How Can Christians Avoid the Sneaky Sin of Wrath?

The Bible distinguishes between God’s wrath and the wrath of humans. Whenever you see God’s wrath mentioned in scripture, it is always connected to sin. It is God’s response to man’s ongoing rebellion and sinful behavior. Here is one example.

“The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of people, who suppress the truth by their wickedness.” (Romans 1:18)

Notice the reason for God’s wrath is godlessness and wickedness, which is another way of saying sin.

For humans, wrath and anger are not typically because of sin, but they most often lead people into sin. Most of the time, it reflects a character flaw in someone because the wrath exposes what is in their heart. To be clear, I am speaking generally because there some Scriptural examples of people getting angry and it was justified. Even if your anger is justified, you must be careful because even "righteous anger" can lead to sinful behavior.

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The reason God’s wrath is not a sin is because it is about God being just, not God seeking revenge. God is neither quick to become angry nor quick to bring judgment. The Bible reminds us that God is compassionate and slow to become angry (Psalm 103:8). It also tells us that for God, judgment is a strange act (Isa. 28:21). Judgment is not usually his first response to a situation. God expresses wrath solely based on righteousness and not to seek revenge or deliver retribution. His wrath reflects his righteous judgment because God is holy and just.

The cross is the greatest example of God’s justice in relationship to wrath. God poured out all his wrath over sin on Christ so that he would not have to pour his wrath on you. That’s why, when you are in Christ, Christ has already satisfied the judgment and wrath required for your sin.

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Human wrath is a sin because it rarely comes from a place of justice. In humans, wrath often leads to a desire for revenge or cruel treatment of others. Wrath exposes what is in someone’s heart, often negatively affecting your decision-making. Let me show you five ways wrath in the human heart is sinful. 

1. Wrath leads to folly

“He who is slow to anger has great understanding [and profits from his self-control], But he who is quick-tempered exposes and exalts his foolishness [for all to see].” (Proverbs 14:29 AMP)

Wrath is often associated with someone who has a hot or quick temper. This person will often act and speak before they think. When this happens, you can guarantee their next decision will be the wrong one. In some translations, this verse says their anger will reveal their stupidity. Someone full of wrath is not thoughtful, and their actions will reveal their foolishness, and their wrath will often lead them into sin.

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“A gentle answer deflects anger, but harsh words make tempers flare.” (Proverbs 15:1 NLT)

Wrathful people will use words that are filled with wrath. These words will not diffuse a situation but will cause it to explode. I was conversing with a police officer, and he told me their training includes explaining how to de-escalate situations. Except in incidents where an obvious crime is being committed, an officer should never enter the situation with angry, aggressive words. If they do, that is only going to make matters worse. The same is true for you. You are stirring the pot when you respond with harsh, angry words. The problem with doing that is you don’t know what it will produce.

3. Wrath cannot produce right living in an individual

“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.” (James 1:19-20)

Since wrath is often associated with quick-tempered people, so it will never result in right living. In fact, it can’t. People who get to the stage of wrath are usually impulsive. When you are filled with wrath, you cannot make righteous decisions. Often, the rage will blind you, and you lose the ability to decipher what is right or wrong.

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Galatians 5:19-20“‘In your anger do not sin’: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold.” (Ephesians 4:26-27)

Wrath is like a seed that is planted in your heart. The longer you stay angry, the more it takes root. It does not matter if the anger was justified or not. So this applies to all you who are living in your righteous anger. When you do this, you give the devil a foothold, which is exactly what he wants. According to Dictionary.com, one definition of a foothold is “a secure position from which further progress may be made." When you give the devil a foothold in your life, you give him a launching pad where he will attempt to make further inroads into your life. If you allow wrath to live in your heart, you will not just be angry at one thing. Over time, you will become angry at everything. This is the progression Satan wants to take in your life. If you are angry, it is time to let it go before Satan takes a more aggressive position in your heart.

5. Wrath is an act of the flesh

“The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions.” (Galatians 5:19-20, emphasis added)

When you operate in wrath, you are operating out of your flesh. That is why you cannot produce righteous living: your flesh cannot do that. If you are filled with wrath, it is time to examine your heart. You may not think so, but something is amiss.

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The Bible does not leave us without any direction on how to sidestep wrath. Here are three pieces of advice it gives us for avoiding this sin.

1. See the log in your own eye first

Wrath is a form of self-righteousness because you see the faults in others, and it produces anger in you. Listen to the wisdom of Jesus.

“You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.” (Matthew 7:5)

The more you know your shortcomings, the less likely you will be wrathful towards others.

2. Forgive quickly

The Bible never tells us not to get angry. The Bible tells us not to be quick to get angry and don’t hold on to that anger. When people hold on to anger, even if it can be justified, they easily slip into a wrathful mindset where mercy and grace are replaced with a need for vengeance and retribution. That’s why it is dangerous to hold on to anger, even if you think you have a valid reason to be angry. Keeping it will not make you better. It will only make you more bitter.

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“Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.” (Ephesians 4:31-32)

Anytime you feel the need to show wrath towards someone else, remember how God treats you. If God treated us the same way we treat others, there would be no hope for any of us. That’s why remembering how much God has forgiven you makes it easier not to be angry towards others.

As you can see, wrath is not something to play with. If you are angry today, it’s time you get before the Lord and allow him to deal with that anger. If you continue in your wrath, it is only a matter of time before it influences your actions. I can assure you, according to God’s word, those actions that will not produce God’s righteousness in your life.

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