Latest / Reformed Thinking / Trust in God's Providence | John Piper

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Trust in God's Providence | John Piper · Reformed Thinking

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Hello and welcome to the Deep Dive.
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And this is our reformed thinking segment.
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That's right, the place where we take your sources, your notes,
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your research, and really try to distill them into crucial
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knowledge and maybe some surprising insights.
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Yeah, our aim is always to help you cut through all that
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information overload, give you the clearest possible
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understanding of what really matters most in the material
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you've shared with us. OK, so today we're looking
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closely at a segment of Jesus's commands, and we're focusing on
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one that, well, it might seem quite challenging at first
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glance. We've got some excerpts here
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from John Piper's book All That Jesus Commanded, specifically
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the part called Do Not Be Angry, Trust God's Providence, and we
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also have some pretty comprehensive notes that you
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provided alongside it. Right.
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And our mission for this deep dive is to really get a handle
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on Jesus's distinctive teaching about anger.
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We want to try and discern what anger truly is, you know, and
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differentiate between anger that, well, that falls short of
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God's perfect design and anger that actually aligns with it.
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And also, crucially, grasp how, relying on God's wise sovereign
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governance, His Providence, how that can shape our emotional
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responses. Anger.
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Wow, that's definitely something that touches everyone, isn't it?
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Oh, absolutely. And all sorts of ways from, you
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know, minor daily irritations right up to dealing with really
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deep, unsettling injustice. So let's just let's get right
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into it. What makes Jesus command on
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anger are so different, so maybe radical compared to what people
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might have expected under the law of Moses.
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OK, so unpacking this, Jesus is teaching on anger.
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Matthew 5.2122 is key here, isn't it?
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It just presents such a striking difference from how things were
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understood under the law. Seems to go way beyond just
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outward actions. It absolutely does.
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You see, the law of Moses, it primarily zeroed in on the
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external act murder. It made it crystal clear.
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Whoever murders, well, they'd be level to judgement.
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That was a clear, tangible standard.
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Right focused on behavior. A guardrail for society?
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Really a vital one. But Jesus, well, he operates
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with this divine insight into the very source of human
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behavior, doesn't he? The heart itself.
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And he takes that standard and just lifts it onto an entirely
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new level. He says point blank that
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everyone who is angry with their brother, just angry, will be
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liable to judgement. Strict, angry and not even
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acting on it. That's right.
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And he doesn't stop there. He pushes it further.
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He says whoever insults their brother using words like Raqqa,
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you know, which implies someone's empty headed
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worthless, that person will be liable to the council, a higher
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kind of judgement. And then even more starkly,
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whoever calls someone you fool, which suggests, you know, deep
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moral failing, maybe even godlessness, that person is
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liable to the Hellfire. So you see, it's not just about
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what you do like with your hands or outward behavior, it's about
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what you feel inside and what you say coming from the very
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core of your thoughts and intentions.
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That really sounds like a like a complete redefinition of what
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righteousness even means. It is.
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Jesus just rips open that facade of just, you know, outward
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obedience. He exposes the heart as the real
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battleground. So means you could technically
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follow the letter of the Mosaic law, maybe never actually commit
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murder, but still be violating Jesus standard just by holding
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on to anger inside. That's precisely it.
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It points to a standard that requires this deep inner
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alignment with God's character, not just ticking boxes
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externally. I mean, for the people hearing
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this directly from Jesus, that must have been completely
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startling, challenging their whole idea of what it meant to
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be good. Oh, it was undoubtedly A radical
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thing to say, This move by Jesus, it really highlights that
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God's concern isn't superficial. He's not just interested in
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managing external behavior. He's aiming to purify the very
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source, the spring of human actions, the heart, and for that
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1st century audience who, let's face it, often focused heavily
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on that outward adherence to the law.
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Yeah, the traditions, the rule. Exactly.
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This would have been foundly challenging.
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They might have felt pretty righteous because they avoided
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murder, but Jesus showed them that even that hidden internal
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animosity, it carried serious spiritual danger.
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It demands a level of self examination, you know, and inner
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holiness. That was just far more searching
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than they probably expected. It makes it so clear that the
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internal disposition, what's going on inside, is what truly
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counts in God's eyes. It just elevates the standard
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for righteousness to a level that honestly, only a perfect
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human could naturally meet. It's a call for change that goes
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way beyond our own willpower. OK, so here's something else
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that really jumped out at me from the notes.
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This idea that anger often feels, well, spontaneous, not
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like a deliberate choice we make.
