Fleshly anger
We can have a righteous anger at injustice and immoral conduct and speak out against it through constructive criticism or a word of warning but if the situation still goes on it may cause us to get into a fleshly (unspiritual, unholy, selfish) anger and end up like Moses when he slammed his staff against the rock out of frustration over the Israelite’s behavior. Pastor Steve Mays points out that this wasn’t okay because Moses was mad at the people but God wasn’t. Moses had put up with a lot of bad behavior for a long time but that still wasn’t an excuse to disobey and dishonor God.
Then the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, Because you had not enough faith in me to keep my name holy before the children of Israel, you will not take this people into the land which I have given them.
Numbers 20:12
It was a pretty big punishment for slipping into a fleshly anger but Moses was leader over all the Israelites so the punishment fit the misuse of position. He also dishonored God in the face of all the people by taking the credit for the miracle: “Listen, you rebels, must we bring you water out of this rock?” (Numbers 20:10). In expressing our anger we have be careful not to slip into self-power (instead of relying on the Holy Spirits power working through us). Anger is a powerful emotion and it can also bring out pride, and self-confidence, which leads to a lack of acknowledgment for what God has done in our lives. This is again what Paul was warning about when he said to be angry but not sin.
