Outrage Is Not a Fruit of the Spirit
Body
“In today’s digital world—and especially in an election year—it’s heartbreaking to see God’s people become a bickering, angry mob.” - Randy Alcorn
As iron sharpens iron,
one person sharpens another. (Proverbs 27:17)
“In today’s digital world—and especially in an election year—it’s heartbreaking to see God’s people become a bickering, angry mob.” - Randy Alcorn
“Conventional wisdom suggests expressing anger can help us quell it, like releasing steam from a pressure cooker. But this common metaphor is misleading, according to a new meta-analytic review.” - Science Alert
“You always shake your fist when you preach. You blame everything on actors and politicians. You rant on social media about, well, everything. You assume I’m writing this to someone else.” - The Baptist Paper
“Jesus’s enemies mocked him, slandered him, insulted him, maligned him, reviled him — as verbal thrusts of contempt conspired with nails and spear. How Jesus handled it left an indelible stamp on Peter.” - Desiring God
“What we know for sure is that human anger does not end well. It does not bring about justice or righteousness. It does not make for a better world.” - Michael Brown
“In a recent article… Scott Sauls argues that it is appropriate to be angry at God when Christians are visited by calamitous acts…. This is a time for grief, but grief coupled with hope, not anger as Saul advocates.” - Ref21
“Anger says, ‘That is wrong.’ It is a judgment, and judgment is intrinsic to our humanity. Human beings are incapable of not making judgments…. Anger says, ‘I will make that right.’ Anger is compelled to do something” - Ed Welch
These days, you don’t have to be a news junky to hear of events that arouse strong disapproval or outright anger. But how should Christians feel about the foolishness and wrongdoing going on in our world and our culture? Should we be unmoved? Should we be perpetually outraged? What about Christian joy?
The Bible is clear that some things ought to get us worked up. We’re called to “hate evil” (Psalm 97:10, Prov 8:13, Amos 5:15), to “be angry” yet “not sin” (Eph 4:26).
“There are no enemies present. Nevertheless, the sword is drawn, perhaps again without him fully realizing what he’s doing. His passions are in control.” - Desiring God
Discussion