On Righteous Indignation

Several Hardshells who have left comments on this blog over the years have accused those of us who left the Hardshells, and write against their heresies, as being "angry," and the implication is that we cannot therefore be saying anything truthful about the Hardshells.

On Ephesians 4: 26 John Gill wrote:

"Be ye angry, and sin not...There is anger which is not sinful; for anger is found in God himself, in Jesus Christ, in the holy angels, and in God's people; and a man may be said to be angry and not sin, when his anger arises from a true zeal for God and religion; when it is kindled not against persons, but sins; when a man is displeased with his own sins, and with the sins of others: with vice and immorality of every kind; with idolatry and idolatrous worship, and with all false doctrine; and also when it is carried on to answer good ends, as the good of those with whom we are angry, the glory of God, and the promoting of the interest of Christ: and there is an anger which is sinful; as when it is without a cause; when it exceeds due bounds; when it is not directed to a good end; when it is productive of bad effects, either in words or actions..."

The question is this - is it wrong to be angry at cult leaders and false teachers and heretics? Is it sin to hate false doctrine and those who promote it? To hate preachers who are liars, deceivers, and seducers?

"Yet this you do have, that you hate the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate." (Rev. 2:6 NASB)

Well, I hate Hardshellism, just like I hate Campbellism, Landmarkism, Pelagianism, Arminianism, Catholicism, Mormonism, etc. I hate heretics and false teachers.