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How does that reality, how does it shape our understanding of
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Jesus command? If anger isn't something we
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choose moment by moment, but it just sort of happens to us, is
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this an impossible standard? That's a really crucial
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observation, and it does. It highlights just how radical
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Jesus Command is. The material points out very
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clearly that no one decides to get angry.
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Anger just happens. It's often spontaneous, you
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know, an unpremeditated experience.
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Just think about it. You don't rationally choose to
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feel angry after seeing something outrageous, do you?
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Like some blatant act of cruelty or a profound injustice.
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No, you don't Weigh the pros and.
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Cons exactly. You don't sit there, think it
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through, and then deliberately say, OK, time to initiate anger.
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Nobody lives like that. Something happens and boom,
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anger just rises up in our heart, often before we've even
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had a chance to process it properly.
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And how much it rises, its strength, how long it lasts.
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That seems to be a mix, right? Combination of the perceived
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wrong we see and the actual condition of our own mind and
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heart at that moment. So this makes Jesus's command
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really distinctive because he's not just calling for, say,
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self-control over how we express the anger, although that's often
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part of our duty. Of course, His ultimate demand
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seems to be for a fundamental alteration of our inner state,
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our mind and heart, so that sinful anger it simply doesn't
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rise in the first place. Wow.
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OK, so it's not just about like putting a lid on the pot once
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it's boiling over, but somehow changing the stove so it doesn't
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even get hot enough to boil. That's a totally different kind
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of change. I was just thinking, you know,
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that classic example? Someone cut you off in traffic?
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The worst? That immediate flare up, that
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irritation, that clenching. You don't decide to feel it, it
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just hits you instantly. That initial spark feels so
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outside our direct control. But the the source does clarify
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something important here, right? Yes it does.
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While that initial feeling isn't maybe willed, we can choose what
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we do next, how we react to that spark.
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Precisely that distinction is vital you.
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Can choose to replay the offense in your head.
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Feed the anger, make it bigger. Stew on it.
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Or you could choose to focus on something else, like Christ's
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mercy or God's bigger picture. Maybe try to lessen its grip.
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So while the immediate flare up might not be willed what we do
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with it, that seems very much our decision, our
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responsibility. Exactly.
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That's where our choice comes in.
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And This is why Jesus connects this command about anger to his
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other teachings. Things like new birth,
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repentance, faith. It's all connected.
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It's all connected. He isn't interested in just
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superficial psychological tweaks.
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He's interested in renewed people, people who live by faith
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in his saving work and his present help.
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Because without that deep spiritual renewal, which the
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material makes clear is a gift from God flowing from his grace,
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well, without that, the spontaneous rise of sin, anger
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can't really be dealt with. At its root, it requires God's
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guiding rule in our lives, that freedom from sins, condemnation
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and its bondage, the forgiveness he offers, makes a whole new way
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of living possible. And this is really where, you
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know, the Reformed perspective shines.
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It highlights that true, lasting change comes from God working in
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us, not just from us trying harder on our own.
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OK, so this whole thing, anger being spontaneous yet Jesus
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commanding against it, it makes it really critical that we nail
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down what anger actually is. Yes, a clear definition helps.
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How does the source help us get a grip on this?
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You know, often misunderstood emotion.
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Well, the source does work towards a useful clarification.
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It goes beyond just a standard dictionary definition.
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I mean, a dictionary might say anger is a strong feeling of
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displeasure and usually antagonism.
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Simple enough. OK, displeasure plus antagonism.
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Right, but the text immediately points out that's not quite
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enough. Simple displeasure.
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Like, say, disliking the taste of certain food?
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That doesn't really count as anger.
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Right, I don't get angry at broccoli, I just don't like it.
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Exactly. There's a missing ingredient
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there, and that crucial component, according to the
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source, is the perception of willfulness.
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Intent. Anger arises from a strong
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displeasure about something that is happening willfully and we
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feel should not be happening. Willfully.
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That's the key. That's the key differentiator.
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It's the perceived intent behind the action that shifts it.
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OK, that distinction sheds a lot of light on it.
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So using your food example, if I just find Brussels sprouts
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unpleasant, that's displeasure, right?
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But if I start to feel like you're intentionally serving me
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Brussels sprouts every single meal, knowing I hate them, maybe
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it's to annoy me. That's where anger might start
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to bubble up. It's the perceived purpose, the
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deliberate choice behind it. Perfectly put, it's the
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difference between, say, accidentally bumping into
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someone on a crowded St. Happens all the time.
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And someone deliberately shoving you hard out of their way.
