Proverbs 28.17
“If one is burdened with the blood of another, he will be a fugitive until death; let no one help him.”
Scripture expressly forbids the taking of innocent life. Indeed, “you shall not commit murder” is one of the Ten Commandments. Those who commit murder are to suffer the full force of legal and social consequences. No one should protect or give aid to those who shed innocent blood.
In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus addressed the topic of murder, and He made a radical and deeply convicting declaration:
“You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder; and whoever murders will be liable to judgment.’ But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be liable to the hell of fire.” (Matthew 5:21-22)
This is a much deeper, more penetrating commandment. It isn’t simply the outward act of killing that is wrong; it is also the inward attitude of contempt and malice that is forbidden. Anger is murder in the heart, just as lust is adultery in the heart.
There are times when anger is proper. There is such a thing as righteous indignation. God gets angry. Jesus demonstrated anger when He drove the moneychangers out of the temple, not once but twice. Paul wrote, “Be angry but don’t sin.” (Ephesians 4.26)
But there is also the kind of anger that the Lord forbids. This is when we lose our temper, and when we nurture and cultivate anger to the point it turns into contempt. Scripture tells us that “out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.” Therefore, a sinful attitude of the heart is often revealed and displayed by the way we talk about people with whom we are angry.
Throughout scripture we are warned against anger:
“Whoever hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him.” (1 John 3.15)
“Be slow to anger.” (James 1.19)
“Love is not easily angered.” (1 Corinthians 13.5)
“Whoever is slow to anger has great understanding, but he who has a hasty temper exalts folly.” (Proverbs 14:29)
We must guard our heart against contempt. We are called to be people of love, not anger. We are to extend forgiveness, not nurture grudges. We are to seek reconciliation, not revenge.
