Wrath

Wrath

strong vengeful anger or indignation
retributory punishment for an offense or a crime.

Lately, in my writings, I have been exploring some of the Fruits of the Spirit, but this time I want to examine something that Paul considers a lust of the flesh.

We are experiencing a period of healing and repentance in the Church. Many things have been exposed, and no doubt there will be many more to come. This is a good thing – no Christian should have unrepentant sin in their lives, leaders especially. For wounds to heal, they need to be exposed. The offence must be dealt with and actions corrected, which is the real meaning of repentance.

While there are many things being publicly exposed, I want to highlight something that is happening simultaneously and is not being discussed all that much.

It is hard not to feel grief when you see someone whom you held in high honour have grievous flaws exposed in their lives. Anger is a natural response, as trust has been broken. Even if that trust was not against us personally, we can all be angered by an injustice against another person. When an offence has not been committed against us personally, we invariably act as if it were.

Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted. Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ. For if anyone thinks himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself. But let each one examine his own work, and then he will have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another. For each one shall bear his own load. (Galatians 6:1-5)

Paul’s warning about temptation here is general, not defined simply to not repeat the same sin of the one being restored. Pride will tempt us to stand above a brother or sister and cast our own judgment and condemnation. We can attempt to assume motives and jump to conclusions. Our own anger can tempt us to seek appeasement for our own offence. This anger is the lust of the flesh Paul calls “ἔχθρα” (echtra). The NKJV defines it as wrath, the ESV calls it ‘fits of anger’, and it is not defined as righteous indignation.

The truth of the matter is that one sin does not justify another, and while we may ourselves feel anger towards a leader, the leader’s true offense is against God, and it is scripturally God’s role to assign judgment, and therefore the course of repentance.

“Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness.”

“Do not speak evil against one another, brothers. The one who speaks against a brother or judges his brother, speaks evil against the law and judges the law. But if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge. There is only one lawgiver and judge, he who is able to save and to destroy. But who are you to judge your neighbor?”

James 3:1 ESV, James 4:11-12 ESV

The book of James was written as a single letter, both verses are connected in context. 

While James does state that teachers will receive stricter judgment, but further states that there is only one judge – God himself. 

Who are you to pass judgment on the servant of another? It is before his own master that he stands or falls. And he will be upheld, for the Lord is able to make him stand. (Romans 14:4)

In Jesus, repentance leads to restoration, where repentance is not just words but active obedience and a heart change. A repentant life does not always look the same as before; there are often changes and even consequences. A fruit of repentance is an overall personal progression forward into freedom and growth. Condemnation is something different. It is a final form of judgement and creates a permanently afflicted state for the one involved. When someone is found to be in sin in the church, repeatedly in scripture we are commanded to seek their restoration – yet we can easily condemn them in our hearts and have no expectation for repentance and restoration. Even if we are considering a realistic scope of one’s weakness, we are ignoring the power of God to overcome sin. Even in scripture, God has judged churches and leaders. When God does remove his hand from a leader or even removes the lampstand of a church, it will be very apparent in due time. As Judge, that is God’s prerogative and not ours to dictate or demand.

As this season progresses, I look forward to seeing the bride ever more purified. Righteousness and a fear of the Lord are normal fruit of revival, and generally the lived fruit of those who have been known to be catalysts of it. In the hearts of every believer, as well as each leader, no sin should be considered acceptable. Nor should it be minimised or justified. Every leader needs strong and wise people over them and around them – trustworthy peers that can be trusted to hear from God and be obedient to His direction with the fear of the Lord. I recommend the same for every believer, and that every believer also strives for restoration, not just for their own lives but for fallen brothers and sisters around them, being cautious not to fall into the sin of wrath.

Pray deeply for each leader in the church and even over nations. Pray for righteousness, pray for blessings, pray for humility and even a soft heart before the Lord. Pray for repentance, not out of a heart of our own justice and anger, but that they will be victorious before the Lord and the church.

And pray for unity in the Bride – despite theological differences.