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The initial physical contact might be similar, but that
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presence of perceived intent, it transforms the whole emotional
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response. Yeah, completely.
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That perceived intentionality adds that crucial layer of
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antagonism. Without that sense of
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willfulness behind it, the emotion just stays as mere
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displeasure and understanding. This helps explain why sometimes
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our reactions can be, well, so misplaced.
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That element of perceived willfulness, yeah, yeah,
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definitely sheds light on those foolish moments we've all
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probably had, like kicking the cabinet after stabbing your toe.
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Oh yes, or yelling at the computer.
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Exactly. It even brings to mind Jonathan
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Edwards famous resolution hashtag 15.
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What can we draw from this about our misdirected anger when we
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get angry at things that can't be willful?
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Those moments are really telling, aren't they?
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Kicking a root? Smacking a cabinet.
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In our clearer, more rational moments afterwards, we usually
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feel a bit silly about it. Yeah.
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And why? Because deep down, we're
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instinctively attributing willfulness, intent to objects
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that cannot possibly have it. A root doesn't try to trip you.
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A cabinet isn't plotting against your head.
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Right. Obvious when you think about it
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calmly. Exactly, and this intuitive
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grasp of misdirected intent is why Jonathan Edwards, who was
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such a central figure in reform, thought, included in his
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personal resolutions specifically #15 the commitment
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never to suffer the least motions of anger towards
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irrational beings. Wow, irrational beings.
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He was getting right at the core of a certain kind of sinful, or
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at least foolish, anger. That's actually incredibly
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practical, isn't it? Edwards wasn't just being, you
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know, overly pious or detached. He was analyzing the root cause
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of what makes some anger irrational or illegitimate.
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Precisely. He recognized that anger, by its
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nature, is aimed at perceived willfulness.
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And if there's no will involved, there's no proper target for
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that specific kind of displeasure.
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That's remarkable self-awareness.
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It really is, and it highlights that a core aspect of sinful or
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illegitimate anger is misdirecting it where no real
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intention exists. So it helps us evaluate our own
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knee jerk reactions in everyday life.
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When something frustrates you, whether it's, you know, slow
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Internet, a traffic jam, a malfunctioning appliance, it's
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really worth pausing for a second.
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Ask yourself, is there actual willfulness here, or am I just
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assigning intent where it does doesn't belong?
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Is this a person deliberately trying to harm me?
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Or is it just an inanimate object?
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An accident? Maybe just an unfortunate
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circumstance. Right.
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That little moment of self-assessment can be a vital
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step. It helps you discern if your
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anger is legitimate, aimed at real wrongdoing, or if it's a
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misplaced, potentially sinful response.
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It's like an internal check, isn't it?
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Applying some sound biblically informed thinking to that
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spontaneous emotion. Yes, recognizing that our
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reactions often say more about our own Interstate, our own
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expectations or impatience than about the external thing that
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provoked us. OK, so given all this focus on
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sinful anger, misdirected anger, it might start to seem like all
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anger is wrong, like it's something we should just try to
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scamp out entirely. That's a common conclusion to
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jump to. But the source makes a really
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significant point here. Jesus himself showed anger.
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Yes, crucially. So how do we reconcile Jesus's
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anger with his command against anger?
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What does his example teach us about the possibility of, well,
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good anger? This is such a pivotal
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distinction, and it's absolutely essential for a balanced
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biblical understanding. The source is clear.
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Jesus experienced and expressed anger, and that tells us right
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away that anger itself is not inherently sinful.
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If it were, Jesus, being sinless, could not have
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displayed it. OK, so where do we see this?
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Well, think about some of those striking instances in the
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Gospels. Mark 3, verse five.
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He looked around at them with anger, grieved at their hardness
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of heart. This was when the religious
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leaders were unwilling to allow healing on the Sabbath.
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They were prioritizing their rigid rules over compassion.
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Right. And notice his anger is coupled
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with grease there. Exactly.
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That points to a pure motivation.
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Displeasure at their sin, yes, but also sorrow for their
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spiritual blindness. It wasn't just personal
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irritation. Then you have him cleansing the
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temple, weaving a whip, overturning tables, driving out
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those who are turning God's house into a marketplace.
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That was definitely forceful, actually.
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Very forceful John to Matthew 21.
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Mention it and think about the incredibly strong rebukes he
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gave the scribes and Pharisees, calling them blind guides.
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Whitewashed tombs in Matthew 23. These are not weak, passive
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responses. They are clear expressions of
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righteous indignation against hypocrisy and spiritual decay.
