James and the Anger Alternative
Surrender your anger, don’t surrender to it.
James 1:19-21
My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires. Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you.
1.Be quick to listen
2.Be slow to speak
3.Be slow to become angry
4.Get rid of sin
5.Accept God’s saving word
If those 5 things were on a report card of your life today, how would you do? Honor Roll? Or something else?
What are the things that make you angry these days?
-Politics
-The news media
-Social media
-The church
-The government
Anger is something we all deal with on many levels, and our world is capitalizing and manipulating us through our emotions, especially anger.
James 1:19
My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry,
“Lead with your ears, follow up with your tongue, and let anger straggle along in the rear” The Message
James 1:20
because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires.
Human anger does not produce what God desires in our lives, or in the lives of others.
The truth is, un-controlled anger in the lives of Christians is detrimental to the work of God within the world.
James 1:21
Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you.
James skips the behavior modification and calls for heart transformation.
This is one of those places in the letter where James is speaking Jesus.
Matthew 5:21-22
“You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘You shall not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.’ But I tell you that anyone who is angry with a brother or sister will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to a brother or sister, ‘Raca,’ is answerable to the court. And anyone who says, ‘You fool!’ will be in danger of the fire of hell.
Jesus knew that no behavior modification, or suppression of feelings could ever affect true change within our hearts, it had to be a divine work at a heart level.
Matthew 5:23-24
“Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to them; then come and offer your gift.
Jesus is clear in this passage, your uncontrolled anger is an obstacle between you and God, whether you believe it to be justified or not.
We must surrender our anger, not surrender to it.
James in 8 Minutes
This overview video on the book of James breaks down the literary design of the book and its flow of thought. In this book, James combines the wisdom of his brother Jesus with the book of Proverbs in his own challenging call to live a life wholly devoted to God.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qn-hLHWwRYY