Are Emotions Sin?

Many of God's laws are very specific and outline how one should act, speak, and in some instances even governs what we should allow our thoughts to dwell on. This has caused some to ask, are emotions sin?

Paul's epistle to the Galatians outlines several character traits that are fruits of Gods spirit.

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law." (Galatians 5:22-23)

If joy and peace are fruits of God's spirit, does this mean that when we display sadness or anger we are at odds with God's spirit and in some way acting inappropriately? The fruits of God's spirit are the resultant character traits that we develop when we allow God's spirit to direct us, heading His instruction and His law. The sense of joy mentioned here does not mean that one is in a perpetual state of unimaginable bliss and nothing could ever cause even a moment of sadness. Rather, it is speaking of an overall outlook and sense of understanding that while we may go through difficult times, the end result will be a joyous one. Writing in the book of Ecclesiastes, wise King Solomon acknowledged that there a wide range of emotions were appropriate under certain circumstances.