Solving A Godly Paradox... or when Good People Do Bad Things.

Paradox: A self-contradiction, conflicting with our understanding of what is reasonable or possible, yet is seemly true: “Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.  2 Corinthians 12:10

Introduction

Have you ever heard the comment that “the church is full of hypocrites’? The person who makes such a statement has almost certainly been hurt, let-down or even worse, betrayed by a Christian. There is an unwritten expectation amongst non-Christians that we will never do anything wrong or bad, and when we (inevitably) do, those non-Christians that we hurt feel it all the more keenly because they usually expect a higher standard of behaviour from those professing to be Christ’s likeness here on earth.   

As Christians our brothers or sisters sometimes hurt us, and sadly we often “cut” that person off, or at the ultimate extreme of the “reaction scale” we force them to leave the fellowship! We forget that we too are made of mortal stuff and make mistakes, foul up, say and do the wrong things. We are prone to justify our own errors, but we extract a dreadful toll on those who do bad things.

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Who’s been a naughty boy then?

Because David did that which was right in the eyes of the LORD, and turned not aside from any thing that he commanded him all the days of his life, save only in the matter of Uriah the Hittite. 1Kings 15:5

King David was a good man, and yet he did a bad thing. He has one major blot on his character, yet as the above says what he did was right in the eyes of the Lord. That’s a paradox; however he’s in the “Hall Of Fame” in Hebrews chapter 11.

And Noah, a man of the ground, began and planted a vineyard.  And he drank from the wine, and was drunk. And he uncovered himself inside his tent. Genesis 9:20-21

Every single man, woman, child, animal, bird and insect ultimately owes their existence to Noah. Yet here we have Noah’s “drinking problem” recorded for all to read, and Ham’s reaction to seeing his father naked, and ultimately Canaan’s curse that has affected his offspring to this day.

Noah was a good man (Noah, a righteous man, had been perfected among his family. Noah walked with God. Genesis 6:9) yet he did a bad thing- He’s in the “Hall Of Fame” in Hebrews chapter 11.

Speaking of Abraham, God said-“I will make of you a great nation. And I will bless you and make your name great; and you will be a blessing. And I will bless those who bless you, and curse the one despising you. And in you all families of the earth shall be blessed. Genesis 12: 2-3

Abraham is sometimes called “the father of faith” and he’s almost universally recognised as the father of God’s chosen people. Abraham was a good man yet on several occasions he resorted to telling half-truths about his relationship with Sarah, calling her his sister, therefore under his complete protection. He also gave into Sarah’s “lack of faith” and fathered Ishmael with Sarah’s handmaiden. Both these actions were bad things, (and came at a “price”) yet Abraham resides in the “Hall of Fame” in Hebrews 11 

The ever-impetuous Peter, quick to pledge loyalty to Jesus, was just a quick to fulfil Jesus’ chilling prophecy when he denied our Lord. “And again he denied with an oath, I do not know the man. And after a little, coming near, those standing by said to Peter, Truly you also are of them, for even your speech makes you known.”  Matthew 26:72-73

What Peter did next only compounded just how badly Peter was behaving at that moment. “Then he began to curse and to swear, I do not know the man.”

Matthew 26:74

Peter was a good man, after all he had been chosen by Jesus as one of the 12, and probably was looked upon by the others as their “leader.” His actions were “bad” yet he was not consigned the “scrap heap” by Jesus.

How can we resolve this paradox?

1. Recognize that a “fall from grace” is not necessarily fatal.

King David repented when confronted by Nathan the prophet about his adultery with Bathsheba, and the murder of her husband. “And David said unto Nathan, I have sinned against the LORD. And Nathan said unto David, The LORD also hath put away thy sin; thou shalt not die.” 2Samuel 12:13

Read the whole story in 2 Samuel 12

There may well be dramatic and painful consequences to the actions that led up to and caused the “bad event” “Thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will raise up evil against thee out of thine own house, and I will take thy wives before thine eyes, and give them unto thy neighbor, and he shall lie with thy wives in the sight of this sun.” 2 Samuel 12:11

David’s family paid a terrible price for his actions, betrayal, and sibling rape of a daughter, rebellion and treachery by Absalom.

2. We need to understand that a “bad act” by a good person does not undo all their good works.

 “Because David did that which was right in the eyes of the LORD, and turned not aside from any thing that he commanded him all the days of his life, save only in the matter of Uriah the Hittite.” 1Kings 15:5

If David’s activities in the “matter of Uriah the Hittite” had bared him from the kingdom, there would be no book of Psalms in our Bible. 

3.      Repentance and forgiveness restores.

The promised Messiah still arose from David’s line: “The book of the generations of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.”

Matthew 1:1

4.   We must forgive the “bad act” to restore a right relationship.

“Forgive us our debts as we also forgive our debtors.”   Matthew 6:12 MKJV

The word debts literally means a moral fault owed.

For if you forgive men their deviations, (trespasses KJV) your heavenly Father will also forgive you. Matthew 6:14. Young’s Literal Translation. 

But if you do not forgive others their trespasses [their reckless and willful sins,  leaving them, letting them go, and giving up resentment], neither will your Father forgive you your trespasses. Matthew 6:15 Amplified Bible

The Greek word for trespasses is paraptoma pronounced par-ap'-to-mah, and it means a side-slip (lapse or deviation), i.e. (unintentional) error or (willful) transgression: --fall, fault, offence, sin, trespass.

Conclusion:

Many Christians are trapped in a cycle of unforgiveness simply because they equate a persons “bad act” to all areas of their life. They fail to isolate the lapse or deviation in otherwise good behavior, and assume (falsely) that the person is “rotten to the core”

I am not saying that consistent and destructive bad behavior should be excused or “swept under the carpet” there is a time to address such activities, but we must learn to see a person’s life as God the Father saw David’s: good and wholesome save for the “matter of Uriah the Hittite.”

Parents are particularly venerable in this area. Small children often idolise their mother and father, then when they are older, if they discover that Mom or Dad did something “bad” they tend to vilify that parent, often cutting off all communication with them, particularly if that child “suffered” as a result of the “bad” act.  

We are all prone to fail, both morally and spiritually, that’s why we need a saviour. We can help or hinder His work in the lives of others. We can look beyond the “bad act” and seek restoration, or we can walk away. The choice is ours.