Uprooting Anger: Biblical Help for a Common Problem

by Robert D. Jones

Uprooting Anger by Robert D. Jones is an absolute treasure, thoroughly biblical, extremely practical, and well written. Jones tackles a problem--sin--with which every believer must deal and, rather than offer some psychological mumble-jumble, takes the reader directly to the Word of God. The issue of anger is framed and handled as the Holy Spirit intended. As a result, the reader is given biblical instruction and hope.

Genres: Counselling, Christian, Christian Living, Nonfiction, Theology, Psychology, Discipleship

208 pages, Paperback

First published December 15, 2005

About the author

There is more than one author with this name

Robert D. Jones (DMin, Westminster Theological Seminary) serves as a biblical counseling professor at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. He is a certified biblical counselor, a Christian conciliator, an adjunct instructor, and a church reconciliation trainer with Peacemaker Ministries. Jones is the author of Uprooting Anger and has written numerous ministry booklets and articles.

Reviews

[Amanda · Rating 1 out of 5]

I wanted to love this book. I hoped to find a good book about how a Christian should deal with anger. Instead, I got a book that has some good advice that is mixed with dangerous advice and bad interpretation of Scripture.

Jones begins with the assumption that human anger is never righteous. In order for our anger to be righteous, it has to be anger that 1) is a reaction against sin, not inconvenience, preferences, or traditions, 2) focuses on God and not me, and 3) is expressed in godly ways. I can get behind all of that, except that the author takes #2 to mean that a Christian can't get angry about real sin committed against them without being in sin themselves - the only righteous anger is anger at sin committed against others. He writes about Christ's anger that we never see Jesus angry because he was being sinned against, but only because people were sinning against others or trying to get in the way of Jesus' mission on earth (but isn't that being angry because of sin against himself?). I would argue that, if God is angry at something, it's ok for his people to be angry at that same thing as long as they don't sin in their anger.

The author gives a fictional couple, Jack and Jill, as examples in the early chapters of two kinds of anger. The problem with Jack and Jill is that Jack is (at least) borderline abusive, but Jill's anger over being verbally abused by her husband is held up as just as wrong and damaging as his anger. Jack rages at her and hits walls, and we read that his anger "was worsening. Violence was on the horizon." So, Jack was following a path of explosive verbal and physical anger that was heading to domestic violence. The author's advice? "Had Jack continued down this path, it would have been right for Jill to seek the help and the discipline of Christ's church." In other words, when Jack finally did hit Jill, it would be ok for her to call her pastor. This is so dangerous. If someone believes that the person they're living with will start physically abusing them, they should get help then and not wait to get hit.

This is also a pretty good example of sin leveling. Jack is verbally and physically angry, but Jill is silently angry, so she's just as wrong, right? On the level of sin being the thing that damages our relationship with God, yes. However, on an interpersonal level, they are not equal sins. Jill's quiet anger isn't going to send Jack to the hospital or morgue, and it isn't going to make him feel unsafe in his home and potentially cause a trauma response in him or his children. His anger needs immediate intervention to keep her safe, while her anger can be worked through more slowly in counseling.

The author quotes Ephesians 4:26 (Be angry and do not sin) throughout the book, but fails to notice the first part of the quote. If almost all human anger is sin, then why doesn't Paul (and the psalmist he's quoting) say "don't be angry"? If all anger is sin, then how can Paul expect us to be angry without sinning? Jones quotes James 1:20 (for human anger does not accomplish God’s righteousness) without mentioning that the "Everyone should be...slow to anger" part of 1:19 doesn't mean never be angry, it means don't be someone who gets angry at the drop of a hat.

The chapters on anger at God and at self were pretty ok, but I can't recommend this book, even if it isn't solidly bad all the way through.

[Frank · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very thorough and practical book on the ubiquitous sin of anger. Robert Jones gives a exhaustive definition of anger, followed by a biblical examination of it's many manifestations. This is a must read for every Christian who has experienced anger. He also provides helpful tools for counseling others, including a plan of action for addressing anger. Then, at the end of the book, he supplies appendixes with resources for diagnosing and addressing the heart of anger.

[Leah Finn · Rating 5 out of 5]

If I could give this book more than five stars I would! It is likely the best Christian book I've read this year and therefore one I would highly recommend to all Christian's to read. Whether or not you think you have an anger problem this book is for you!

[Tom Sheppard · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book! It really gets to the root of anger, making a strong biblical case that it's a heart issue. Anger stems from self righteousness and the Christian must confess it and kill it!
Do you take sin lightly? Think about who you're really sinning against—God!
As Robert Jones puts it, “What we really need is to turn from our unbelief to the true gospel of grace.”

