Justified in Anger? Matthew 5:21-26 NLT

Matthew 5:21-25 NLT

Teaching About Anger

²¹ “You have heard that our ancestors were told, ‘You must not murder. If you commit murder, you are subject to judgment.' ²² But I say, if you are even angry with someone,  you are subject to judgment! If you call someone an idiot, you are in danger of being brought before the court. And if you curse someone, you are in danger of the fires of hell.

²³ “So if you are presenting a sacrifice  at the altar in the Temple and you suddenly remember that someone has something against you, ²⁴ leave your sacrifice there at the altar. Go and be reconciled to that person. Then come and offer your sacrifice to God.

²⁵ “When you are on the way to court with your adversary, settle your differences quickly. Otherwise, your accuser may hand you over to the judge, who will hand you over to an officer, and you will be thrown into prison. ²⁶ And if that happens, you surely won’t be free again until you have paid the last penny.

How many times have you thought "I'm not a bad person, I've never KILLED anyone"? We measure good and bad with the worst crime we can think of and justify ourselves against murderers. 

Here Jesus tells of if we are angry with someone we are committing murder in our heart. You know that bitterness you are hanging onto? That unforgiveness you refuse to extend? That, in Jesus' eyes, makes you a murderer. 

Why is it so hard to forgive others? I think it's because we feel justified to be angry. Someone said something or did something to us and we believe we are justified by our anger. But Jesus repeatedly tells us to forgive. 

Interestingly justified in the dictionary means "having, done for, or marked by a good or legitimate reason" as in "the doctors were justified in treating her". But in the Bible justified means to be "declared or made righteous in the sight of God".

So if we are justified in our anger, we cannot be justified in the sight of God. Which would you rather hold on to? Your anger or God?

Blessings, Cecilia

Verse 21 refers to  Exodus 20:13 "You must not murder" and Deuteronomy 5:17"You must not murder"