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OK, so Jesus, the perfect human, the seamless one, clearly
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displayed anger. And the source also mentions
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that the Bible talks about other holy figures experiencing
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righteous anger. Moses.
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Nehemiah. Important examples and.
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Perhaps most significantly, God himself is frequently described
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as having wrath against sin and injustice.
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Yes, throughout Scripture. Which means if anger itself were
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inherently sinful, then God, who is the ultimate standard of
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goodness and holiness, couldn't possess it.
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Oh, logically no. So the real question isn't if
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anger is present, but what kind of anger it is.
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What makes it righteous or unrighteous?
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What are the characteristics of anger that actually aligns with
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God's design? Precisely.
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That's the critical distinction. This gives us solid biblical
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ground for understanding that not all anger is inappropriate
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or sinful. It forces us to move beyond a
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simplistic black and white view that says all anger bad right?
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Instead, it pushes us to discern, to analyze.
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So the solution isn't trying to eliminate every feeling we might
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label anger. It's about defining what makes
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anger good, aligning with God's character and Jesus's example,
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and what makes it fall short, becoming sinful.
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And the source helps us identify the governing principles for
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that. This is so important for our own
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self-assessment, you know, for cultivating a heart that truly
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reflects God's will even when we're faced with evil or
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injustice. We need to learn how to have
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that righteous displeasure against sin without letting it
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curdle into personal bitterness or revenge.
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That's at the challenge. If good anger does exist, what
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sets it apart from the anger that leads to judgement?
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Our sources outline 3 key factors, 3 governing principles
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that determine whether our anger aligns with God's perfect plan.
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First, it has to be governed by love.
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Second, it needs to be perfectly proportionate.
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And 3rd, it must be governed by trust in God's sovereign care,
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His Providence. Let's delve into these, starting
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with love. OK, these three are indeed the
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pillars. They're like guardrails for our
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anger, guiding us in discerning if it's aligning with God's
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character. So let's look at that first one,
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how love interacts with anger. For human anger to be good, to
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be righteous, it absolutely must be governed by love.
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Like for the very people who are making us angry.
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OK, that sounds immediately challenging, almost
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contradictory to how we normally experience anger.
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It is perhaps the most counterintuitive yet deeply
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Christian part of this whole discussion.
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Think about Jesus commands. Love your enemies and pray for
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those who persecute you or do good to those who hate you.
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Bless those who curse you. Hard commands.
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Very hard. But they exert A controlling
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influence on our anger. They have to.
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This means that legitimate righteous anger cannot delight
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in the downfall or desire the condemnation of the person
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causing the anger. Can't.
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If our anger is going to be considered good in God's eyes,
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it has to be compatible with genuinely desiring that person's
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ultimate good, compatible with praying for them, even working
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for their well-being, even while we feel strong displeasure at
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their actions or their sinful heart.
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That's a radical idea, isn't it? It implies that could be
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genuinely angry with someone does or at the sin driving their
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actions, but at the same time still want what's ultimately
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best for them, including their repentance, their reconciliation
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with God. That's exactly it.
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It's not about ignoring the wrong or pretending it didn't
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happen, but it's about directing that strong displeasure at the
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evil at the sin, while still holding on to a fundamental
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desire for the person's ultimate good.
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You've got it. It completely challenges the
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common assumption that anger automatically equates to wanting
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vengeance or harm. Yeah, usually they feel linked.
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They. Often are in our sinful state,
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but this shows that righteous anger and benevolence can
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actually coexist within the human soul, and we see this
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mirrored perfectly in God's own character and in Jesus.
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Right. You mentioned his anger being
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mixed with grief. Exactly.
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Mark 3.5 again. Grief at their hardness of
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heart. That's love and displeasure side
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by side. It's a strong disapproval of the
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action and the corrupt heart behind it, but simultaneously
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desiring their good, praying for it, working for it.
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Anger like that, governed by that kind of love, wouldn't have
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to be sinful. It's a holy dissatisfaction with
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evil that doesn't spill over into personal vengeful desires
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against the person. That's what sets it apart, then,
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from the common sinful anger that's usually laid faced with
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bitterness, hostility, maybe even hatred.
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Yes, it's rooted in a fundamental attitude of goodwill
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toward the person, even as their actions are being denounced.
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OK. The second governing factor you
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mentioned is proportion. What does it mean for our anger
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to be proportionate, and why is that so critical?
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Proportion simply means that a holy or righteous response to
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evil should match the seriousness of the evil.
