, Jerry said:

This thread is started so we can discuss the difference between wrath and anger (and definitions) according to the Bible.

Do you think wrath (in the Bible - referring to the word itself) is ungodly, but anger may be godly or ungodly? It’s been a long time since I studied out these words, but I remember someone defining wrath as uncontrolled anger or rage in regards to man (not God); whereas anger could be righteous or unrighteous depending upon whether you are angry at something against God and His Word and how you deal with that anger.

Let's state this right off the bat to curtail this discussion going in endless circles:

The Bible does NOT state anger in itself is sin. It teaches we can respond angrily in a sinful manner, and that unjustified anger is sin - but not anger itself. Otherwise, that makes our Saviour a sinner (which IS NOT THE CASE) because the Bible specifically stated He was angry at sin and sinful behaviour/attitudes.

Matthew 5:21-22 Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment: But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire.

Mark 3:5 And when he (Jesus) had looked round about on them with anger, being grieved for the hardness of their hearts, he saith unto the man, Stretch forth thine hand. And he stretched it out: and his hand was restored whole as the other.

Ephesians 4:26-27 Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath: Neither give place to the devil.

Whereas wrath in itself MAY be sinful. Someone I read years ago had defined it as uncontrolled anger (in regards to man, but not God).

James 1:19-20 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath: For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God.

Any input? Feel free to define these two words, show Biblical usage and examples, and show the difference between these two words and the way they are shown.

 

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The new libels take out the words without a cause in Matt. 5:22 making Jesus into a sinner.

God judgeth the righteous, and God is angry [with the wicked] every day. Psa 7:11
I sat not in the assembly of the mockers, nor rejoiced; I sat alone because of thy hand: for thou hast filled me with indignation. Jer 15:17

You can have righteous anger and hate. I hate them with perfect hatred: I count them mine enemies. Psa 139:22

Paul was justified in his anger. And said, O full of all subtilty and all mischief, [thou] child of the devil, [thou] enemy of all righteousness, wilt thou not cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord? Act 13:10
 When i hear some fool make fun of my Bible or the Saviour, I do not feel all warm in cozy inside and as a street preacher i hear fools quite often, but i feel both anger and pity.

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On 12/4/2021 at 12:14 PM, Jerry said:

Do you think wrath (in the Bible - referring to the word itself) is ungodly, but anger may be godly or ungodly?

No, I would not agree with the above.

1.  The Lord our God, the all holy, all righteous God, is clearly presented throughout Scripture as possessing BOTH anger and wrath.  Thus there does exist morally a righteous anger AND a righteous wrath.

2.  The Lord Jesus Christ became angry, as per Mark 3:5.

3.  The Lord our God has purposed for government to execute wrath upon criminals, as per Romans 13:4.

4.  Ephesians 4:26 states, "Be ye angry, and sin not."  This seems to imply that it is possible to be angry without actually committing sin thereby.

5.  Ephesians 4:26 further states, "Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath."  Within this context this seems to place the anger at the beginning of the verse in union with the wrath at the end of the verse.  As such, if the anger at the beginning of the verse is not automatically and inherently sinful, then the wrath at the end of the verse would not be automatically and inherently sinful either.

6.  James 1:19-20 states, "Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath: For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God."  It is worthy to notice that James 1:19 does not instruct NEVER to wrath, but only SLOW to wrath (seeming to imply that there is a "measured" wrath that is possibly not automatically and inherently sinful).  On the other hand, James 1:20 clearly declares that "the wrath OF MAN" (which I understand as self-centered wrath) cannot ever work "the righteousness of God" (and thus would certainly be sinful in its very nature).

Without doing a completely thorough study of every usage in Scripture for both "anger" and "wrath," but through general familiarity thereof, I would initially present that anger and wrath are very closely related, that anger is nuanced a little more toward the matter of attitude, and that wrath is nuanced a little more toward the matter of activity and/or judgment.

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