Posts: Character of God

Character of God

“Or do you despise the riches of His kindness, forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance?” (Romans 2:4) In the language of the time, kindness included honesty, respectability, friendliness, mildness, hospitality, and benevolence. We respond to God not because of fear, guilt, or authority, but because God demonstrated a purposeful, fulfilling, and joyous life on earth. The faithful have turned away from a less-than-successful life to become part of one that functions well.

“Therefore consider the kindness and severity of God; upon indeed those who fell, severity; but upon, however, you, God’s kindness, if you continue in that kindness. Otherwise, you also will be cut off.” (Romans 11:22) In the language of the time, kindness included honesty, respectability, friendliness, mildness, hospitality, and benevolence. The word translated severity, literally, is like a cliff, precipitous. To those who trust God, He is kind. Those who do not trust Him resemble those who blindly walk off a cliff.

“…that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in kindness upon us in Christ Jesus.” (Ephesians 2:7) In the language of the time, kindness included honesty, respectability, friendliness, mildness, hospitality, and benevolence. His compelling desire to fix what ails us (mercy, verse 4) and His consistent and positive character (grace, verse 5) resulted in His coming in the flesh to dwell among us (kindness). His purpose is not authority but family. Faithful spirits with still-breathing bodies already are seated in heavenly places (verse 6).

“But when the kindness and the affection for people of God, our Savior, appeared, not out of righteousness that we practiced, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and the Holy Spirit’s renewing.” (Titus 3:4 – 5) God came to earth not because we had messed up, but because He cares about people and wanted to provide the fix to our self-imposed shortcomings. The washing is our response of trust. The Spirit’s job is to renew the characters of faithful people on earth into His image. The more we trust the faster it goes.

“And be into one another: kind, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.” (Ephesians 4:32) Our modern slang of being “into” something is not new. Greek used the same figure of speech. The New Testament writers picked it up as a clever pun. The faithful are “into” one another because we matter to one another. Further, our spirits are linked, so on that level, we actually are into each other. The need to be kind, tender, and forgiving in these relationships reminds us that we are all messy, so cut them the slack you need.

“Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering…” (Colossians 3:12) Compare this list to the fruit of the Spirit. (Galatians 5:22 – 23) Many have sought these character traits with marginal gains. For the faithful, the key to success is the Spirit. But how does this team approach work? Being filled with the Spirit is remarkably simple: teaching of and thanking God in song, investigating physical evidence for the gospel, and cataloging the hundreds of promises from God.

“If, moreover, God were desiring to show wrath and to make known His power bore in much longsuffering vessels of wrath fitted into destruction, and that He might make known the riches of His glory on the vessels of mercy which He had prepared beforehand into glory…” (Romans 9:22 – 24) God will have, before the end, put up with a lot as His repair work on the faithful (mercy) brings them to displaying on earth their parade of new-found godly character traits (glory).

“The Lord is not slow concerning His promise, as some count slowness, but is longsuffering into you, not desiring that any perish but all into repentance come.” (2 Peter 3:9) God’s goal and desire of a big family founded upon mutual trust and selfless concern has a down side; God suffers long due to the meanderings of people as a small fraction bumble their way to fulfilling life. God endures the grief because He cares about everyone and finds this discomfort a small thing compared to the joy of those who choose to join the family.

“…the longsuffering of our Lord leads us to salvation…” (2 Peter 3:15) Longsuffering and patience are very different. The former is a compound word meaning long, severe discomfort. The latter is cheerful endurance. God does not just put up with us patiently. Rather, humanity makes Him miserable day after day, yet He waits for us. Recognizing our effect on Him is one of the major attractions (along with His kindness plus Jesus’ character and virtue) that should draw us to Him. The fact that we are hurting a really nice person should matter.

“…in all power, being strengthened according to His glorious dominion, into all patience and longsuffering with joy;” (Colossians 1:11) The ability to suffer long this broken world is developed in the faithful by the power of the Spirit of God that has been deposited in them. More than just enduring, the faithful are able to remain joyful throughout because the joy described in the New Testament results from observing the successes of faith, either one’s own or that of others. Observing those who overcome makes the time short.

