Sinful and Righteous Anger
A Sermon on Ephesians 4:20-27
Originally preached June 15, 1958
Scripture
20But ye have not so learned Christ; 21If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus: 22That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; 23 …
Sermon Description
Many Christians throughout the centuries have offered varying interpretations of the verse “be angry and sin not.” In this sermon on anger from Ephesians 4:20–27 titled “Sinful and Righteous Anger,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones discusses how Christians should apply this command to their lives. He contends that Paul is not saying that one can be angry as long as they don’t sin— it is not a permissive statement. Rather, Paul is saying that there are certain things where anger is acceptable as long as the Christian does not sin in their anger and give a foothold to Satan. Anger, he says, is a natural capacity given by God against the things that dishonor Him and what He declares to be good. As Dr. Lloyd-Jones points out, even Jesus is recorded in the gospels as becoming very angry about unrighteousness in the temple. The key to understanding this verse is that anger must be directed towards the things that God hates but ultimately, Paul is calling Christians to avoid sin and to be angry towards it. Dr. Lloyd-Jones declares that anger against sin is being increasingly explained away by the world, but Christians must be faithful to hold it for what it is— an affront against God.
Sermon Breakdown
- Anger in and of itself is not sinful. It is an innate capacity given to us by God.
- We should be angry against sin and evil. Failure to do so shows moral degradation.
- We must never be bad tempered, irritable or easily provoked. That is sinful anger.
- Excessive, violent, uncontrollable anger is sinful. We must maintain control.
- "Wrath" refers to anger that has become habitual and bitter. We must avoid wrath.
- Lack of self-control indicates living according to the "old man". We must put on the "new man".
- Loss of control gives the devil opportunity. We must not give the devil a foothold.
- Vindictiveness denies the gospel of grace and forgiveness. We must forgive as God forgave us.
- We must deal with anger immediately. Do not go to sleep with anger in your heart.
- We must hate sin but never hate the sinner. Forgive the sinner.
Sermon Q&A
What Does the Bible Say About Righteous Anger vs. Sinful Anger?
According to Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones' sermon on Ephesians 4:26-27, there's a clear biblical distinction between righteous and sinful anger. Let me explain this important teaching.
What is the difference between righteous anger and sinful anger?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones teaches that anger itself is not sinful - it's a God-given capacity placed within us. Righteous anger is directed against sin and evil, while sinful anger is personal, uncontrolled, or vindictive. As he explains: "The anger that we are to feel as Christians must never be felt by us just because we happen to be that sort of person... our anger must never be personal, but rather against the principle of iniquity and of sin."
Did Jesus ever display anger?
Yes, Jesus himself displayed righteous anger on several occasions. Dr. Lloyd-Jones points to Mark 3:5: "And when he had looked round about on them with anger, being grieved for the hardness of their hearts." He also references when Jesus cleansed the temple in John 2:15, making "a scourge of small cords" and driving out the money changers. This demonstrates that anger against sin is appropriate.
What does "Let not the sun go down on your wrath" mean?
This biblical instruction means we should deal with anger promptly and not allow it to fester. Lloyd-Jones explains: "Do it at once. Don't go to bed. Don't go to sleep with this in your mind or your heart. Clear it at once. Never go to sleep, my friend, without settling your moral accounts and your spiritual book." He distinguishes between "anger" and "wrath" - wrath being "anger roused and nursed and nourished until it becomes a settled condition."
How does uncontrolled anger give opportunity to the devil?
Lloyd-Jones teaches that when we lose control in anger, "you are no longer able to reason, you're no longer able to think. You can no longer give a balanced judgment." This creates an opportunity for the devil: "Nothing opens the door more widely than anger." He explains that anger leads to "the nursing of grievances... that desire for revenge and to have our own back. It leads us to despise people and to treat them with contempt."
How does unforgiveness contradict the gospel?
According to Dr. Lloyd-Jones, holding onto bitterness contradicts the very foundation of Christianity: "Vindictiveness, or this wrath that he condemns, is a denial of the whole Christian gospel." Since we have been forgiven by God despite our sin, we must forgive others. He points to Jesus' teaching: "If you can't forgive your brother, I tell you in the name of God, you're not forgiven yourself."
What is the proper Christian approach to anger?
The Christian approach is summed up by Lloyd-Jones as: "Hate sin, always hate sin in the sinner always. But never hate the sinner." Christians should maintain righteous indignation against evil while showing love and forgiveness toward individuals who sin. This balance reflects God's own character of justice and mercy.
The Book of Ephesians
Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones
Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones (1899-1981) was a Welsh evangelical minister who preached and taught in the Reformed tradition. His principal ministry was at Westminster Chapel, in central London, from 1939-1968, where he delivered multi-year expositions on books of the bible such as Romans, Ephesians and the Gospel of John. In addition to the MLJ Trust’s collection of 1,600 of these sermons in audio format, most of these great sermon series are available in book form (including a 14 volume collection of the Romans sermons), as are other series such as "Spiritual Depression", "Studies in the Sermon on the Mount" and "Great Biblical Doctrines". He is considered by many evangelical leaders today to be an authority on biblical truth and the sufficiency of Scripture.