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It should be proportionate to the degree of moral flagrancy,
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as the source puts it. OK, like the punishment should
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fit the crime. Sort of.
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Exactly. Just as civil justice tries to
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vary punishment according to the severity of the offense, you
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wouldn't give the harshest penalty for a minor infraction.
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So too, the degree of our anger should align with the
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seriousness of the moral wrong. If our anger is wildly out of
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proportion to the actual offense, then it's not good
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anger. It's not righteous.
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Can you give an example? Sure, the source uses the
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example of a father just raging uncontrollably, yelling, maybe
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even hitting because his three-year old son accidentally
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spilled a glass of milk. OK.
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Yeah, that's clearly excessive. Right.
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While the spill might be inconvenient, maybe frustrating,
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the child's action was unintentional.
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Minor It certainly doesn't warrant that kind of extreme
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emotional or physical reaction from an adult.
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That's a clear case of disproportionate anger.
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It shows a lack of self-control, a lack of proper discernment
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about what truly matters. It's anger that's more intense
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than the offense calls for, so it falls short of God's
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standard. That makes perfect sense.
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It's about calibrating our emotional response to the actual
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weight of the wrong. Our displeasure shouldn't be
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this uniform, overwhelming flood for every little slight.
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Precisely. But the source makes another
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really interesting point here. It says that too little anger
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can also be a fault. Yes, this is important too.
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That seems counterintuitive to a lot of people.
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How can a lack of anger be wrong?
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Isn't less anger always better? Not necessarily.
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It's also crucial to grasp that too little anger, or maybe even
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the complete absence of anger, can be a fault in certain
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situations. When faced with serious sin,
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with grave evil, a lack of anger can indicate that we're being
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undiscerning, or maybe just insensible, numb to the actual
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seriousness of sin, insensible to how it offends a holy God and
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how much harm it does to people. Can you give examples of that?
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Well, think about things like human trafficking or deep seated
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corruption and leadership that harms the vulnerable, or maybe
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outright blasphemy against God. If you encounter those kinds of
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things or learn about them, and you feel nothing, no strong
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displeasure, no righteous indignation stirring within you,
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that could indicate a serious problem with your moral compass,
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your spiritual sensitivity. So in those cases, a lack of
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anger is actually disproportionate to the evil.
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Exactly. It's disproportionately low.
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It's not good. It might reflect a kind of
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spiritual apathy or a failure to properly value God's holiness,
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his justice, his standards. Think back to Jesus cleansing
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the temple. His anger was a righteous,
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proportionate response to the desecration of a holy place and
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the exploitation of worshippers. Right.
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A lack of anger from him in that situation would have seemed
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wrong, like he didn't care. Precisely.
21:39
It would have been a defect, not a virtue.
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So a lack of anger can mean our hearts aren't properly tuned to
21:45
what God values, what he hates, what grieves him.
21:47
OK, this third factor then, God's governing care or
21:50
Providence. This sounds truly fundamental
21:53
for overcoming sinful anger. It seems like the real linchpin
21:56
that allows us to handle anger in a godly way.
21:59
Can you help us grasp its scope? How does it practically work?
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Yes, this is indeed one of the most significant and perhaps
22:04
comforting truths Jesus taught that directly helps us find
22:08
freedom from sinful anger. God's governing care, His
22:11
Providence, is His wise and sovereign control over all
22:13
things, everything, and specifically for the ultimate
22:17
good of His children. All things that's comprehensive.
22:20
It is, and our anger, its rise, its strength, how we manage it
22:25
should be guided and shaped by our trust in this reality.
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This means understanding, truly believing that God is ruling.
22:32
He is sovereign even over the very evil that is making us
22:35
angry right now. And this is key.
22:37
He will not allow anything to ultimately befall us, His
22:40
children. That is not ultimately for our
22:42
good, even if we cannot possibly see how in the midst of it.
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OK, but that doesn't mean God causes the evil.
22:48
Well, absolutely not. God is never the author of evil,
22:51
but He is sovereign over it. He permits it, yes, but He
22:54
directs it. He limits it.
22:55
He even uses it within his larger, perfect plan to bring
22:59
about his good purposes. He weaves even the sinful
23:02
actions of others into his grand design, ultimately bringing
23:05
about what is right and just and good for those who love him.
23:08
So this isn't just some abstract theological doctrine then?
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It has incredibly practical implications for our emotions,
23:15
especially anger. Hugely practical.
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If I truly believe that God is in sovereign control even over
23:20
the bad things, the hurtful things, the unjust things that
23:22
happen, then that bitterness, that sting, that raw hostility,
23:27
maybe that consuming desire for personal payback that often
23:31
fuels sinful anger, that should start to diminish, shouldn't it?
