Character witness

 In a church discussion group (a few years ago), the question was put to the group "why do you believe?" I don't think the questioner was satisfied with any of the answers the group gave. His answer was that God changed his life. That's why he was a believer.

I felt push back to that answer within myself. My response was that people's lives change for a lot of reasons, and such change is sometimes short-lived. Also, belief would actually precede the change, having resulted from the belief.

But I suppose I was looking at this question from the perspective of whether what was believed is really true.  Just because someone believes something, and it changes their life, it doesn't mean that what they believed is true. I wanted the answer to be that my belief was due to the understanding and persuasion that the object of my faith was true.

But looking back and thinking about the question some more, I would have to agree that character was a major reason as to why I believed. But not really my change of character, but others.

Looking back, I can see that human character had a major role in why I became a believer. It was the character of others that had an impact on me: it was the character of others who have believed. And it was the character of others that made me realized I wasn't saved, for I was already becoming positive about a lot of things related to Christianity.

And probably before and after I became a believer, I think I saw as one of the greatest witnesses to what I believed was the character of Christ. There is no one in history that was like Jesus Christ, in both words and deeds: "No man ever spoke like this Man!" John 7:46

As a believer for over 45 years, I have seen that though people's lives can and do change as believers, they are far from perfect. And though the character of believers had an affect on me, eternally and practically, I know that they, just like me, will fail. Unfortunately, but true.

Jesus is the “Captain” and “Perfecter” of faith (See Hebrews 12:2). We are to look to Him as the supreme example of what living by faith and obedience to God is to be.

Though I remember with gratitude those who by their words and conduct had an impact on my life and even led to my salvation, I know that even they have had failures and struggles in their Christian lives.

I have determined that regardless of whether others fail, I will not use that as an excuse to be disobedient to God. Because we can use others as an excuse for our own failures and disobedience to God. And it could be that what hinders us is not really the failures of others, but our own affections—but we tend to want to blame others for what hinders us.

Though the witness of the character of others plays an important role in our lives, Jesus is still the Captain and Perfecter of faith. Look to Him and His example.

Love Enemies

Jesus said to “love your enemies ... [and] do good to those who hate you,” Matthew 5:44, and this is seen by some as a contradiction to the accounts in the Old Testament where Israel was to kill all the inhabitants of certain peoples of the land of Canaan.

Some may seek to explain the extermination of the inhabitants of Canaan as a myth, or it was God accommodating the brutal ancient Near East culture, while God himself was opposed to such measures. Yet, I would suggest that not all enemies are the same and not all circumstances are the same.

Not all enemies are the same in that not all enemies are a threat in the same way. Some enemies are only those who disagree with what you believe, or they just don't like you for some reason. You can have enemies in your own family due to differing beliefs. Jesus said, “Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword. ... a man's enemies will be those of his own household,“ Matthew 10:34-36. You would not treat such enemies the same as you would someone who sought to do bodily harm to someone in your family. There may be circumstances where you have to do bodily harm to someone else. In times of war, you may have to kill the enemy, though in different circumstances, you could respond in a less lethal way, and maybe, even show compassion. It depends on the circumstances and the kind of enemy involved.

The “kind” of enemy is an issue. There are times when the enemy has to be dealt with in a just, legal way. And in some cases, the enemy is of such a disposition that they reap the judgment of God. This is the case several times in the Old Testament in which God destroys a people because they have reached a certain degree of evil or injustice. Israel was not to go into Canaan until the people's sins have a reach a full point: “...in the fourth generation they [Israel] shall return here, for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet complete," Genesis 15:16. The Amorites, being the people of Canaan, were Divinely appointed to destruction, and God would use Israel to carry out that judgment. God uses nations to judge other nations. Though God could do it directly through other means, as in the days of Noah or the cities of the plain (Sodom, etc.), he also did it with nations against nations. One does not have to explain the killing away as a myth or some accommodation by God of evil cultures by the Hebrew people.

In the event of war, involving nations, one is not able to love his enemy, for he may have to kill him, lest the enemy kills his countrymen and possesses his country. And some enemies have reach a point of opposition to God that makes them objects of God's wrath. These types of enemies are the ones who are “the vessels of wrath prepared for destruction,” Romans 9:22. Though there are circumstances where an individual can show acts of mercy to their enemy (see the account in 2 Kings 6.8-23 concerning the Syrian army and the prophet Elisha), there comes a point where the enemies of God become objects of His vengeance and wrath. We can see this in the book of Revelation with the Christian martyrs: "How long, O Lord, holy and true, until You judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?" Revelation 6:10. Prayers in the Psalms that are harsh against the enemy, praying for their destruction, could be understood in this light, that they are enemies of God, and they shall not prosper against the people of God (unless there is a Divine reason for them to). Depending on the circumstances, one could show grace to their enemy, or they could seek their destruction.

When Jesus seemed to contradict the Old Testament [OT], it should be kept in mind that the Laws of the OT set limits, and one was not to go beyond those limits (but that doesn't mean that they didn't), but also, one was not obligated to go even that far. The “eye for an eye” set a limit: if someone knocked your eye out, you were not to take both of the offender's eyes out as a consequence; however, one didn't even have to take one eye out—you could chose to forgive them instead. One did not have to exact revenge or seek justice, but if they did, there were limits.

The ideal is not to return evil with evil but with good. But again, it depends on the circumstances. The Apostle Paul should be considered as well: “¹⁷ Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men. ¹⁸ If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men. ¹⁹ Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, 'Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,' says the Lord. ²⁰ Therefore 'If your enemy is hungry, feed him; If he is thirsty, give him a drink; For in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head.' ²¹ Do not be overcome by evil but overcome evil with good.” Romans 12:17-21

But again, I would suggest that not all enemies are the same and not all circumstances are the same.