“However, because of this I obtained mercy, that in me, the foremost [sinner], Jesus Christ might show all longsuffering, as a pattern to those who are going to believe upon Him into everlasting life.” (1 Timothy 1:16) Jesus suffered long while Saul of Tarsus played out his misplaced zeal for God, illustrating for future generations that even the most off-track can turn and be not only accepted but also useful, fulfilled, and victorious over self.

Moses, at the burning bush, asked God’s name. He said, “I Am.” (Exodus 3:13 – 14) Later, God said, “I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob as God Almighty, but by my name, ‘I Am,’ I was not known to them.” (Exodus 6:3) God drew a contrast between names. He did not want to be known only as Almighty, but also as I Am, a personal God. God has a personality, characteristics, rather than being just a force.

Moses requested to see God’s glory. God responded by saying “I will make my goodness pass before you,” also mentioning His graciousness and compassion (Exodus 33:18 – 19). Then, when the promised event actually occurred (Exodus 34:6 – 7), God proclaimed His mercy, grace, patience, goodness, truth, forgiveness, and justice. The glory of God is a parade of His character traits, all of which are positive and integrated. A Savior was necessary because of that perfect blend; justice could not be waived.

“He who does not love does not know God, for God is love.” (1 John 4:8) This love is “doing what is best for the other person without regard to the effect on me.” Therefore, God is selfless. He made the first move, not waiting for us to seek Him. Those who do not imitate this characteristic do not know God. Fortunately, the Spirit given to each faithful person has been tasked with, among many other things, pouring that type of love into the hearts of the faithful, if we let Him (Romans 5:5).

“He who does good is out of God; he who does evil has not seen God.” (3 John 11) Note the contrast. People do good out of their connection with God. Evil comes from failing to understand God. Therefore, the cure for evil is connecting people with God. Fighting evil focuses on evil. Connecting people focuses on good. Those who do not know God fear failure. Those who know God have a confident expectation of success.

“God is Spirit and those worshipping Him must worship in spirit and in truth.” (John 4:24) Each Christian must make connection between his or her earthly part (intellect and body) and eternal part (spirit) so that the eternal part can worship the Eternal Spirit. Further, that connection must be rooted in reality and evidence (truth), as opposed to cultural norms or long-standing tradition. The eternal part then controls the mind and the body while being connected to all concurring spirits, who are in turn all connected to and worship God.

“God, the Judge of all.” (Hebrews 12:23) “Our God is a consuming fire.” (Hebrews 12:29) The character of God is composed of many facets, all of which are fully integrated, not at odds with one another. Justice is one facet which, unfortunately, has some negative implications. Further, God will not keep damaged good around forever. This universe will end, apparently by fire. But even this adverse reminder is couched in a positive context. “We are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken.” (Hebrews 12:28)

“Now may the God of peace, having brought out of the dead the great Shepherd of the sheep, in the blood of the eternal covenant in our Lord Jesus, equip you in every good thing into doing His will…” (Hebrews 13:20 – 21) The family of God is characterized by peace because that is the nature of God. The potential for an adversarial relationship was overcome by guidance of the sheep, His payment of the judgments against us through the sacrifice of Jesus, and continuing character development through the Spirit given to the faithful.

“Now may the Lord of peace Himself give you peace always in every way.” (2 Thessalonians 3:16) Picturing peace with God is not so difficult. Picturing peace between people is nearly impossible. People have never gotten along for the long haul. So, a promise from God to the faithful is that He will provide that necessary character development to facilitate real peace between those who trust Him so that heaven will not turn out like earth.

“Now may the God of peace Himself reserve you for His purposes completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless in the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1 Thessalonians 5:23) Becoming completely oriented to God in body, soul and spirit is neither a hard-fought victory nor an abject submission. Rather, the process has been engineered by the God of peace to be joyful, harmonious, and gracious despite the pressures of a messed-up world.

“The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you.” (Philippians 4:9) Paul’s thought begins back in verse 4. The pathway to peace (with God, others, and yourself) runs through rejoicing about godly things, fostering a reputation for reasonableness, disposing of anxiety by discussing the problem with God from a platform of thanksgiving, and choosing to think about good stuff. Following the example of someone who can actually pull that off enhances the probability of success.