The Highway Forums General Discussion Open Forum Anger

I was not quite sure where to post this, so I will here. How angry may we rightly be? Can anger over a false gospel of the enemy be taken too far?

How angry do you think God is over false doctrine, which is a sin?

Paul says to "be angry but sin not" (Eph 4:26]

And here is how the well-tempered Luther spoke on the subject of toleration:

"I am not permitted to let my love be so merciful as to tolerate and endure false doctrine. When faith and doctrine are concerned and endangered, neither love nor patience are in order.... when these are concerned, neither toleration nor mercy are in order, but only anger, dispute, and destruction - to be sure, only with the Word of God as our weapon."

In His Grace,

Pilgrim Quoted Luther as follows:


That is an interesting quote Pilgrim.

In Him,

Gerry

I knew how well tempered a number of the reformers were. The reason I ask is I am constantly called unloving by liberals, but when people proclaim active apostleship, falling from grace into damnation, Adam being a figurative character, and other such fallacies I am compelled to be intolerant. I do not see how it would be loving to let someone get hit by a bus. I'm going to let them know even if it means being angry at them jaywalking.

Actually, I was being a bit facetious when I referred to Luther as being "well-tempered"... that's why I included the <img src="/forum/images/graemlins/rolleyes2.gif" alt="" /> Smiley! hehe Luther was not known for possessing socialite virtues, if you know what I mean? He was quite gruff and even crude at times. However, those who were on the receiving end never had to wonder what he said. <img src="/forum/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

However, I do think the quote, I also included, in my above reply from Luther has some merit. We can see in Scripture that there were times when Paul, Peter and even the Lord Christ spoke with passion and even anger toward those who would pervert the Gospel and/or teach damnable heresy or even attempt to lead people astray. Yes, they even resorted to name-calling. The Lord Christ would not make the top ten list of the most Politically Correct individual of the year by today's standard.

There is one other Puritan quote which I think is also worth mentioning, and I have on several other occasions here already. The author is unknown to me, but I respect whoever it was as one who spoke in truth:

<p align="center">[color:"blue"]"Showing mercy to the wolf is showing cruelty to the sheep."[/color]</p>
In His Grace,

Thank you again Pilgrim. When I said "well-tempered" I was being sarcastic though.

When Luther said love and patience are not in order, I disagree partially on both points. I believe intolerance of a false gospel IS loving. I believe it is hateful to be tolerant, or even worse.. encouraging of a lie. The patience one I struggle with as we are so often commanded it in the Bible. Yet Christ overturned tables, Paul grew angry at the demon, and many other instances. So obviously there is a time to be angry. I believe we should always be passionate. That time to be angry.. when it is just, when I should, is what vexes me.

I think most all of us can, or at least should, say Amen! to that. We have not yet "arrived" nor exude the perfect image of God.

And for the "oldsters" here, I ask that you forgive my recommending the following article again, but there are many "newbies" here who probably haven't had the pleasure of reading it. <img src="/forum/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

This is one of my all-time favorites: Paul - The Man, by Rev. Paul Linder.

In His Grace,

I know what you mean! I have a friend who I am trying to help, and always wonder exactly how far and hard to press without losing the person altogether. Is this the kind of anger you mean? <img src="/forum/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" />

In His Hands,

Ruth

Ruth, I'm not sure what you mean to be able to tell you if it is what I mean. <img src="/forum/images/graemlins/smirk.gif" alt="" />