Want to know something crazy? God has been angry before. Yes. For real. God, who made the universe and knows just how many hairs are on our head (Psalm 139)! God is the one who designed our emotions with purpose. But due to our fallen world, we now have two versions of anger: righteous anger and unrighteous anger. Today, we’re going to talk about something we’ve all experienced – anger. It’s a powerful and intense emotion that can feel overwhelming at times, but did you know the Bible has a lot to say about it? We’re going to explore different types of anger, how to tell whether you’re experiencing righteous anger or unrighteous anger, how the Bible addresses them, and even some practical tips about how to keep our tempers in check. Join us as we discover God’s heart for righteous anger and his passion for true justice.
What is Righteous Anger?
First things first, we’re here to remind you that not all anger is bad. So, take a deep breath: you haven’t automatically sinned just because you’ve felt angry before. In the Bible, God categorizes a difference between righteous anger and unrighteous anger. You know you’re experiencing righteous anger when you feel sudden upset or feel compelled to help when you witness injustice or wrongdoing.
You can think of righteous anger as when your inner superhero starts gearing up to defend others and stand up for what’s right. The Bible even shows us examples of righteous anger. Remember when Jesus cleared the temple of merchants, reminding the Jewish leaders that His house would be a house of prayer (Mark 11:15-17)? That’s a Biblical example of righteous anger. Just like God, our passion for justice can actually motivate us to make a positive difference in our communities, our churches, and our world.
Biblical Examples of Righteous Anger
Here are some examples of righteous anger in the Bible that show us how righteous anger differs from sinful anger.
Jesus entered the temple courts and drove out all who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves. “It is written,” he said to them, “‘My house will be called a house of prayer,’ but you are making it ‘a den of robbers.’” - Matthew 21:12-13
This Biblical example of righteous anger shows us how God was grieved and upset that some of the Jews were financially exploiting people at the temple. Jesus rarely showed anger while He was on the earth, but this Bible verses about righteous anger shows us God’s heart for justice.
When Moses approached the camp and saw the calf and the dancing, his anger burned, and he threw the tablets out of his hands, breaking them to pieces at the foot of the mountain. And he took the calf the people had made and burned it in the fire; then he ground it to powder, scattered it on the water, and made the Israelites drink it. - Exodus 32:19-20
Bible verses about righteous anger remind us that God is a jealous God, who does not give His glory to another (Exodus 20:5, Isaiah 42:8). In the Ten Commandments, God made it clear that we are to have no other Gods but Him. When the Israelites broke their promise, Moses felt righteous anger for the sin they had committed against God.
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But Elymas the sorcerer (for that is what his name means) opposed them and tried to turn the proconsul from the faith. Then Saul, who was also called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, looked straight at Elymas and said, “You are a child of the devil and an enemy of everything that is right! You are full of all kinds of deceit and trickery. Will you never stop perverting the right ways of the Lord? Now the hand of the Lord is against you. You are going to be blind for a time, not even able to see the light of the sun.” Immediately, mist and darkness came over him, and he groped about, seeking someone to lead him by the hand. - Acts 13:8-11
Bible verses about righteous anger can sometimes be intense to read. In this scripture about righteous anger, Paul confronts a man who was a sorcerer and was hostile to the Gospel. The Holy Spirit prompted Paul through righteous anger to confront Elymas and cause Him to go blind for a time. What’s interesting here is that it took Paul becoming blind in an encounter with Jesus (Acts 9). So, in this Bible verse about righteous anger, Paul knew exactly what this sorcerer would need to realize that Jesus was God.
Hear about how our friend, Savanna Craig, ministers to people from all walks of life and shares her faith: How Encounters with Jesus Lead to Fearless Evangelism
What is Sinful Anger?
Sinful anger is what most of us think of as normal anger. It’s the not-so-great kind of anger. It’s the sort of anger that causes us to flare up when things don’t go our way. It’s that intense feeling that makes you want to explore when you feel hurt or disrespected by others. Believe it or not, sinful anger is often fueled by things like pride, selfishness, or a lack of self-control. Sinful anger or unrighteous anger can lead us to say things or do things that we regret. Because of hurtful words or even violence against others, sinful anger can cause damaged relationships and even separate families. The Bible warns against sinful anger because it almost always does more harm than good.
