“…idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies…”
outbursts of wrath,
The word “outbursts” denotes violent moments and carries the force of wrath. The Greek Old Testament uses “outbursts of wrath” for wild animals full of rage. People with this sin always poise themselves on the razor’s edge of wrath.
“Outbursts of wrath” are very violent for a brief time, then die down. They blaze up and just as quickly die down. There is an element of fury in this sin, where passion boils up with the white heat of anger, wrath, and rage. This sin carries a state of intense anger with passionate outbursts of fury and rage. The upside of this sin is that it quickly dies down.
There is righteous wrath and unrighteous wrath.
“For I fear lest, when I come, I shall not find you such as I wish, and that I shall be found by you such as you do not wish; lest there be contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, backbitings, whisperings, conceits, tumults…” (2 Corinthians 12:20).
Principle:
Some forms of wrath are impulsive outbursts of violent anger.
Application:
People who commit impulsive wrath are undisciplined. They have no control over their rage. They blow their cork without a shred of information. Often they flash forth their anger, and then it flames out quickly. They are often embarrassed that they did not take the time to inform themselves of the situation before they blew their cork. Their anger flares up and dies down when they discover the truth after the fact. They make rash and harsh statements and then proceed to forget about what they said. This leaves open wounds that do not heal.
Impulsive wrath is a perversion of righteous indignation. Wrath is a manifestation of anger and hatred. When we allow hatred to bloom, it springs out in outbursts of wrath.
We cannot say, “I have just cause.” There is no good cause for impulsive wrath. God tells us to put it away. “Put your gun in its holster. Don’t leave your gun half-cocked. Put it on safety.”
“But now you yourselves are to put off all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth” (Colossians 3:8).
