The Character of God

[B-A-C]

The Character of God.

I get the idea, that many people think God has a split personality disorder and somehow
He changed from the way He was in the Old Testament. But I really don't see this.

According to Hebrews 13:8; He is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow.
James 1:17; The Father of Lights has no variation or shifting shadows.
Malachi 3:6; says the Lord does not change.

In the old testament it seems God killed a lot of people.
Flooded the earth, rained down fire and brimstone, had angels kill thousand of people.
There are dozens of stories about how God punished people and even killed them.

But in the New testament some believe God is all mercy, grace and love.

Yet even in he new Testament, Jesus calls some people a brood of vipers, sons of hell.
He cases them out of the temple. He calls Herod a fox. He separates the sheep and the
goats. He separates the wise virgins from the foolish virgins. He chops down the trees
that bear no fruit and throws them in the fire. He casts out the wicked and lazy servants
and assigns them a place with the unbelievers. He tells some people who even call Him "Lord"
that I don't know you.

When He was asked are "there just a few that will be saved". His answer was many will strive
to be saved, but only a few will enter the narrow gate.

Jesus tells the Pharisee's they will receive a "greater" condemnation than others. Matt 23:14;

Paul warns about people who do evil, just so others can do good. Paul says "their condemnation is justified" ( Rom 3:8; )

Jude 1:4; warns about certain people who have crept into the church... they are marked out for condemnation.

The Bible says God will throw many people into the Lake of Fire, and "the outer darkness".
Where there is torment and the gnashing of teeth.

God had a angel kill Herod. God struck down Ananias and Sapphira. Jesus will come with a sword to conquer
the earth.

All of these things are in the New testament.

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This idea that God is some wimpy spineless God, that everything is warm and fuzzy, and God is
Ok with whatever happens, and whatever we do is not the God of the Bible.

This idea that there is no good and no evil, and it's relative is a doctrine of demons.

Isa 5:20; says "Woe" to those who call evil good, and good evil.

If there is no definitive truth, then all truth is equally valid. We can all have our own truth
and God's truths don't matter that much.

This is a doctrine of demons.

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This idea that nothing can change our "standing" in Christ is not Biblical.
If fact the phrase "standing in Christ" is not even in the Bible.
The Bible says there are certain things that if we do them... the love of Christ abide in us.
It only stands to reason that if we don't do them, the love of Christ does not abide in us.

In fact there are many who claim to know the character of God... but His character
is defined in their terms. John says if we say we claim to know His but don't keep the commandments
we are liars. It seems these people don't really know the character of God.

 

[Brighthouse]

LOLLLLL Brother Bac!!!!! A split personality disorder!!! That was good!! Jesus sure is NO WIMP!!! I would like to ask you something brother Bac though.How much of the character of God can one person witness do you think? What about standing firm in one's faith? is this not the same bro?( 1 Cor 16:13-14) Before i make any full comment I first wish to understand where you are looking to lead the reader.I do not wish to presume anything! And then when asking to stand firm, where?

I remember a few times in prayer brother,when Holy Spirit reveled something interesting about how one receives there answer. Where one prays about something it is not always where the Lord chooses to revel his answer at! I always thought it was. LOL

So after I make a request or pray for someone else in the Lord,I ask Holy Spirit where to be to receive the answer that is arriving at. We have to go to the mailbox to receive our mail,sometimes i have found out at least,there is a place Jesus wants us to go to to hear the answer to our prayer as well. The character of the Lord is reveled to each of us,by the very same measure we seek his character. I wish i knew more then just a part of this,but the part I believe I do know even as you do brother Bac we follow in!! And that is what we as believers can encourage others in! May this help us all to wish to know!

 

[Br. Bear]

Greetings,

In fact there are many who claim to know the character of God... but His character
is defined in their terms. John says if we say we claim to know His but don't keep the commandments
we are liars. It seems these people don't really know the character of God.

If ye keep My commandments, ye shall abide in My love; even as I have kept My Father's commandments, and abide in His love.
John 15:10

If ye love Me, keep My commandments.
John 14:15

And this commandment have we from Him, That he who loveth God love his brother also
1John 4:21

A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.
John 13:34

But in the New testament some believe God is all mercy, grace and love.

He is.

And Righteousness, Holy (Holiness), Longsuffering, Patient, not willing at all that any should perish.

Mercy and Grace are His Love, if I may say it that way?

While I understand fully what you are saying @B-A-C , how do we keep these/this commandment so that the judgment you write about does not consume us?
--------------------------------------------------------------------
If I may point something out, Brother, your statement here shows the use of words that we, English speaking folk, use.
It is a messy and confusing language if we try to work it out! But of God's language, do we understand it, and if not can one interpret?

This idea that nothing can change our "standing" in Christ is not Biblical.
If fact the phrase "standing in Christ" is not even in the Bible.
The Bible says there are certain things that if we do them... the love of Christ abide in us.
It only stands to reason that if we don't do them, the love of Christ does not abide in us.

The LORD has given His Word, Which is Truth, whether we believe it or not. It is very absolute and finite while also manifesting in the most amazing of ways and foolish ways to man and it is eternal and therefore infinite.

