Podcast Summary: "Be Angry, but Don't Sin"

Podcast: Renewing Your Mind – Ligonier Ministries
Date: February 2, 2026
Speaker: Dr. R.C. Sproul
Host Introduction: Nathan W. Bingham

Overview

This episode of "Renewing Your Mind" explores the biblical concept of anger, focusing on the Apostle Paul’s command in Ephesians 4:26: "Be angry, but do not sin." Dr. R.C. Sproul delves deeply into how Christians are called to imitate the righteous anger of God and Christ, while avoiding the dangers of sinful anger, bitterness, and malice. Through biblical exposition and practical examples, Dr. Sproul illuminates when anger is appropriate and how it must be handled "coram Deo"—before the face of God.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Anger in the Christian Life

• Biblical imperative: Paul commands, "Be angry and do not sin," which at first seems counterintuitive (02:32).
  • Quote:

    "He says, be angry. Now, yes, he's going to go on and qualify that. But here we actually get an exhortation to be something, to do something, and the word of God tells us with the imperative form to be angry. Isn't that strange?"
    — R.C. Sproul [03:18]

• Christians are called to imitate Christ, whose anger is always righteous.
• There are actions and attitudes (in society, church, government) that should evoke righteous indignation in believers.

2. Differentiating Righteous and Sinful Anger

• Not all anger is sinful; some is necessary and reflects God’s own character.
• Righteous anger is always in response to injustice, falsehood, or the maligning of God’s truth.
  • Quote:

    "There are times when God is angry. There are times when Christ is angry. Therefore, there are times when we should be angry."
    — R.C. Sproul [04:29]

• Sinful anger is selfish, explosive, or prolonged—causing harm to self and others.

3. Jesus’ Example of Anger

• Jesus showed gentleness to the contrite (e.g., the woman caught in adultery) but expressed wrath toward self-righteous leaders (08:50).
  • Quote:

    "With the broken, with the downtrod, he is tender... But he always seemed to save his anger for those who really should know better and who were in positions of power and authority."
    — R.C. Sproul [10:50]

• Proper anger is context-dependent and demands wisdom to know when to be strong and when to be tender.

4. The Dangers and Misuse of Anger

• Anger, while at times righteous, is "laced with danger" and can easily lead to violence, bitterness, and sin if not checked (14:15).
  • Quote:

    "If there's any emotion that is laced with danger and can be the occasion for the destruction of other people and the destruction of our own souls, if not guarded and tempered by the truth of God, it is anger."
    — R.C. Sproul [14:58]

• Unresolved anger gives "place to the devil" and is more dangerous than idle hands (19:43).
  • Quote:

    "No, it's unresolved anger. That is the workshop of Satan."
    — R.C. Sproul [19:52]

• The prescription: do not let the sun go down on your wrath (Ephesians 4:26–27); do not nurture or nurse your anger, but deal with it promptly.

5. The Consequence of Bitterness

• Anger that is not resolved leads to a "root of bitterness" (referencing Hebrews) that corrupts the soul and relationships (21:53).
  • Malice is the key danger lurking within unresolved anger.
• Instead, Paul urges: "Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor and evil speaking be put away from you...be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you." (22:42)

6. Personal Reflections and Relatability

• Dr. Sproul shares candid anecdotes about marital anger, personal struggles with staying angry, and the difficulty of acting rightly in close relationships (18:02).
  • Quote:

    "I have actually... gone to my bed at night in my lifetime vowing to myself, 'this time I'm going to stay mad.' ... But I cannot stay mad at her. I can't."
    — R.C. Sproul [18:52]

• Practical illustration of how unresolved anger gives way to grudges and animosity.

Memorable Moments & Notable Quotes

| Timestamp | Speaker | Quote | |-------------|---------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 03:18 | R.C. Sproul | "He says, be angry... the word of God tells us... to be angry. Isn't that strange?" | | 04:29 | R.C. Sproul | "There are times when God is angry. There are times when Christ is angry. Therefore, there are times when we should be angry." | | 10:50 | R.C. Sproul | "He always seemed to save his anger for those who really should know better and who were in positions of power and authority." | | 14:58 | R.C. Sproul | "If there's any emotion that is laced with danger... it is anger." | | 19:52 | R.C. Sproul | "No, it's unresolved anger. That is the workshop of Satan." | | 18:52 | R.C. Sproul | "I have actually... gone to my bed at night in my lifetime vowing... 'this time I'm going to stay mad.' ... But I cannot stay mad at her. I can't." | | 22:42 | R.C. Sproul | "Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor and evil speaking be put away from you with all malice. And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you." |

Important Timestamps for Key Segments

• [02:32] – Introduction to Paul’s imperative: "Be angry and do not sin"
• [04:00] – The call to imitate Christ’s righteous anger
• [08:50] – Jesus’ contrasting responses to sinners and leaders
• [14:15] – The dangers wrapped up in the emotion of anger
• [18:02] – Personal story regarding anger in marriage
• [19:43] – Unresolved anger as the devil’s workshop
• [21:53] – Root of bitterness and Paul’s exhortation to forgiveness

Tone & Closing Thoughts

Dr. Sproul’s tone is earnest, pastoral, and practical, mixing biblical exposition with personal transparency and cultural examples. He stresses that Christians are not called to suppress all anger, but to cultivate anger that is aligned with God’s truth and righteousness. The episode concludes by underscoring the importance of promptly resolving anger so it does not become sin, bitterness, or malice.

Takeaway:
"You're allowed to be angry—indeed, according to the Word of God, friends, you're required to be angry about certain things. But that anger must always be brought coram Deo—before the face of God and judged by the standard of his righteousness and of his anger. Be angry, but sin not." (R.C. Sproul, [24:10])

For an even deeper dive, listeners are encouraged to explore the full five-part series and companion resources via Ligonier Ministries.