Must read for biblical counseling or if you battle with the sin of anger.

[Haley Annabelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Failure to get rid of anger prevents the proper unity, functioning, and growth of Christ’s body.”

Great counseling resource on anger. Lots of homework, scripture passages, and application questions. I will definitely use information from this as a counselor but I would not necessarily recommend it for a counseled struggling with anger.

[Kathleen C]

I think this was a helpful read for anyone needing a perspective shift/help uprooting anger. The author defines anger as "A whole-personed negative response to a perceived moral wrong". With that definition in mind, the most interesting chapter was on the common refrain "It's okay to be angry at God" - Jones argues that it is not okay to be angry at God, because that's saying God was morally wrong towards you. (He allows for questioning God, lamenting, etc.) I found the Scripture referenced throughout helpful, and overall would recommend this - although perhaps not the audiobook version. The narrator's voice was so... nasal? that at times it was hard to tell if that was just his voice or if he was mocking the writing.

[Camron Hyde · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing resource. Every human deals with anger. Every Christian should read this book.

[Kaitlyn Pindak · Rating 5 out of 5]

Probably the best book Robert Jones has written, because through this read, I’ve never been more encouraged and pierced about our need to better know God’s Word and live according to it. Jones uses God’s Word to expose and convict, helping us understand how to get to the very heart of our anger and the problem with it, desiring to truly change. Very good.

5/5 🌟

1st read for Typical Problems in Counseling - 12/23/2024-1/6/2025

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

never realized I had an anger issue until this was recommended to me, and I would say that most us have anger hidden within us.

[Kelsey Sontag · Rating 4 out of 5]

Alright, now I know I struggle with anger. And this helped unearth some ugly things. I have read a few books by this offer and after complaining to my husband about some of the things in this book..he pointed out to me that I complain about different things whenever I read a book by this author. I find that he has a tendency to be on a sin hunt and that there seems to be less grace for the struggle (maybe I’m wanting more grace because of my struggle with anger…to be fair). My husband told me that he did not pick up on any of that when he read this book, so I’ll just leave this here and let you decide if you read it.

[Andrea G · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book. Great resource for counselors and friends too-lots of homework ideas.

[L Joyner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent. This is a book that everyone should read.

[Kendall Anderson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sorry I haven’t reviewed in a bit. I’ve been busy breaking my nails as I drag my lifeless body through the remainder of this final semester. 2.5 weeks until graduation! 🤪🤪

[Christopher Anderson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Anger is our own moral judgement against some perceived evil and the Bible tells us this akin to murder. No one is immune from the poison of their own anger and God commands us to put away all forms of malice. A well thought out, scripturally based approach to soften the heart and live each day before the face of God.

[Dr. Val Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hands down the best book I’ve read on the topic. Rich in Scriptural truth and will bless anyone seeking to handle this issue Biblically. Jones does a masterful job! HIGHLY recommend.

[Samuel · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars. This book is a fantastic, practical book on what anger is and how to rid yourself of it by the grace of God. My only issue with this book is its early focus on what righteous anger looks like, but then doesn’t address it again. If that had come up later in the book, or even had been reiterated near the end to show what God-honoring, righteous anger can look like, I think the point might have been more effective. But that’s a minor point against a necessary and helpful resource.

[Christal · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a good book. I think it will be helpful to alot of people in controlling their anger and evaluating the provocations that arouse anger in them. I, especially, like the advice about sticking your head in the freezer for 10 seconds to cool off if you're upset. That's hilarious, and will probably prove very helpful in my future.. lol!

