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.

Who am I in Christ?

Many Christians live their lives far below their potential: they never reach that level of life promised by our Lord, who came to give us an abundant life. 

Why do so many live sub-standard lives? Simply because they do not know who they are “in Christ”; we may be well aware of how secular society expects us to behave as Christians, but never discover how Christ expects us to live.

Humanity’s “identity crisis” began in the Garden of Eden. As the result of Adam and Eve’s sin fear, anger and depression entered our world. "And he said, I heard Your voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I am naked, and I hid myself. Genesis 3:10

He did not have respect to Cain and to his offering. And Cain glowed with anger, and his face (or countenance) fell.  Genesis 4:5 

Along with these negative emotions, human will or the power to choose wisely and righteously was forever affected. In the Garden our ancestors could only make one wrong choice… but what a choice! “And Jehovah God commanded the man, saying, You may freely eat of every tree in the garden, but you shall not eat of the tree of knowledge of good and evil. For in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die”. Genesis 2:16-17 

God given authority was replaced with weakness and helplessness: we need strength and self-control.  Meekness, self-control; against such things there is no law. Galatians 5:23 MKJV 

Since the fall, Satan has continually attempted to try and convince God’s people that we are unworthy, unacceptable, sin-sick individuals who will never amount to anything in our Creator’s eyes. 

God says to us: We don’t serve Him in order to gain His acceptance, we ARE accepted, so we serve God… we don’t follow God to be loved… we are loved…so we follow Him.

It was Eleanor Roosevelt who said…. “No one can make you feel inferior without your consent”.

If we feel good about ourselves, we are much more likely to feel good about others.

---God sees what others and we ourselves can’t see… about ourselves, our destiny, and

our eternal future!  

---God designed and predetermined us to be a success story, conformed to the image of His Son, our Savior.

Psalm 139 tells us that we are not mistakes.

O Jehovah, You have searched me and have known me.

You know my sitting down and my rising up; You understand my thought afar off.

You search my path and my lying down, and are acquainted with all my ways.

For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O Jehovah, You know it altogether.

You have closed me in behind and in front, and laid Your hand on me.

Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot go up to it.

Where shall I go from Your Spirit? Or where shall I flee from Your presence?

If I go up into Heaven, You are there; if I make my bed in Sheol, behold, You are there.

If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the furthest parts of the sea; even there shall Your hand lead me, and Your right hand shall hold me.

If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me, even the night shall be light around me.

Yea, the darkness does not hide from You; but the night shines as the day; as is the darkness, so is the light to You.

For You have possessed my inward parts; You have covered me in my mother's womb.

I will praise You; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Your works are marvelous and my soul knows it very well.

My bones were not hidden from You when I was made in secret and skillfully formed in the lowest parts of the earth.

Your eyes saw my embryo; and in Your book all my members were written, the days they were formed, and not one was among them.

How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God! How great is the sum of them!

If I should count them, they are more than the sand; when I awake, I am still with You.

You are more important to God than the manner of your conception….

If your parents have ever said that they wished you had never been born….

If you came into this world as the result of fornication, adultery, rape, or even if you were hated from conception; however you “arrived” God allowed you to be conceived!

If you have always occupied a lowly position in your family hierarchy, or you were the least favored of you parents children….

In God’s eyes you are more important that the womb that knit you together!

King David does not mention his mother by name in Psalm 139, nor does he say what she was like at all… in fact the Bible does not even record her name!

No matter the circumstances of our lives…God designed the time and place of our birth. 

My bones were not hidden from You when I was made in secret and skillfully formed in the lowest parts of the earth. Your eyes saw my embryo; and in Your book all my members were written, the days they were formed, and not one was among them. Psalm 139:15-16  

The fact that we are here is what matters to God.

Now to Him who is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, forever. Ephesians 3:20-21

Throughout the Bible God tells us to make great His name in the earth. Praise and thanks are due His name, which is Great and Awesome. God created us to bring glory to His name. His predestined plan for your life is to bring him glory—His plan for your life is part of His creative work!

Jesus said that we would do even greater things than He did while on this earth! If we abandon ourselves to Christ’s cause, and are willing to lose our lives for it, everything is possible.

Are you a follower, a dreamer, visionary or missionary?

            Many people never get beyond the idea stage—they are usually followers.

           

            Then there are those who talk, and talk, but with little action… the dreamers.

Take the idea and put it on paper—become a visionary. Visionaries see great things in their minds… sadly many are in the graveyard. Their visions failed to become missions.

What makes a missionary? When the visionary becomes the missionary, you have a man or woman who is going to change their world… and impact yours!

Many of us plan our meals for a week… we shop to a plan, we plan our holidays… but do we have a plan for our lives? Have you discovered God’s plan for your life? Do you know who you are in Christ?

Key Points:

A.    You are worth feeling good about-Because God planed your birth!

B.     God has a detailed plan for your life

C.     The first step in living god’s plan is accepting Jesus Christ as savior and Lord.

D.    God created you with a part of His potential-so you could expose and share in His glory

E.     God’s glory is the excess of His potential-He has many plans that wait to be revealed!

F.      Develop a plan for your life that fulfills some, if not all of the possibilities God placed within you before you were born—then believe and work them into existence. 

All Scripture quoted, unless otherwise stated, is NKJV

These studies are non-denominational, and as far as possible do not reflect a particular doctrine or theological viewpoint. The material in these e-Bible studies is drawn from a wide variety of sources, and may be used for any reasonable purpose.