Is Anger Damnable? Matthew 5:21-26

Anger is Damnable? Matthew 5:21-26 (TPT)

Oh Jesus,

Help us. I know I’ve been pretty angry many times… has my anger damned me because I know I’ve called many people idiots and other derogatory terms out of anger, at least in my head, if not had it come out of my mouth. Forgive me. I know I’ve cursed myself and others in the heat of the moment. Forgive me. I repent. I plead the blood of Jesus over those largely idle words I’ve spoken.
Amen.

“You’re familiar with the commandment taught to those of old: ‘Do not murder or you will be judged.’ But I’m telling you, if you hold anger in your heart toward a fellow believer, you are subject to judgment. And whoever demeans and insults a fellow believer is answerable to the congregation. And whoever calls down curses upon a fellow believer is in danger of being sent to a fiery hell.
“So then, if you are presenting a gift before the altar and suddenly you remember a quarrel you have with a fellow believer, leave your gift there in front of the altar and go at once to apologize to the one who is offended. Then, after you have reconciled, come to the altar and present your gift. It is always better to come to terms with the one who wants to sue you before you go to trial, or you may be found guilty by the judge, and he will hand you over to the officers, who will throw you into prison. Believe me, you won’t get out of prison until you have paid the full amount!”

Wow. This is a heavy passage. Why does Jesus target anger with such laser focus, here? Simply being mad at another believer, within yourself, leaves you subject to judgment. If that turns into nasty words against that person, that now becomes fodder for a public issue in the family of faith. If you curse a brother or sister out, you could lose your salvation. Wow, that is strong language from Jesus. Why is that? If we allow anger to fester and grow, it can easily destroy lives, and the Kingdom is about restoring lives and rebuilding communities. Sinful anger is destructive, as it burns like fire and it is antithetical to love. Love is to be the core of the Kingdom, so how can rage exist with it? It cannot, and that, I think, is why Jesus hits it so hard, here.

Reconciliation is primary, here. If you realize that there is some offense that is keeping you from fellowship with a brother or sister, deal with it before you go to worship. Mend the relationship to the best of your ability, then go enjoy the sweetness of the Spirit in the assembly. Don’t allow, as much as is in your power, your offended brother or sister the need to take you to court. This sounds like a primarily financial situation, here. Say you borrowed money, or possibly even stole something, handle that situation ASAP. Don’t be a hypocrite and go about your regular church routine if you have the ability to set that right. Or say there was a business transaction that went wrong, and for whatever reason the party who bought something was dissatisfied with that good or service. If you are the vendor or service provider, it is incumbent on you to make it right as soon as you are able. Not because you fear repercussions, but because it is right to do so. If you need to operate from fear, Jesus gives us enough to fear, here, as well. Do you want to be embarrassed first, then still have to pay a fine and have that on public record? Do whatever you can to prevent that. Apologize and do the right thing.

To answer the question in the title, yes, it is, as long as you allow it to fester and become more ugly. It can easily destroy lives and relationships if it goes unchecked. Think about how many churches have been destroyed by angry people. Keep that in mind, and let’s make sure that we handle our frustrations before they get too big for us and start down the path to hell.