Now, on to what I did not like about the book; like many other books I've read there is an obsession with the writings of John Calvin and St Augustine of Hippo. With all do respect to these guys and their ideas, I think we should get back to actual scripture and stop leaning on their interpretations so much. They are not God. They are just regular people, like us, trying to interpret scripture the best they know how. Anyway, this is my major issue: In chapter 3 we are told that St. Augustine wrote in his, "Confessions" that he, as an infant, had a heart for revenge and envy. St. Augustine goes on to claim that infants are, essentially, selfish and monstrously evil from birth, do to all the crying and screaming. He says that if they were older they would punch us or attack us. The only reason they don't is because they are too small. This is a ridiculous assertion for many reasons: Reason 1: St. Augustine is not infallible. His opinions don't matter. This is a fabricated story out of his own mind since he can't, actually, remember his infancy. It's purely theoretical for demonstrative purposes only; and, frankly, stupid. Reason 2: Babies are not capable of sin because sin is defined in 1 John 3 as a transgression or violation of the law. They cannot violate a law that they are not old enough to understand. The crying that babies do is not from selfishness, envy, or revenge; it is simply a call for help in the only way the baby knows how to communicate.
Reason 3: The biblical support for evil infancy is weak at best, and non existent at worse. Let me explain: Jesus said in Matthew 18:1-6, as well as other places in the gospels, that children were humble; and we must be like them to gain heaven. Also, in Deuteronomy 1:39 we are told that the rebellious israelites, in the wilderness, would not live to inheret the promise land; but their children, who were innocent, in not knowing good or evil would inherit it. Also, Romans 9:11 seems to indicate an innocence in Jacob and Esau as babies who could not, yet, choose good or evil. Now, this idea of being evil from conception stems from a few verses in the bible: Psalm 51:5, Psalm 58:3, and Ephesians 2:3.
First off, Ephesians 2:3, has to do with a practice of living in sin and making bad moral choices that classifies us as, "by nature children of disobedience." The nature part having to do with our quality of character based on the bad moral actions we had been doing up until the point of salvation. It is not referring to some inherent evil that lives inside us at conception. It's referring to actual disobedience. Now, one might argue that we inherited a sin nature from Adam; meaning we all have a pull towards sin from conception, birth, or childhood. That could be true, but this verse does not suffice to prove that; and even if it did; St. Augustine's claim of evil moral intent or actions as an infant is an impossibility, when infants can't choose wrong yet. Their future sins can't be held against them.
Next, we have Psalm 58:3, this verse, written by King David, claims that the wicked are estranged from the womb and they go astray as soon as they are born, speaking lies. Well, clearly, this is not literal. Babies don't speak as soon as they are born, so how could they lie? This is, merely, showing us in exaggerated, hyperbolic language that the wicked are SUPER wicked as if they had been wicked from before they were born. It's kinda like saying Adolf Hitler or Jeffrey Dahmer were so wicked in their lifetime that the wickedness must have started in the womb. ....Even if someone tries to claim this is literal language; it only applies to wicked people, not God's chosen people, who presumably, could equally be considered holy from the womb, using the same logic and hyperbolic language.
And Finally, Psalm 51:5. This is probably the most popular verse in defense of infant evil. It goes like this: "Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me. This verse was written by King David in sorrow and repentance after his sin of sleeping with Bathsheba and having her husband murdered. There are a variety of ways this verse could be interpreted: The first way is to assume that David actually knew he was wicked, literally, at conception. This interpretation is helpful in asserting infant evil for every baby in the whole world. However, another interpretation, is that David is speaking, yet again, in hyperbolic language expressing how he was so wicked in his actions that he must have been wicked at birth.
A third interpretation, is that David's mother did some sinful indiscretion that made her to blame for him being conceived in sin. It implies that she committed some sexual sin that resulted in pregnancy. Whatever interpretation you take; one thing is for certain, this verse is ambiguous, or unclear in its meaning. For that reason, an entire doctrine of infant evil should not rest on this verse; or the others, that I've already discussed.

Now, what do we know for sure based on the bible:
1. Adam and Eve were created good in a good world.

2. Adam and Eve disobeyed God by eating from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil which they were told would result in their death.

3. They felt shame in their nakedness and were kicked out of the Garden of Eden.

4. They lost access to the tree of Life. That left them with an inevitable physical death.

5. The ground was cursed do to Adam's sin. It would now take hard work to make crops grow. Adam and his descendants would need to work by the sweat of their brow for food. Also, thorns began to be produced.

6. Eve was cursed to desire after a husband who would rule over her and to have painful childbirth.

7. The serpent wad cursed to crawl on its belly and eat dust.

These are things we know for a fact; because of these things we can make presumptions that other things might be true also. The trouble is we can't claim our presumptions are fact without proof.

The idea that we are all morally depraved from birth and have no freewill can not be proven; especially in lite of Cain's conversation with God in Genesis 4, which certainly seems to indicate freewill being fully in tact.
One thing, I think, we can presume is that sin is in the world corrupting somehow. How exactly? That's the essence of the debate. I would, definitely, say sin's persuasive influence is in the world. Also, sickness and death are evidence of the, "thou shalt surely die" part of the curse playing out. I do not doubt that sins influence has given us a lust for pleasure as humans; and with that, a sense of bondage to it, in a manner of speaking;but God's spirit can and does set us free through Jesus Christ to pursue something other than fleshly lusts, specifically, God's good will. I DO NOT think that an inclination to sin, via sins corruptive influence in the world, allows for a "matter of fact" claim that people are corrupt from birth before they have had an opportunity to sin. The idea that the sin curse is passed from father to child through sex is a claim made by St. Augustine, not the bible. Sin is a decision. It stems from the fact that we have knowledge of evil now, not just good. With all the sinful influence in the world via media, and sinful friends and relatives, it's no surprise we all fall. It's, theoretically, inevitable. The persuasion is powerful. If Adam and Eve were swayed before the media frenzy, then we definitely will be. Anyway, this review is getting too long. The point is the book is good, except for this one thing that throws it off a little. Happy reading!

