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Love Is Not Easily Angered. It Keeps No Record of Wrongs

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Love Is Not Easily Angered. It Keeps No Record of Wrongs NUMA Covenant Groups Summer 2011 | week 6 love is not easily angered. It keeps no record of wrongs. scripture. 1 Corinthians 13:4‐7. 4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self‐seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love is not easily angered. Have you been angry before? Of course you have. We all have. Horace the Roman poet once wrote, “anger is a short madness.” It is a temporary state of fluctuating sanity. The Bible doesn’t say that anger itself is a sin. In fact, the Scripture speaks of anger in two ways: righteous anger and unrighteous anger. Most of the time, our anger is unrighteous. Here are some verses on anger: "Man's anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires" (James 1:20). “You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘You shall not murder,[a] and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.’ But I tell you that anyone who is angry with a brother or sister will be subject to judgment” (Matthew 5:21‐22). “The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions” (Galatians 5:19‐20). “A quick‐tempered man does foolish things” (Proverbs 14:17). “A hot‐tempered man stirs up dissension, but a patient man calms a quarrel” (Proverbs 15:18). “Better a patient man than a warrior, a man who controls his temper than one who takes a city” (Proverbs 16:32). "‘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 4:26‐7). “My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, for man's anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires” (James 1:19‐20). “But now you must rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips” (Colossians 3:8). “And the Lord's servant must not quarrel; instead, he must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful” (2 Timothy 2:24). provoked This passage, in 1 Corinthians 13 says that love is not easily angered. It’s not saying that we should not get angry. Jesus got angry when He say His Father’s Temple, a place of worship, becoming a den of thieves. There is a time and a place to get angry. Anger can fuel us. But it is only righteous when it fuels us toward God and towards the good. That’s the call‐sign of righteous anger. This passage isn’t actually talking about anger. Yes it uses the word “anger” in our translation but it is actually talking about what happens before anger happens. It actually should read “love is not easily provoked to anger.” The word is παροξύνω (pronounced: pä- ro-ksü'-nō) to provoke, to poke at with a sharp object, to make angry, to irritate, annoy or enrage. It’s saying that before we get angry we are all provoked to anger. Have you been provoked to anger before? Anger doesn’t just happen. It is “provoked” by someone or something. And this passage is saying that love is not easily provoked. But how? Because when you love someone, you are not easily provoked by them. You believe the best about them. You see them in the “light” more than focusing on all their flaws. You hope in their potential more than judge them for their present state. Love is radical that way. It deflects the sharp objects and sharp words that are thrown at us. What to do about anger? “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 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 4:29‐32). Dealing with anger is not the main point, did you know that? Sometimes we think we have to learn to not get angry and not hate and not hurt and not sin. Yes, this is extremely important. But the way to spiritual renewal and personal revival is not in getting rid of things, it is in replacing them. Instead of anger, we need to love. God’s Words says “be kind and compassionate to one another” instead of being angry. “Forgive each other” instead of being bitter. How can we do that? I mean, you know what it “feels” like to be provoked! To be enraged. To be “in” anger. It’s not easy to just “tone down” and turn off your emotional spout. How can we not get easily angered? Not get easily provoked? “Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you” (Ephesians 4:32). It’s about Christ. It’s about knowing about what He has done. It’s about knowing Him as your personal forgiver: the one who keeps “no record of wrongs.” As we get closer to Christ, we who are prone to anger (personality, history, circumstances, habits) can become more like Christ in what He is prone to: blessing those who curse you, being compassionate with those who may not want or even deserve it, letting frustration lead to forgiveness and understanding. Christ keeps no record of wrongs Jesus doesn’t have amnesia. He doesn’t forget things! He purposely and intentionally keeps no record of our wrongs. His forgiveness is real and forever and so should ours be, as well. When we recognize the amazing love God has for us, only then can we extend that love to others. Only then. And when we experience His love over and over and over, it grows from an experience into our character. We take on the character of Christ. So then, what’s the answer? Get close to Christ. 1. Get close to Christ through being a disciple: learning His Word, praying, engaging in the spiritual disciplines of solitude, simplicity, worship, fasting, rest, etc. 2. Get close to Christ through being in a healthy spiritual community, a family, where people share love and show love. A place where Jesus is the center. We grow when we “sharpen one another” rather than provoke one another. Sharpening hurts sometimes. But how do you think the rough edges become smooth? A Simple and sacred conclusion. Get close to Christ by seeing the truth, the light, the way: Life itself is where we become more like Jesus. It’s in our interactions with those at work, at school, in the world. The testing of our faith is where we grow in love. We are put to the test to love when it is not easy to love. To forgive when it’s hard. To show compassion when it’s easier to show anger. Romans 5:3,4 says “Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.” What if all of life is an opportunity for us to become more like Jesus? Discussion. Questions to discuss in your small groups. (1) what connects with you the most, in this passage and study? [Discussion question] (2) do you see every circumstance in life as an opportunity to become more like jesus? .
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