Is Anger a Sin?

My son asked me this question a few months ago:

"How did Jesus never sin, but the Bible says that He got angry, and you've taught us that anger is like murder?"

(As you can probably figure out, we had been dealing with him about some anger issues.)

I loved the question, and I told him so. I loved that he is putting tidbits of truths together (Jesus' anger in Matthew 21:12-13 and Mark 3:5, and a warning against anger in Matthew 5:21-26). I love that he is seeking deeper understanding.

Here is what I told him:

"Not all anger is sin. The issue is why you are angry. If you are angry for self-focused reasons, then, yes, that is sin. 

But Jesus wasn't angry because of selfishness. He was angry because God was being dishonored. True worship was being hindered.

When we get angry because we are not getting our way, that is sin, and God will hold us accountable for that."

That is pretty much how I explained it. Is there anything else you would add? Let us know in the comments.

Related Links:

• Explaining Autism to My Son
• Explaining Abortion to My Son  
• "How Do You Know That Jesus Is Real?"  

**image courtesy of Lara0604 via flickr