23:35
It should, because it removes that terrifying sense that evil
23:38
has the final word, or that you're just adrift, a victim of
23:41
random chaos or unchecked malice.
23:43
It. Provides a deep underlying peace
23:45
or stability, even in the storm, that can recalibrate how we
23:48
react emotionally. Exactly, the source says.
23:50
This belief removes the bitterness and sting and
23:53
hostility from anger. It assures us that evil doesn't
23:56
win in the end. It serves God's hidden wise
23:58
designs. And Jesus gave us such a vivid
24:01
picture of this. He addressed our deepest fears
24:04
head on, which directly impacts how we react emotionally when we
24:07
feel wronged. Remember, he told us, do not
24:09
fear those who can kill the body but cannot kill the soul.
24:11
Instead, fear God who holds ultimate power.
24:15
Yes, and then he added that beautiful illustration to show
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God's absolute granular control. Are not 2 sparrows sold for a
24:22
penny? And not one of them will fall to
24:24
the ground apart from your Father.
24:25
But even the hairs of your head are all numbered.
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Every single one. Every single one.
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Fear not, therefore, you are of more value than many sparrows.
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The point is inescapable. Even the tiniest details of life
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are under God's loving, careful control.
24:40
His awareness of our situation, of every single thing that
24:43
happens to you, is total and complete.
24:46
That is a truly profound reassurance, isn't it?
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Yeah. It means whether it's a
24:51
relatively minor frustration like, I don't know, a delayed
24:53
flight. Or a misplaced.
24:54
File or a major life earthquake, like a betrayal or a serious
24:58
illness. Yeah.
24:58
It hasn't caught God off guard. He knows he's involved, yes.
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And for you, the listener, thinking about this, it means
25:06
you can actually respond to those frustrating, anger
25:08
inducing circumstances without contradicting your fundamental
25:12
confidence in God's care. It's not about being passive,
25:15
like giving up. It's an active trust.
25:17
A trust that allows you to process that anger differently,
25:20
knowing that ultimately God is working all things together for
25:23
your good. It frees us from that awful
25:25
feeling of being just a helpless victim of randomness or someone
25:28
else's malice. And Jesus took this even
25:31
further. He addressed the most extreme
25:33
forms of persecution his followers might face.
25:36
He predicted they'd be betrayed by family members, handed over
25:39
to authorities, even put to death for his name's sake.
25:42
The ultimate injustice. The ultimate earthly injustice,
25:45
yet in that same context, he declared.
25:48
But not a hair of your head will perish.
25:50
How can that be if they might be put to death?
25:52
It illustrates that even when facing physical death, God's
25:55
governing care is still absolute.
25:58
It will guide all the evil directed against us in such a
26:00
way that His good, eternal purposes for us are met.
26:03
It's not a promise that you won't experience hardship,
26:05
suffering, or even martyrdom, but it is a promise that even
26:09
through those things, nothing can touch your ultimate
26:12
well-being in God. His good purposes for you will
26:15
be fulfilled. So the perishing refers to
26:18
ultimate spiritual destruction, not necessarily physical harm.
26:22
Exactly. And knowing this, believing
26:24
this, it removes the ultimate bitterness and sting from sinful
26:28
anger. That anger often comes from
26:30
feeling ultimately wronged, helpless, hopeless.
26:33
This confidence in God's sovereignty reframes suffering.
26:36
It's still painful, yes, but it's seen as being under God's
26:39
wise, loving hand, serving a greater, righteous end.
26:43
Wow. OK, this teaching on God's
26:45
governing care, It leads directly into what feels like a
26:48
truly startling command from Jesus, the command to actually
26:51
rejoice when facing unjust persecution.
26:54
Matthew 5 again. That just seems to completely
26:56
defy human nature, doesn't it? Our gut reaction, our natural
26:59
inclination, when treated unfairly, especially for doing
27:02
good, is well. That's usually fury, rage,
27:06
bitterness. It feels fundamentally wrong.
27:08
So how does rejoicing possibly relate to anger in those
27:11
situations? And maybe more pointedly, how is
27:13
it even possible? This is really where God's
27:15
governing care, His Providence, most vividly.
27:18
Intercepts and alters are ordinary emotional programming.
27:22
Jesus commands. Blessed are you when others
27:24
revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against
27:28
you falsely on my account. Then he says, rejoice and be
27:31
glad, for your reward is great in heaven.