[Brandon Beck · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm really glad that this book has helped other people; I was not one of those people.

I think one of my main gripes with this book was Jones's tone throughout the book especially as he wrote about Jill. Jill was a woman who was an "anger concealer" and dealt with it by eating junk food and watching daytime television. She wanted a husband who was more gentle and didn't punch walls when she didn't greet him at the door. I'm just not sure if "sucking on the verse like a piece of hard candy" is going to effect real change in their relationship if Jack is still blowing up at his wife like this. Anger, in my opinion, in this instance would be a tool for Jill to utilize to seek change in the way that her husband is failing to love and cherish her as Scripture commands husbands to love their wives as Christ loved the church.

It seemed as if Jones wrote this book because he, personally, deals with anger as we saw with the numerous personal anecdotes from his own life, and he had to also come up with ways that others might not struggle with anger as he does. In terms of people like Jill, they do not always stew and boil their anger. Sometimes we truly just let it go, the confrontation he tells "anger concealers" to have is not always necessary or right.

Finally, I don't like the way he handles abuse and assault in this book. He throws out several examples that seem very flippant and pejorative. "Maybe your boss fired you unfairly. Or an adult abused you as a child. Or someone you trusted betrayed you...Alex was raped as a child...Gail went through decades of verbal outrages from her husband." I think this avenue severely minimizes the pain and suffering that these people have experienced. I think that God is big enough to handle our anger and questions about situations that involve sexual assault and abuse. Because...this situation should not have happened. This was not God's original design for this world. We are right in that assumption. He then discourages us from being angry with God and says several times that this is blasphemous and wrong, yet encourages us to engage in biblical laments where we can voice this questions in prayer. I would argue that this has very similar if not identical motivations. I don't know if encouraging everyone to be angry with God is helpful, but I think it could be a necessary step for some as they seek to discern the true character of God. I think that would require the discernment of the counselor to encourage or discourage.

[Nick Lees · Rating 4 out of 5]

this is a very practical book on a very common struggle. it was convicting for me personally and I left with some clear ways to apply it. if you have been exposed to ACBC training, there will not be much new here. the content is helpfully divided up into categories that would allow you to read what will be most helpful. I did appreciate his appendices as well, especially clarifying how to interpret Hebrews 12:15.

[Jacob Michael · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Uprooting Anger” was a transformative read for me. Biblically saturated and incredibly practical, Jones reminds readers that all anger can be surrendered at the foot of the cross of Christ.

I will be coming back to this book again and again. Highly recommend!

[Kristin Murray · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is written from a Biblical counseling perspective. There are lots of helpful exercises in each chapter and in the appendixes. An excellent resource!

[Jonathan Hastings · Rating 4 out of 5]

Definitely biblical, insightful, addresses the heart and humbles man. I really good resource.

[Todd Burgett · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an amazing book - a must read for every Christian. It literally gets to the heart of anger and offers gospel-filled for this pervasive sin.

[Kelsey Kick · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good book. Some chapters resonated with me more than others and definitely had places that felt rather boring but overall I would recommend this as a good book for anyone struggling with anger.

[Heather · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a well done approach to dealing with anger from a Christian/ Biblical standpoint. There are practical steps outlined.

[Dan Curnutt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Robert Jones gives us a good in depth look at Anger and why it is such a problem for people today. Anger doesn't just cause us to bring disrespect to the Name of God, but it destroys are relationships with those around us as well as our relationship with the Lord.

Jones starts off with a good Biblical Look at the issue of Anger. The scope of scripture he uses is a good tool for anyone who experiences anger or is trying to help a fellow Christian who is dealing with anger. I found myself putting each of the scriptures he was referencing into my scripture memory app on my iPad so that I could start to memorize these and put them in my heart to help me deal with anger when it arises in my life.

Jones then goes on to talk about the two main ways people deal with anger, Venting and Stuffing. We either express our anger in tantrums of venting where we loose our tongue and let the verbal attack spew forth towards anyone that is around us. The words are hurtful and never healing. Afterwards we may feel better because we have released some steam, but those around us are now struggling with anger at being the receivers of our venting.

