Below are some preliminary questions to assist in the study of this passage. For a comprehensive study of the passage, download the Study Guide (PDF download).
1. Is it ever right for a Christian to be angry?
Some Christians think that all anger is sinful and that every expression of anger is to be suppressed or denied. But the Bible instructs us in Ephesians 4:26, “Be angry, but do not sin;” i.e., there is a legitimate place for anger, and there is a legitimate kind of anger. Consider the anger expressed by our Lord Jesus Christ on various occasions in His life and ministry. There is a legitimate place for anger, and there is a legitimate kind of anger; we should react like Moses (with righteous anger) and not like Aaron (who exhibited indifference) to those things that are a moral offense and affront to God and His divine character and His moral law. (Note: for Moses’ and Aaron’s reaction to sin, see Exodus 32:19-22)
2. According to Ephesians 4:27 (printed below), what is one dangerous consequence of retaining an angry spirit and allowing anger to dominate your life?
“Be angry, but do not sin.” Do not let the sun set on your anger; (27) do not give a place to the devil. (Ephesians 4:26-27)
According to verse 27, one dangerous consequence of retaining an angry spirit and allowing your anger to dominate your life is the fact that this causes you to “give a place to the devil.” You allow the devil to gain a foothold from which he can manipulate you and wreck havoc all around, creating broken relationships, foolish and shameful conduct, and the destruction of a Christian witness. Furthermore, you allow the devil to gain a foothold from which he can dominate you and wreck havoc on your very soul (note 1 John 3:11b-12a).
3. According to Ephesians 4:30 (printed below), what is another dangerous consequence of retaining an angry spirit?
Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. (Ephesians 4:30)
Another dangerous consequence of retaining an angry spirit and allowing your anger to dominate your life is the fact that you “grieve the Holy Spirit.” The Holy Spirit is the One by whom we have communion with God and by whom we are sealed (i.e., marked) for redemption. You do not want to grieve the Holy Spirit and thereby jeopardize and forfeit your connection with God.
4. What guidelines does the Bible give as to how we are to handle anger? Consider Psalm 4:4-5 (printed below)
Tremble with anger; but do not sin. When you are on your bed, search your heart and be silent. (5) Offer the sacrifices of righteousness, and put your trust in Jehovah. (Psalm 4:4-5)
From his own experience, the Psalmist’s counsel is: “Tremble with anger.” It is legitimate to express your anger, to release that anger; but we must not allow it to dominate our life. How do we avoid having such anger control our life? By heeding the rest of the Psalmist’s counsel, “When you are on your bed, search your heart and be silent.” In other words, ask yourself such questions as these: What is making me so angry? Have not I at some time done the very same thing? To whom does justice belong? The Psalmist then goes on to exhort us, “Put your trust in Jehovah.” Recognize that the Lord is the righteous Judge of all the earth and the right of judgment belongs to Him. Therefore, confidently commit your case to Him and trust Him to carry out justice in His time. Furthermore, ask Him to forgive your own sins and give you the grace to submit to Him.
5. According to Ephesians 4:32-5:2 (printed below), what attributes are to characterize and control the Christian’s life? Can you elaborate on each of these attributes?
Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving each other just as God by Christ forgave you. 5 Therefore, become imitators of God, as beloved children, (2) and walk in love, just as Christ also loved us and gave himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God that was a pleasing fragrance to him. (Ephesians 4:32-5:2)
According to Ephesians 4:32-5:2, as a Christian, you are to put on new life-controlling, life-promoting attitudes. These include such attributes as “kindness:” a gentle manner, a soft word, a giving spirit, sincerely extending good will towards others; “tenderheartedness:” being moved with compassion towards others, looking upon others with the same affection and pity with which God Himself looked upon you, holding each other dear in our hearts; “forgiveness:” motivated by God’s forgiveness of us, we are to imitate the heavenly Father in His act of initiating and extending forgiveness to us of His own free will; and “love:” patterned after Christ who sacrificially gave Himself out of love for us, we must be willing to sacrifice our own offended self for reconciliation with our brother or sister or neighbor.
