Why Do So Many Christians Seem So Angry?
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I recently had a conversation with someone who is a Christian. This was a brief conversation and in it they were describing something they believed was happening in another part of the country (I will spare you those details). In the midst of him sharing his concern, he seemed to get so angry about it. He was angry to the point of being ready to fight. He said “I don’t care, if I have to take some people out with me then so be it.”
I wish I didn’t have to say this, but there is a political divide amongst Christians that has caused Christians to be angry at the person who is on the other side. I know some people may find this hard to believe but there are Christians on both sides of the political aisle. The reason why this is possible is because salvation is by grace alone, through faith alone in Christ alone.
The last time I checked your political affiliation has nothing to do with determining your salvation, and yet many have tried to tie the two together. The result has created Christians who are angry at those who are on the other side. We often express the displeasure with statements that begin with “How could you…?” and you can fill in the rest.
Whatever your political viewpoint is, the final authority does not rest there, it rests in the word of God. Let’s make sure we are not letting our political viewpoint shape our understanding of Scripture. Let’s allow Scripture to shape every aspect of our lives. When you do, then you will discover that you can’t get mad at the other side because both sides are equally flawed. There is only one who is good and perfect in all his ways, and he is King of Kings and Lord of Lords.
The final one to talk about is Christians being angry at other Christians. There are a myriad of reasons this can happen. For some, they have been personally offended. There can be doctrinal differences. Some disagree on social issues or the right response to COVID and the list goes on and on. When this happens, the only name that really gets disgraced is the name of Jesus. After all, if those who profess his name can’t get along with each other why would this type of Christianity be attractive to anyone else?
When this is all said and done there are two things we need to focus on. The first one comes from the book of James.
Notice what James instructs us to do. Before we become quick to get angry, listen first. Here is a novel idea. Before you try to get your point across, listen to the other person. I know this is a lost art, but it is very effective. We should become aggressive listeners and slow talkers. Too often we are aggressive talkers and slow listeners. This is a recipe for disaster. I sincerely believe if we would listen more and be mindful of the words we say (talk less), then we would probably be a lot slower to become angry.
The second thing we must do is remember Jesus’ instruction.
Isn’t it fascinating that the defining mark of your discipleship is not what you say but how you love? Your love of Jesus is not displayed by how you argue, who you vote for, or even what angers you. The greatest example and proof that we can offer to the world that demonstrates who we are in Christ is the way we love each other, and by extension the way we love the people of the world.
Please don’t misunderstand – this does not mean we (meaning the body of Christ) will not disagree on certain topics and issues. It means we don’t have to divide over them. The world is hungry for a body of Christ that will demonstrate the real love of Christ. When we do this and stop being angry all the time, we will remind them of what Jesus looks like, and that can be very attractive to the outside world.
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