The other style is that of "stuffing" our anger. We bury it deep within ourselves. People around us don't necessarily have a clue how angry we are. But it takes a toll on our health, our emotions and our spiritual condition. Stuffing usually leads to bitterness and distrust.

Jones gives 7 practical steps to help us deal with venting and 7 practical steps to help us deal with stuffing. I found that point #7 on both lists was the same and the most practical, "Study Scripture more and hide God's word in your heart."

Finally Jones has a discussion on "Anger at God." I found this the most poignant part of the book for my life. I was feeling that it was OK to be angry at God as long as I told Him about my anger. But Jones pointed out how selfish and wrong this was. It displeases God and brings disrepute to His name. What I saw in scripture as others being "angry at God," was actually others offering "Laments" in their prayer and meditation times. It seems like they are almost the same, but Jones points out that the Lament shares our pain and hurt with God while acknowledging that He is loving and powerful and desires the best for me. It is a good reminder to allow God to be God and allow me to be His servant.

The book is good and the Appendix section provides homework assignments that you will find useful to use in getting at the roots of your own anger.

This is a great book for laypeople as well as counselors and pastors.

Enjoy!

[Robin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent, gospel-centered resource on getting to the root of anger. I appreciated the focus on the heart and motive as opposed to just behavioral modification. Helpful appendixes at the end too.

[Samantha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Theology rich and immensely practical. I listened to the audiobook, but plan to purchase a physical copy for easy reference. Very helpful resource both for personal use and for counseling others.

[Amanda Conroy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was excellent and biblically focused. This book is for anyone who experiences anger, whether it is a problem or not.

In this book, you will learn the criteria for righteous anger, the cause of anger, and how to uproot anger from your heart. There are two chapters about changing angry behavior: one chapter on sinful revealing ( yelling, slamming doors) and sinful concealing (dwelling, bottling up). The book also addresses anger with God and self, how to help others and the importance of dealing with anger.

This book provides Biblical examples, personal examples, and application assignments to help readers start making changes.

The author gives three criteria for righteous anger.
It reacts against actual sin (as biblically defined).
It focuses on God and his concerns (not me and my concerns).
It coexists with other godly qualities and expresses itself in godly ways.
Number two convicted me. I am more likely to experience anger because of how something or someone offended me rather than how it has offended God.

What is the cause of anger?
From the book:
Anger's Heart Causes (James 4:1-3):
Entrenched, battling desires and pleasures
Unmet ruling wants and desires
Coveting and envy
Selfish motives (Even for good things)

The chapter about the cause of anger gave me new insight into this issue. After reading this chapter, I learned that I was looking at the cause of anger through the lens of the world and not the Bible.

Is anger against God ok? No. The author states that to be angry with God is to accuse God of evil.
However, the author states that it is right to express questions to God with a heart of faith. He gives points to Psalm 13 as an example.
If you struggle with anger toward God, the author gives several tips for overcoming this issue.

Rating: 4.5⭐️ rounded to 5⭐️ on GR.

-.5 ⭐️- I wish there were more examples of what righteous anger looks like.

I highly recommend this book. It was rich in wisdom, knowledge, and application.

[Lea Berryreadinbooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

An remarkably penetrating book for me. I have read it now twice this year and these are just some of my take aways

First, what is anger?
“Our demanding hearts are the ultimate cause of our anger. An otherwise legitimate desire becomes an entrenched or ruling desire, even a demand. ..The root of anger lies in unmet demands and fallen heart idols. Cravings cause conflict.”
“We may quibble about nuanced distinctions between such words as “anger” and “frustration,“ but the bottom line is that I am reacting to what you wrongly did to me.”

But, things should be fair…
“We must learn to let him be the lawgiver, recorder, witness, prosecutor, judge, and executioner. He calls us to trust in his perfect justice. He will condemn the guilty and vindicate the righteous in his time and in his manner. He hasn’t deputized us.”
“I got angry because he yelled at me.” This reveals the occasion but not the real cause of anger: my ruling desire for fair treatment.

Solutions:
“Enabling Grace: His grace enables us to forgive those people whose offenses would otherwise provoke anger.” It’s available don’t overlook its power.
“Notice how often you might think or say sentences that begin with “‘I need...’ ‘Or I want...’ ‘Or I have a right to...’ Then consider how often the failure to have those desires met makes you angry or at least irritated or frustrated. By training yourself to become more sensitive to the power of your desires, you’re on the road becoming Biblically heart smart.”