Wrath of Man

James 1:19-20(19) Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath:
(20) For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God.

Have you ever yelled someone to Christ?

No?

Hmmm, how about loathed someone to Christ?

No for that too?

Interesting!

Argued someone to Christ? (And I mean a true faith, not just a prayer to get rid of you.) 

From the way some people are sharing their faith (or their political religion) on facebook, I would’ve thought this was the recommended way to approach people. Huh.

Does God hate sin? Absolutely. Does God love sinners MORE than He hates sin? Well, His love, mercy, and justice are inseparable parts of His being, so I don’t know if that is a question we can ask and get an answer for. 

[Kind of like: Can God create a boulder too big for Him to lift?] We will never know. 

What I do know is this: God’s compassion over the sin of man led Him to die on the cross to make a way for salvation. 

His love for humanity desires that none should perish, but that all men everywhere repent. (2 Peter 3:9)

How different that approach is from what is so common amongst proclaimed followers of Christ. Especially over social media. I see people posting things, and using inflammatory speech, hoping perhaps, to shame people to their side of the fence? I’m really not sure what the purpose is, to be honest. 

I do know that James tells us this:
(James 3:6-10) 
(6) And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell.
(7) For every kind of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents, and of things in the sea, is tamed, and hath been tamed of mankind:
(8) But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.
(9) Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God.
(10) Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be.

The condition of the world should not cause you to respond with railing, hurtling accusations and opinions. 

The Psalmist writes many beautiful things in Psalm 119 about how much he loves the Word of God, how much it is His delight, how much he wants to follow the ways of the Lord, how he loves, meditates on, seeks, keeps, remembers, sings, gives thanks for, inclines his heart toward, longs after the Word of God. And his response to those who are not in the way of the Lord is this:

Psalm 119:53 Horror hath taken hold upon me because of the wicked that forsake thy law.
Psalm 119:136 Rivers of waters run down mine eyes, because they keep not thy law.
Psalm 119:139 My zeal hath consumed me, because mine enemies have forgotten thy words.
Psalm 119:158 I beheld the transgressors, and was grieved; because they kept not thy word.

Am I responding this way? It seems the more in love with the Word I become, the more I am grieved with sin, and the more I respond in love. Horror took hold of the writer. He wept for those who didn’t obey the Lord. His zeal consumed HIMSELF, not others. He was genuinely grieved for them. 

Your wrath is never going to lead someone to redemption and righteousness. In fact, it will turn people away from the Gospel. 

2 Timothy 2:24-26
(24) And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient,
(25) In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth;
(26) And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will.

John 13:34-35 
(34) A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.
(35) By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.

Let your grief over sin send you to your knees in love and compassion. Love as you are loved. Speak with kindness. 

The world is watching, and many times on the receiving end of your ‘zeal’ that looks like pride and anger.

These things ought not so to be.