Those who seek Him will find Him only let us redeem the time for the days are evil.

Does God give us any solutions, and can we partake in them and offer them to others?

Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time.
Colossians 4:5


Bless you ....><>

 

[Br. Bear]

Greetings,

LOLLLLL Brother Bac!!!!! A split personality disorder!!! That was good!! Jesus sure is NO WIMP!!! I would like to ask you something brother Bac though.How much of the character of God can one person witness do you think? What about standing firm in one's faith? is this not the same bro?( 1 Cor 16:13-14) Before i make any full comment I first wish to understand where you are looking to lead the reader.I do not wish to presume anything! And then when asking to stand firm, where?

I remember a few times in prayer brother,when Holy Spirit reveled something interesting about how one receives there answer. Where one prays about something it is not always where the Lord chooses to revel his answer at! I always thought it was. LOL

So after I make a request or pray for someone else in the Lord,I ask Holy Spirit where to be to receive the answer that is arriving at. We have to go to the mailbox to receive our mail,sometimes i have found out at least,there is a place Jesus wants us to go to to hear the answer to our prayer as well. The character of the Lord is reveled to each of us,by the very same measure we seek his character. I wish i knew more then just a part of this,but the part I believe I do know even as you do brother Bac we follow in!! And that is what we as believers can encourage others in! May this help us all to wish to know!

Sometimes we have to get to a place in order to hear what the LORD is telling us.

at which point we can, "Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage." Galatians 5:1

For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another. For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another.
Galatians 5:13-15

and as love is a doing word, we need to move and not merely stand.

This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would. But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law. Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.


If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.

Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another.
Galatians 5:16-25



Bless you ....><>

 

[amadeus2]

While I understand fully what you are saying @B-A-C , how do we keep these/this commandment so that the judgment you write about does not consume us?
--------------------------------------------------------------------
If I may point something out, Brother, your statement here shows the use of words that we, English speaking folk, use.
It is a messy and confusing language if we try to work it out! But of God's language, do we understand it, and if not can one interpret?

"Wherefore let him that speak in an unknown tongue pray that he may interpret" I Cor 14:13

Jesus spoke in an unknown tongue to probably most of the people who heard him when he used parables. For those whose hearts were opened to understand, he explained his meaning. That is to say, he interpreted!

The LORD has given His Word, Which is Truth, whether we believe it or not. It is very absolute and finite while also manifesting in the most amazing of ways and foolish ways to man and it is eternal and therefore infinite.

And His Word is not just words, although it certainly is often expressed to us in words. Our own words without the Holy Spirit directing them are empty no matter how well we have considered them. His Word inspired in us by the Holy Spirit has the same power it had in Jesus.

 

[Brighthouse]

James 1:16-18 So that WE would BE, as it were the first fruits among his creatures.To me the first fruits are his character!! LOVE ( Eph 3:17-19) and 1 John 4:17-19 John 13:34-35) He first loved us, so our first fruits are through HIM and by HIM must be the same.To identify with any fruit one must become a branch that of who we in Christ are attached to. ( John 15:1-5) For apart from the character of our Jesus one indeed can do nothing. verse 5. We the branches as Brother Bear stated hold fast in that liberty!( Gal 5:1) For the very character of what holds us fast to start with,can never break,nor can our branch in him!

 

[B-A-C]

While I understand fully what you are saying @B-A-C , how do we keep these/this commandment so that the judgment you write about does not consume us?

I think it's a balance. Yes there is love, mercy and grace. But there is still justice, judgment, holiness.
I can tell from you response about the commandments that we are in agreement. But this isn't about the commandments really.
It's simply to say, that the God of today is still the same God of the old testament. We have a new covenant with Him yes, and Jesus
died for our sins yes. But the things that bothered God in the old testament, still bother Him today.

 

[B-A-C]

and as love is a doing word, we need to move and not merely stand.

If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.

Amen and Amen. Exactly... these are things that affect our "standing".

 

[B-A-C]

For the very character of what holds us fast to start with,can never break,nor can our branch in him!

Rom 11:17; But if some of the branches were broken off, and you, being a wild olive, were grafted in among them and became partaker with them of the rich root of the olive tree,
Rom 11:18; do not be arrogant toward the branches; but if you are arrogant, remember that it is not you who supports the root, but the root supports you.
Rom 11:19; You will say then, "Branches were broken off so that I might be grafted in."
Rom 11:20; Quite right, they were broken off for their unbelief, but you stand by your faith. Do not be conceited, but fear;
Rom 11:21; for if God did not spare the natural branches, He will not spare you, either.

 

[RJ]

This idea that God is some wimpy spineless God, that everything is warm and fuzzy, and God is
Ok with whatever happens, and whatever we do is not the God of the Bible.

Who in the world believes in that ridiculous idea? ...never met such a person!

 

[Brighthouse]

Yes brother Bac, I am talking of good branches.Matt 13:23 A bold and shameless tree bring forth bold and shameless fruit as well. hehe Fear is the beginning of wisdom But Love completes wisdom! For fear never completed anything in our lives, because of doubt.( 1 John 4:17-19)For it was not fear which began creation,it was love.