But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth. (Colossians 3:8)

For the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God. (James 1:20)

Scripture does not condemn all anger. It condemns the kind that arises from pride, selfishness, and impatience. It condemns the kind that demands personal vengeance or that lashes out from wounded ego. Anger, whether it is called wrath, rage, or fury, is not evil in itself, but it is evil when the heart behind it is carnal. A man may burn with indignation as he opposes evil, yet still walk in the Spirit. But if his rage is self-serving, it becomes a work of the flesh. Then he vents without knowledge and acts without restraint. His thoughts are distorted, and his tongue becomes a weapon. His anger multiplies sin and invites trouble. 

The Christian must make a clean break with fleshly rage. This is not a matter of temperament or emotional style. The one who knows God does not scheme to take vengeance. He does not defend his pride. He does not justify his wrath. Instead, he submits to the justice of God. Righteous anger is patient and principled. It is not reactionary or unstable. The prophets were angry, but they were governed by the word of the Lord. Christ overturned tables, but he never lost control. His zeal was holy, and his anger was pure. He rebuked sin without ever sinning in the process.

The believer is called to walk in this same spirit. He must test his emotions by the mind of Christ. If he burns, it must be for righteousness. If he speaks, it must be by wisdom. If he acts, it must be by faith. Rage that arises from the flesh must be destroyed, but the passion that flows from a renewed mind may bring glory to God. The goal is not passivity, but faith and purity. The wrath of man cannot produce the righteousness of God, but the mature man of God will reflect the wrath of God to the world in the name of Jesus.