27:34
Rejoice and be glad. Luke's account even says leap
27:36
for joy. Leap for joy.
27:38
Think about that. Few things make us more
27:40
infuriated and being treated unjustly, lied about, attacked
27:44
for our faith, or for trying to do what's right.
27:46
Yet Jesus doesn't just say try to manage your anger or endure
27:50
it. He commands rejoice.
27:52
He fundamentally shifts the expected emotional response away
27:55
from despair or rage towards act of joy.
27:57
But. That sounds almost
27:58
contradictory. How can you genuinely rejoice
28:01
while you're being reviled and persecuted?
28:03
Doesn't that imply you somehow to prove of the injustice or
28:06
that you don't care about the truth being attacked?
28:08
That's a fair question. It seems to fly in the face of
28:10
what we normally consider a healthy natural response to
28:13
being wronged. Many people would argue you
28:15
should be angry at injustice. And they might be right, in a
28:18
sense. Rejoicing doesn't mean we
28:20
suddenly approve of the mistreatment.
28:21
It doesn't mean we stop believing it's unjust or wrong.
28:24
And interestingly, the source suggests it probably doesn't
28:26
mean there's no anger present whatsoever.
28:28
Really anger and joy together. Possibly some kind of holy
28:32
anger, That strong emotional disapproval of the evil, the
28:35
sin, the injustice might actually be emotionally
28:38
compatible with an overriding sense of joy.
28:41
Think about it this way. The human soul made in God's
28:44
image is incredibly complex. We can hold multiple emotions.
28:48
We grasp theologically that God himself experiences both perfect
28:53
righteous anger against sin and perfect joy in his redemptive
28:56
plan simultaneously. He sees and responds perfectly
28:59
to all evil and all good at the same time.
29:02
So too, perhaps, our souls, though fallen, retain a capacity
29:05
to hold both our righteous displeasure at the sin directed
29:08
towards us and an overriding joy, a joy rooted in God's
29:13
sovereign plan and his ultimate triumph over evil.
29:16
That's a powerful thought. So true freedom from sinful
29:19
anger doesn't necessarily mean feeling nothing negative when
29:22
faced with evil. Not necessarily a complete
29:25
absence of displeasure, no. Instead, it's about an emotional
29:28
state where joy, a joy rooted in God's ultimate control, His
29:33
promises, His purposes, becomes the dominant note even in the
29:37
toughest circumstances. Yes, it's a joy that transcends
29:40
the immediate pain and injustice because its focus is fixed on
29:44
something much greater, something eternal.
29:47
It shifts our whole perspective away from the immediate
29:49
suffering toward the ultimate reward and God's perfect design
29:52
unfolding. Precisely our joy amidst
29:55
persecution is possible because of God's governing care.
29:58
That knowledge we talked about, not a hair of your head will
30:01
perish. No harmful blow falls without
30:03
your Father's will. That confirms God's care is
30:05
governing your suffering. It's His permission, His wise
30:08
allowance, His ultimate control, working for your good and of the
30:11
promise of a great reward in heaven.
30:14
That's Jesus's explicit argument for why joy, not sinful anger,
30:18
can and should govern our experience of persecution.
30:21
It redirects our focus, yes, from the immediate infuriating
30:24
injustice, yes, to God's larger good purposes and our secure,
30:28
eternal reward. Exactly.
30:30
Good anger, therefore righteous anger, is governed ultimately by
30:34
faith. Faith in the all wise, all
30:37
powerful, merciful Providence of God.
30:40
It is this firm belief, this trust in God's sovereignty, that
30:43
fundamentally reshapes our emotional landscape.
30:45
It's what allows us to find deep, genuine joy even in the
30:49
midst of tribulation. OK, this entire discussion about
30:53
anger often just happening, and Jesus demanding this incredibly
30:56
deep alteration of our very mind and heart, it really points
30:59
towards the kind of interchange that feels, well, utterly beyond
31:03
our own strength, our own doing. If we can't simply choose not to
31:08
feel sinful anger arise spontaneously, how is this
31:10
radical transformation even possible for us?
31:12
It honestly sounds like a standard that we by ourselves
31:15
just cannot possibly meet. You've absolutely hit upon a
31:18
central point from the material, and it's really a core tenet of
31:20
Reformed theology, Jesus's command against sinful anger.
31:23
It's not something we in our own strength can accomplish, period.
31:26
It demands, as the source says, a change in our condition, a
31:29
deep inward transformation of mind and heart.
31:32
This is behavior modification. Not at all.
