11月15日

標　　題： 基督徒的怒氣

經　　節： 生氣卻不要犯罪；不可含怒到日落。（以弗所書四章26節）

對基督徒而言，生氣所帶來的破壞力，往往更甚於其他事情。怒氣使我們失去自製，說出或做出從來沒有想到的事。聖經一再命令基督徒要除掉怒氣，並且列出怒氣是肉體其中的一個罪（以弗所書四：31）。

有時候，我們引用以弗所書第四章26節為自己辯護。我們用耶穌潔淨聖殿是「義怒」，來爭辯生氣有的時候也是可行的。以弗所書講到的是不犯罪的生氣。耶穌可以做到「生氣而不犯罪」（馬太福音廿一：12∼14；馬可福音十一：15∼18；路加福音十九：45∼46）。

我們一定要小心，不要以經文作為我們發怒的藉口。在以弗所書第四章31節命令我們，要除去所有的惱怒。這不代表不要有悔悟或者是不再追求公義，而是表示我們不願意讓其他人的罪，惹動我們犯罪。生氣不能夠成就神的救贖大工，反而可能攔阻了神的工作。

如果你自覺為某事而升起義怒，要檢查你心中的怒氣是否有罪的成分。你的怒氣是否變成苦毒？怒氣是否讓你對人的態度，沒有基督的馨香之氣，甚至說別人的閒言閒語？怒氣是否使你為自己不敬虔的態度找藉口？憤怒是否阻止你在言行上表達出愛與寬容的態度，憤怒會不會阻礙你仿效基督呢？你一定要審察自己內心的怒氣，求神除去你因為怒氣所產生的一切罪惡態度。

Christian Anger

"Be angry, and do not sin": do not let the sun go down on your wrath. (Ephesians 4:26)

Few things are more destructive to Christians than anger. Anger causes us to lose our self-control and to say and do things we would otherwise never consider. Anger, if allowed to remain, turns into bitterness that eats away at our hearts. Scripture consistently commands believers to put away anger and lists it as one of the sins of the flesh (Eph. 4:31).

At times, we try to defend our anger by citing Ephesians 4:26. As additional proof we argue that Jesus cleansed the temple in “righteous indignation.” Ephesians refers to anger that does not lead to sin. Jesus was capable of being angry without sinning. When Jesus cleared the temple, Scripture does not indicate that He was angry (Matt. 21:12–14; Mark 11:15–18; Luke 19:45–46).

We must be careful not to justify our anger with Scripture. Ephesians 4:31 commands us to put away all anger. That does not mean that we cease to have strong convictions or lose our desire for justice. It does mean we refuse to allow the sins of others to cause us to sin. Anger does not bring about God’s redemptive work; far more often it hinders what God is working to accomplish.

If you feel that you have a righteous anger because of something that has happened, see if you are holding anger in your heart without sin. Is your anger turning into bitterness? Is your anger causing you to speak in an unchristian manner to someone or to gossip about them? Is your anger causing you to make excuses for your own ungodly behavior? Is your anger preventing you from acting in a loving, redemptive, and Christlike way toward someone? You must examine any anger within you and allow God to remove any sinful attitudes that your anger may have produced.