Matt. 5:21-26 – Murder and Anger…
Emotions, This seems to be quite the subject these days. A cursory reading of the verse would seem to be a ban on being angry (with ones brother). Jesus seems to extend the law beyond the act of murder to the root of it. Armed with this verse and others related to “trusting ones feelings” it would seem that Christians are forbidden from having strong negative emotions and any such expression must be evidence of an unredeemed life.

I think that the Lord’s words correctly direct us away from the end result of uncontrolled anger (physical violence) to its source. But I think that the end of the passage helps explain things. This isn’t a ban on strong negative emotion, but an examination with what ones does with such feelings, and more importantly how these feelings and actions effect the life of the community. The lesson of personal piety in this case is not about blotting out strong negative emotions but rather addressing directly with the other party when we have such problems and understanding that this is an equal part to ones devotional life.

We are not the Creators of life, thus it is it a sin against the Creator when we either physically or socially attempt to take Life from another. But those of us not prone to this extreme are not safe in our little existence. When we let anger stand in the way of our relationships right here in our community it will get in the way of our relationship with our heavenly father. Our worship is devalued when we fail to value the walking expression of his creation with whom we live from day to day. The lord extends the prohibition but not against strong negative emotions, rather we are directed to look at all the small things that we hold against one another and see that these things will get in the way of our worship and relationship with our Creator. JBB