Differences Between Righteous Anger & Unrighteous Anger
Here are a few examples of the difference between righteous anger and unrighteous anger, so that you can discover when you’re feeling which emotion:
Righteous Anger
- You’re reading about slavery in a history textbook, and you’re starting to feel anger. That’s righteous anger.
- You’re at the grocery store, and you see a man begin to hit his wife and kids. You feel angry, and you stop to help de-escalate the situation. That’s righteous anger.
- You’re listening to a podcast, and someone starts spreading lies about Jesus or disrespecting the name of God. You feel grieved and angry. That’s righteous anger.
Unrighteous Anger
- Say someone cuts you off in traffic, and you want to give them the middle finger? That’s unrighteous anger.
- Say someone misspells your name on your coffee cup at Starbucks, and you’re feeling upset. That’s unrighteous anger.
- You experience an intense betrayal (i.e., a spouse cheating on you, someone lying to you, or someone spreading rumors about you), and your feelings of anger lead to thoughts of violence or murder. That’s unrighteous anger.
The difference between righteous anger and unrighteous anger comes down to the motivation of our hearts. When we’re upset about what God’s upset about, it’s usually safe to say that we’re experiencing righteous anger. But if we’re being honest, a small portion of the time we spend angry is from a healthy and holy place. Thankfully, as we follow Jesus and become more like Him, our moments of unrighteous anger go down.
How Does the Bible Deal with Anger?
Thankfully, the Bible doesn’t shy away from the topic of anger. There are several Bible verses on anger that show us the difference between righteous anger and sinful anger. In fact, the Bible even gives us guidance on how to handle our emotions and even how to access the fruits of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23)
“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. - Ephesians 4:26-27
This Bible verse about anger encourages believers to make the difficult choice to deal with their anger quickly. This scripture about anger reminds us that though it’s okay to feel angry sometimes, we should never let our anger fester or turn into something sinful.
Curious to learn more about how to deal with your anger? Read our blog: 15 Bible Verses for When You Feel Angry
A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger. - Proverbs 15:1
Bible verses about anger show us that sometimes the best way to deal with anger is to respond with kindness and understanding. You never know what someone is going through during their day. When you choose to respond to people in love rather than anger, it has the power to change the world.
Learn more about how to love others even when it’s hard: 5 Truths About Loving Difficult People
How to Avoid Unrighteous Anger?
Anger is a normal part of life. All of us are going to feel angry sometimes. Feeling the emotion of anger doesn’t make you a bad person – how you handle it does. Most of us experience unrighteous anger when things don’t go our way. Whether it’s a frustrating situation, an argument with a close friend, a misunderstanding with someone, or just a hard day. The first step to avoiding unrighteous anger is to recognize when it starts bubbling up in your heart. You don’t have to act like you aren’t angry; you just need to address it.
One way to do this is to stop, pause, and ask yourself the question: “Is this really worth getting upset over?” Sometimes all it takes to keep us from righteous anger is to step away from the situation, take a few deep breaths, and ask God for help.
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Another way to keep unrighteous anger in check is to focus on kindness and love – both towards others and yourself – instead of partnering with anger. When you feel irritated or frustrated, choose to change your perspective by asking yourself, “What would Jesus do?” When we’re angry, we can forget that the person we’re upset with is human, just like us. Maybe the person who upset you is having a tough day, too. Or maybe the situation isn’t as big or as personal as it feels in the moment. How would Jesus treat the person in front of you? Choosing empathy can soften your reaction and help you respond to others with patience instead of anger.
Conclusion
As we’ve discovered in this blog, anger is a normal part of life, and feeling it doesn’t make you a bad person – even God Himself has been angry before! Because righteous anger comes from the heart of God, we know that God’s heart for justice is sometimes expressed through anger – whether divinely or by humans bringing justice on the earth. However, unrighteous anger is not from God, and as believers in Jesus, we choose to grow in self-control and the fruits of the Spirit.
So the next time you see injustice in the world and feel an emotional response, remember that you are experiencing the heart of God and His righteous anger towards sin and suffering. When it’s in your power to do so, we encourage you to be like Jesus and help those in need, defend those who need protecting, and speak up for those who can’t speak for themselves.
