“The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.” Galatians 5:19-21

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. 2Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.” Galatians 5:22-25

I have been a witness to several very “scary” fits of rage:

One time I went to confront a pastor who was being unfaithful. He had come to his wife’s mobile home to visit his teenage daughters. He did not respond to me in anger, but immediately afterward went into a “fit of rage” with his wife and one daughter. When he left, he was still so dangerous I locked the door. He came back and pounded on the door very hard and then began to rock the trailer. He married the other woman. Ten years later he repented.

Many years ago Bessie and I went together hoping to reconcile a married couple. The “other woman” was there. This “other woman” seemingly went berserk. No one was hurt. She took it out on the car. She was not a Christian.

Another time, a man came into the store to inform me, in a fit of rage that he was going to kill his wife. We managed to hide his wife until the fit of rage was over. He was not a Christian.

A “fit of rage” is an act of the sinful nature. We see it clearly in very young children. We call it a “tantrum.” As the child gets older, we might say in a tormenting way, “Temper, temper, temper!” This, normally, does not moderate the explosion. We have other “going ballistic” are two of them. These euphemisms for fits of rage are descriptive, but do not sound as sinful. Consequently, we keep inventing expressions that describe these very sinful and irresponsible fits of rage. Another, “short fuse” is a euphemism for a person who is quick to anger. All of us know people like that. Some of them take pride in having a short fuse. Their friends and relatives have learned how to “walk softly” or to give them “a wide berth.” These people terrorize their families or hold them hostage to their anger. It might erupt any time.

The opposite of the acts of the sinful nature are the fruit of the Spirit. It is easy to see that self control is opposite to a fit of rage. It is not the only opposite. A person in a fit of rage is not loving, joyful, peaceful, patient, kind, good, faithful, or gentle. A fit of rage undoes all of the fruit of the Spirit. This is why it is natural for a person not born of the Spirit.

If a person is born of the Spirit, then a fit of rage is not normal, nor acceptable. What are the explanations why Christians lose their tempers? First, there is no explanation nor euphemism that can justify the loss of temper. The obvious explanation is that his person who just had a fit of rage is not saved, not born of the Spirit, not a Christian. However if he is a Christian, he has accumulated many little sins of quently not received forgiveness. He is now ready to give into a little temptation with a big fit of rage. This buildup is described this way:

It will not be possible to implement prevention of future fits of rage without a complete confession and repentance of all previous fits of rage. This confession has to do without euphemisms that minimize the sin. The confession must include the willful sins that led up to the fits of rage.

“Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.” (Colossians 3:1-4)

This instruction in Colossians is foundational for prevention of rage, anger, and any other sins that “cling so closely.” The instruction works only if you are a Christian because only a Christian can obey these imperatives:

…set your hearts on things above…
Set your minds on things above…
…not on earthly things.

These commands are based on the following indicative statements. No action is necessary. They are already true if you are in Christ.

…you have been raised with Christ…
For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.
When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.
Once our hearts and minds are “in the right place” with Christ, then we are given this instruction:

“But now you must rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips.” (Colossians 3:8)

Similarly, this command is not given to someone who is not a child of God. That does not mean these things are permissible for unbelievers; it means that the unbelievers cannot possibly obey them. They can express anger and rage, but they cannot get rid of anger and rage without repentance towards God and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. The unbeliever needs to repent of his sins to God, confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, believe in his heart that Christ died for his sins and arose from the dead. He would then call upon him.

“He told them, "This is what is written: The Christ will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, and repentance and forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.” (Luke 24:46, 47)

“That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” (Romans 10:9)

“for, "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” (Romans 10:13)