What Is Righteous Anger? Our Lord’s Teaching.

What is righteous anger?

This question I received through our website this past week so I know nothing of the question’s origins or the motivation behind the one asking. The scriptures, however, are sufficient to instruct us in righteousness (2 Timothy 3:16-17), and searching through them we can discover the Lord’s teaching in answer to this question. Let’s study together.

The word “righteous” has reference to that which is right, good, and holy. Specifically, it refers to actions performed to or among men. In that regard, God’s actions performed among men can always be characterized as righteous in that they are always right, good, and holy (Revelation 16:5). Man’s actions, however, because of the problem of sin, aren’t necessarily so. Only when man’s actions conform to the Lord’s will, are such actions right, good and holy and thus, righteous (1 John 3:7).

Anger, however, isn’t always employed in a right, good, and holy way. Sometimes it is such as in Mark 3:5 where Jesus was angry with the hypocrisy of the Pharisees who did not permit Him to do good on the Sabbath. Paul also tells the church at Ephesus to be angry without sinning (Ephesians 4:26). On the other hand, Paul also instructed them to separate themselves from anger (see Ephesians 4:31 and Colossians 3:8). So while it is possible for one to be angry without sinning, it is not to get angry to begin with.

This all leads us to conclude that there is a proper and improper application of anger. Anger applied in a way that is right, good, and holy would be righteous anger. Whereas if anger was not used in such a way, it wouldn’t be right. So how do we know when anger is properly applied? Knowing that God is good and will always do that which is right (Genesis 18:25, Deuteronomy 32:4), let us consider the things which make God angry. We can then reasonably conclude at what things we may be angry knowing that the Lord’s anger is always righteous.

We first note that disobedience makes God angry. Romans 2:8 says, “But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath.” Consider also John 3:36 in the ASV, “He that believeth on the Son hath eternal life; but he that obeyeth not the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abideth on him.” Disobedience makes the Lord angry. Hence, one may be righteously angry when someone disobeys the Lord.

We also note that sin makes God angry. The prophet Micah wrote, “I will bear the indignation of the LORD, because I have sinned against him…” (Micah 7:9). Consider also Hebrews 10:26-27, “For if we sin willfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries.” Sin causes anger in the Lord and so we may also be righteously angry with those who sin.