Romans 5:1-11
“Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God.” (Rom 5:9). The wrath of God. No one likes talking about God’s wrath. Many of us carry the scars of God’s “wrath” as delivered by an overly zealous Christian. And this confusion of human “anger” and God’s “wrath” is exactly the problem.
You see, the Greek word that is translated here as “wrath” is used several other times in the New Testament. But that word, depending on whose anger we’re talking about, is translated differently. Whenever the reference is to human beings, it is “anger” as in, “for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness that God requires” (James 1:20). Indeed, human anger almost always produces nothing but more anger.
But when it comes to God, who is all powerful and all just, “wrath” is not a futile emotion, but an effective part of God’s justice in this world. In human beings, anger is a feeling. With God, anger is an action of God’s justice. Can anyone look at the injustices of this world without understanding that whoever created this world – marred by sin – has every right to be angry? The problem starts when human beings confuse their anger for God’s wrath. Even worse, the object of that anger also gets the two confused, and is scarred in their relationship with God.
In the political world I worked in before hearing God’s call to ministry, one of my mentors had a saying: “Never get mad, except on purpose.” What he meant is that it didn’t look good to be seen as not in control of your emotions, but that anger expressed in the right time could be seen approvingly as moral outrage. The expression of anger in that case was judged only by how it looked. In the context of faith, the feeling of anger should always be followed by prayer and reflection. Hopefully, that will help you separate righteous anger from human emotions.
Also remember that, as Paul makes clear in today’s reading, God’s deepest desire for all us sinners is not wrath, but reconciliation. Always act toward those with whom you are angry in a way that leaves the door open for that reconciliation.
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3 comments:
I think the last sentence in today's reflection is very profound to me personally. As humans, we do get angry with one another, and we think we're right and the other party is wrong. "Leaving the door open for reconciliation" is a hard one.
Does anyone have any concrete ideas as to how one does this in the heat of an argument??
M.E.
I think the last sentence in today's reflection is very profound to me personally. As humans, we do get angry with one another, and we think we're right and the other party is wrong. "Leaving the door open for reconciliation" is a hard one.
Does anyone have any concrete ideas as to how one does this in the heat of an argument??
M.E.
That's a very good question M.E. It might be necessary to say something like, "We're not in a good place to decide this at this moment. I'll take my leave now. May God bless you."
I've observed that ending a heated exchange with a good wish for the other person's welfare may help them approach you more charitably the next time you two see each other. Hopefully then, the both of you will be more open to a resolution of your differences.
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