Seven Deadly Sins – Anger
Our next deadly sin is the sin of anger or wrath. Evolutionary science tells us that our anger is something that was once beastly that has become something beautiful. That we had a fight of flight reflex that was used to defend ourselves; or a hunting instinct to hunt and overcome our prey for survival; or a territorial aggression that preserved our pack, and now as ‘evolved apes’ we have to reign it in and make it useful to the community. This is exactly backwards. The bible teaches that our anger was once something beautiful that has become beastly....
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Ephesians 4:31-32: Virtues Replacing Vices
How can you tell if someone is a Christian? We will not be able to know 100% because we cannot see the hearts of others but there are several tests you could apply that could make an informed opinion. God knows the heart completely; you can know of your own salvation, but knowing about others will run the risk of error. Firstly, there is the test of orthodoxy. If someone is taught by the Spirit they will believe certain truths and reject certain errors, they cannot deny the Trinity, or the way of salvation for example. Secondly, there is...
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Ephesians 4:26-27: Putting Away Anger
Anger divides! Take one look at our culture today and notice how anger is drawing battle lines, polarizing and tribalizing groups against each other. We see the sides in the culture wars as the left are pitted against the right. Critical theory has divided society up into minority groupings who now interpret all activity towards them in terms of microagressions. They play into a narrative of victimhood and oppression which must now be met with violent revolution. Cancel culture, trolling, and the mudslinging arena of social media are maelstroms of anger. This anger is nothing new, sinners have always...
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Jonah 4:1-11: Jonah’s anger
Jonah is one of several books in the Bible that would not be accepted to be made a Hollywood movie; the main reason being that there is no happy ending. When Jonah comes to an end we are left with an unresolved issue, does Jonah learn his lesson? The book ends with God portraying His compassion to the Assyrians, but Jonah still in the depths of his self-pity and depression. Just as 2 Samuel ends with the purchasing of the Temple site, not the death of David; and Acts ends with the Gospel having reached Rome not the death...
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Angry at God
Introduction: Angry at God! Have you ever been angry at God? No one ever has the right to be angry with God, yet so many are. Even some Christians think that it is ok to be angry with God. They justify it saying things like ‘God is big enough to handle it.’ They think that the Psalmists cry of ‘How Long?’ is a criticism instead of an earnest plea for God to fulfil His promises. They think that Jonah’s and Job’s complaining against God is an example forgetting that Jonah was rebuked and Job repented. Anger against God can span...
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