31:34
This isn't about mere psychological adjustments or
31:37
learning better self help techniques, however helpful
31:39
those might be in other ways. This is about a fundamental
31:43
spiritual renewal, one that alters the very wellspring of
31:46
our emotions, aiming to prevent sinful anger from even rising in
31:50
the 1st place. And this interchange is directly
31:53
tied to those other crucial teachings of Jesus we mentioned.
31:56
New birth, Repentance. Faith.
31:59
It's about becoming a new person, essentially.
32:01
Yes, it's about a spiritual rebirth, a turning away from our
32:04
old patterns of sin, and a deep, abiding trust in Him that
32:08
empowers us to live in a completely new way.
32:11
So this isn't just about, you know, trying harder to control
32:13
my temper or just resolving to be a better person.
32:16
Yeah. It's about a foundational
32:19
spiritual work within us, something that changes who we
32:22
are from the inside out, not just polishing the outside.
32:24
That's right. And that really sounds like
32:26
something only God himself can actually bring about in a
32:28
person. It has must be a gracious act
32:30
from him. Precisely this underscores the
32:33
absolute necessity of divine action, of God's grace, for any
32:37
genuine, lasting change in the human heart.
32:40
Ultimately, our ability, our capacity to live by this command
32:44
against sinful anger is rooted entirely in our relationship
32:47
with Jesus himself. Remember his analogy.
32:49
He is the vine, we are the branches.
32:51
John 15. And then he declared so clearly,
32:54
without Him we can do nothing. Nothing of eternal value,
32:58
nothing that truly pleases God. This means obeying this command,
33:02
not being angry in a way that falls short of God's perfect
33:04
plan is only possible by living by faith.
33:07
Faith in His saving work on the cross, and faith in His present
33:11
ongoing help through the Holy Spirit.
33:13
He shed His blood for our forgiveness, paying the debt we
33:16
could never pay. He paid the ransom price for our
33:18
freedom from sins, bondage breaking its power over us.
33:21
He brought the Kingdom of God near so we could actually
33:23
experience God's guiding rule in our lives right now, shaping us
33:26
from within. It is this active, ongoing
33:29
reliance on Him, this daily walking with Him, trusting Him,
33:32
that enables such a radical alteration or inner landscape,
33:35
including our anger responses. That really does offer genuine
33:38
hope, doesn't it? And clear direction for you, the
33:41
listener. The standard Jesus sets for our
33:44
hearts is incredibly high. It seems impossible on our own.
33:48
It is impossible on our own. But the provision, the power to
33:51
meet that standard comes not from our own grit and willpower,
33:55
but from God's gracious work through Jesus.
33:57
Yes, that's the gospel. Hope the clear reminder that our
34:00
sanctification, you know, our growth and holiness, becoming
34:04
more like Christ. It's a cooperative effort with
34:07
God. He enables what he commands.
34:09
He does it. Means we don't face this massive
34:11
challenge of dealing with sinful anger alone.
34:14
Exactly right. It means that when you feel that
34:16
spontaneous rise of sinful anger, your first move isn't
34:19
just to grit your teeth and fight it with willpower alone.
34:22
Your first move is to turn to the one who provides the inner
34:26
alteration, the strength, the grace to depend on him.
34:30
This is really the heart of Reformed teaching on
34:32
sanctification. God's grace is sufficient not
34:35
just for getting saved, but for living the Christian life day by
34:38
day. Sufficient for conforming us to
34:40
the likeness of Christ even in the messy reality of our
34:43
emotional lives, making us truly new creations bit by bit.
34:47
Well, what a liberating, you, definitely challenging picture
34:50
of anger we've unpacked today. It's clearly not about just
34:53
stifling every negative feeling or becoming emotionless robots,
34:56
Not at all. But it's about allowing God's
34:58
good purposes, His sovereign care, His love, His standards of
35:01
proportion, allowing all that to shape our inner world and
35:04
consequently, our immediate responses.
35:07
Indeed, it's about aligning our hearts with His.
35:10
And perhaps as you, our listener, consider this truth.
35:13
Maybe think on this question, if God's all-encompassing,
35:17
sovereign governing care truly extends even to the smallest
35:20
Sparrow, and He knows every single hair on your head, how
35:24
might intentionally trusting in that same detailed, loving,
35:26
powerful care begin to reshape your immediate response the very
35:30
next time something ignites anger within you?
35:32
That's a fitting thought to leave us with something
35:34
practical to chew on. Thank you for joining us on the
35:37
Deep Dive. Until next time, keep seeking to
35:39
know more.