Can a Perfect God be Angry? (part 1)

Doesn't God's anger contradict His supposed omnipotence and omniscience? Isn't it belittling of a perfect God to assume that He would ever become angry with His creation? For, if God is all-knowing, why should any disobedience anger Him? He should already know it is going to occur. Since He is all-powerful, He could simply cause the situation to reverse for His pleasure rather than allow Himself to get angry.

Over the next several posts I will provide an abstract (influenced by my own thoughts as well) of "A Treatise on the Anger of God" by Lactantius (A.D. 260-330). Read the whole thing if you wish, you won't be disappointed.

There are four possibilities regarding the affections of God.

1. God is angry and never kind.
2. God is never angry or kind.
3. God is kind and never angry.
4. God is kind and angry.

The first option is not really an issue because no one claims this of God. For if it were true, He would necessarily be our enemy and unworthy of our worship. The second option was popularized by Epicurus. He determined that God could not contain anger because it would be inconsistent with his character. He rightly determined that he must also remove from God his kindness. God cannot be moved by anything if He cannot be angry because any affection could be seen as a weakness. The third option does not make sense. If God loves righteousness He must also hate wickedness. If God were never angry with wickedness, He could never appreciate righteousness. The last option is obviously correct of the Christian God. He must either be both kind and angry or neither. Scripture clearly points to the former.