“You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder; and whoever murders will be liable to judgment.’ But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be liable to the hell of fire. So if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift. Come to terms quickly with your accuser while you are going with him to court, lest your accuser hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the guard, and you be put in prison. Truly, I say to you, you will never get out until you have paid the last penny.”
- Matthew 5:21-26 ESV
'And Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” And they cast lots to divide his garments. '
- Luke 23:34 ESV
- Luke 23:34 ESV
Forgiveness is the only antidote to anger; forgiveness is the only thing that will extinguish the raging flames of hate. My childhood was eventful, and as such, I was left with a lot of anger and hate in my heart. When I became a Christian, I was left with the question of “Where do I fit now? What is the place of an angry man in the Kingdom of God and in the Christian faith?”
I believe there is an answer: an angry man belongs in the love of Christ just as much as anyone else.
When I gave my life to Christ, I began to read my Bible (one that my little brother, a pastor elsewhere, gave me in the excitement of my conversion). I quickly found what it said about anger, that anger and hate are tantamount to murder itself. It left me convicted. I thought, “Whatever will I do about this rage inside of me?”
It is taking a lot of therapy currently to help me find the answer. I am recovering from this blight on my heart, and while therapy is a must, I believe that the Bible offers a unique insight into the nature of anger and hate, and how to deal with it in a Christ-like way.
In the verses of Matthew, we see what appears to be an admonition against those who are angry, a warning against anyone with rage in their heart...but there is more here:
I believe there is an answer: an angry man belongs in the love of Christ just as much as anyone else.
When I gave my life to Christ, I began to read my Bible (one that my little brother, a pastor elsewhere, gave me in the excitement of my conversion). I quickly found what it said about anger, that anger and hate are tantamount to murder itself. It left me convicted. I thought, “Whatever will I do about this rage inside of me?”
It is taking a lot of therapy currently to help me find the answer. I am recovering from this blight on my heart, and while therapy is a must, I believe that the Bible offers a unique insight into the nature of anger and hate, and how to deal with it in a Christ-like way.
In the verses of Matthew, we see what appears to be an admonition against those who are angry, a warning against anyone with rage in their heart...but there is more here:
Come to terms quickly with your accuser...
While the context of the teaching seems metaphorically legalistic, there is a truth hidden beneath what appears to be chastisement. That is, the cure to anger is forgiveness.
Furthermore, we see something rather unique in the crucifixion of Jesus, in his famous exclamation of “forgive them, father...” in which one almost always focuses on the interjection preceding the dependent clause that follows: “...they know not what they do.”
“...they know not what they do.” hit me like a sack of bricks. If someone knows what they do is evil, would they do it? This proposes a moral dilemma of sorts, but it begs a question for the one who forgives. This, of course, does not absolve the person of the responsibility for the wrongs that they have committed against you. For me personally, I was diagnosed with Complex PTSD in adulthood due to an abusive childhood. It left me with many social and emotional issues—but mostly, it left me angry and rage-filled. But when I read the cry of Christ, I am left faced with an unusual question: “If my parents knew what they were doing, would they have done it?”
Furthermore, we see something rather unique in the crucifixion of Jesus, in his famous exclamation of “forgive them, father...” in which one almost always focuses on the interjection preceding the dependent clause that follows: “...they know not what they do.”
“...they know not what they do.” hit me like a sack of bricks. If someone knows what they do is evil, would they do it? This proposes a moral dilemma of sorts, but it begs a question for the one who forgives. This, of course, does not absolve the person of the responsibility for the wrongs that they have committed against you. For me personally, I was diagnosed with Complex PTSD in adulthood due to an abusive childhood. It left me with many social and emotional issues—but mostly, it left me angry and rage-filled. But when I read the cry of Christ, I am left faced with an unusual question: “If my parents knew what they were doing, would they have done it?”
My answer was “no.”
Forgiveness, first and foremost, is for you. Hate and anger are heavy chains to bear. They destroy and bring ruin, and that is all they do. Forgiveness is their only antidote. It is in these words that Christ shows us the ultimate example of how we should be, and it answers my question of “Where do I belong?” I know now where that is, and it is a glorious place. I belong in the arms of Jesus. I belong in a place where I can forgive freely and drop these chains from my shoulders.
To Him be the power, the glory, and the kingdom forever.
So be it and let it be.
Amen.
So be it and let it be.
Amen.