How do Biblical Adults Handle Anger at the Church?

Discussion Questions:

• Have you ever felt angry at the church?
  • Institutionally or more specific people within the church?
• List some examples of times in the Bible when the saints or Jesus got mad at the church: (Answers below as listed in group discussion)
  • When Jesus overturned tables in the church
  • When Jesus got angry at the pharisees
  • When Moses got angry at Israel about the golden calf
• List some examples of times when God was angry at the church:
  • Essentially the whole book of Judges
  • Nearly every prophet (Jonah excepted)
  • Exodus
  • Hosea

Related Scriptures:

• Biblical reasons to be angry at the church
  • Luke 12:1 (hypocrisy in the church)
    • “Meanwhile, when a crowd of many thousands had gathered, so that they were trampling on one another, Jesus began to speak first to his disciples, saying: ‘Be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.'”
  • John 5:44 (Focus of self congratulations)
    • “How can you believe since you accept glory from one another but do not seek the glory that comes from the only God?”
  • Hebrews 7:11 (Legalism in the church)
    • “If perfection could have been attained through the Levitical priesthood —  and indeed the law given to the people established that priesthood — why was there still need for another priest to come, one in the order of Melchizedek, not in the order of Aaron?
    • [In other words, if perfection was possible through the law, why would there be need for Jesus?]
  • Hebrews 8:11 (Church leadership holding people to Impossible standards)
    • “No longer will they teach their neighbor,
      or say to one another, ‘Know the Lord,’
      because they will all know me, 
      from the least of them to the greatest.”
  • 1 Corinthians 4:3-5 (Judgmentalness)
    • “I care very little if I am judged by you or by any human court; indeed, I do not even judge myself. My conscience is clear, but that does not make me innocent. It is the Lord who judges me. Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time; wait until the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of the heart. At that time each will receive their praise from God.”
• 1 John 1:7 (Why bother with the church?)
  • “But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, His Son, purifies us from all sin.”
• 1 Corinthians 1 (Paul on Anger at/within the Church)
  • https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Corinthians+1&version=NIV 
• 1 Corinthians 3 (Paul on Anger at/within the Church)
  • https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Corinthians+3&version=NIV 
• 1 Corinthians 2:5 (Where to rest your concerns about the church)
  • “so that your faith might not rest on human wisdom, but on God’s power.”

Citations/sources: https://www.biblegateway.com/