Character
Among men and women of God, I have noticed that far too many of us have no regard for character. I am somewhat surprised that so many think it not necessary to have or maintain character in one's life. The OSAS say, "Sin doesn't matter, he's eternally secure, besides, we all sin, don't we!!" The liberal says, "You are arrogant and have a holier-than-thou attitude!" The Laodicean says, "Don't judge, I'm okay, and the way I see things is fine with me!" But after all is said and done, these perspectives are all lies and fall short of the truth because only God's Word is true and it is His perspective that actually matters! If God says that character matters, than I need to come to the reality that character matters!
5481 carakthr charakter khar-ak-tare'
from the same as 5482; TDNT-9:418,1308; n m
AV-express image 1; 1
1) the instrument used for engraving or carving
2) the mark stamped upon that instrument or wrought out on it
2a) a mark or figure burned in (#Le 13:28) or stamped on, an impression
2b) the exact expression (the image) of any person or thing, marked likeness, precise reproduction in every respect, i.e facsimile
Since committing my life to Yashua, I have noticed in these 19+ years that many men and women of God in public ministries have fallen and far too many are not able to get back up. One thing seems to be in common with each of them, temptation to sin. However it wasn't just any sin but there were and are two that appear to be the prime sins, lust of the flesh or sex sins, and the love of money or greed sins. But the question that I truly want to raise concerns not the person who falls because that may be a little too self-centered, but other people, those who see. What happens to the person who watched the PTL club on a regular basis? What happens to the person who sat in the back pew at the Family Worship Center in Louisiana when Swaggart fell the second time for the same sin he said was gone? What does the average sinner say? But really, what does the Lord say about this?
Romans 2:21-24 Thou therefore which teachest another, teachest thou not thyself? thou that preachest a man should not steal, dost thou steal? Thou that sayest a man should not commit adultery, dost thou commit adultery? thou that abhorrest idols, dost thou commit sacrilege? Thou that makest thy boast of the law, through breaking the law dishonourest thou God? For the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles through you, as it is written.
Character truly matters to the Christian, the expressed image of God, the name of the Lord or what people think the name of the Lord is, and what they are saying about the Lord as a result of Christians who cause the name of God to be blasphemed among Gentiles. When the term "Gentiles" is used by Paul it has several applications depending on the context. Here Paul refers to the unbelieving sector, those who have no relationship with the Lord, those who need a relationship, but they reject that possibility and use a Christian's character as a reason to stay in their sins, and ultimately whether directly or indirectly they blaspheme the name of the Lord.
One of my first experiences of the Holy Spirit speaking to my heart was years ago when I walked into my spiritual mom's house who was watching the PTL club. The Lord spoke to me and told me to tell her and a few who were there to be careful that things were not what they appeared and that there was a coming event that would reveal what was in secret and many would fall away from the Lord as His name would be blasphemed. We all know far too well that it not only happened, but there would be more surprises to many more coming along the way. Just for the record, there was a tremendous move of the Lord in Jim Bakker's life and he was truly changed and corrected while imprisoned. This man of God repented and has been restored to the body of Christ. I have a great respect for what he did confess in his book and how the love of the Lord is seen chastising him as the loved child of God he is. But as he also admits, there was much blaspheming of the Lord's name because of his sins. Character does matter to God and to those He places in our sphere of influence!
2Samuel 12:13-15 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. Howbeit, because by this deed thou hast given great occasion to the enemies of the LORD to blaspheme, the child also that is born unto thee shall surely die. ¶ And Nathan departed unto his house. And the LORD struck the child that Uriah's wife bare unto David, and it was very sick.
How terrible, to justify our actions, to give excuses why we should be free from guilt and shame and accountability! Our sin does much harm to the name of God! Our sin gives grounds for the accuser of the brethren to accuse us. Our sin is ammunition for the enemies of God to trash His name, to run His name through the mud, to blaspheme the Creator and Master of the entire universe. David could excuse himself all he wants for rejecting his responsibility of being on the battlefield when "kings go to war", but his sin of neglect even arrogancy took him out of the power and protection of God, to be accused and set up by the enemy! David strolling on the roof of his house out of God's protection is no match for his hormonal test, his temptation where he is the weakest, the lust of his heart. David grieves the Holy Spirit in rejecting God and his responsibility as well as his accountability to Him! Ephesians 4:30 And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. David is breaking God's heart! The rejection of doing what he knew to be right, David proceeds to fulfill the lusts of his heart committing adultery. Nathan faces him with his sin, but the sin never stopped at adultery, but included murder, lies, and cover-ups. Finally David is convicted and responds in a godly way with repentance and reveals that he did grieve the Holy Spirit. Psalm 51:10-12 Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me. Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit. David arms the enemies of God with ammunition to drag God's name through the mud, and he nearly lost it all because he had to ask for forgiveness and restoration of the Holy Spirit and His presence. Character does matter!
As servants of the Lord Most High, we are more than "mere" Christians and we must be held to a higher standard, a standard that does not allow the name of the Lord to be blasphemed! God's name is worthy to be praised! Character matters in a big way! We are more than what we try to say we are when we want to have no responsibility. We are "slaves", bond servants of the Lord Jesus Christ, and we should and must act accordingly!
1401 douloV doulos doo'-los
from 1210; TDNT-2:261,182; n
AV-servant 120, bond 6, bondman 1; 127
1) a slave, bondman, man of servile condition
1a) a slave
1b) metaph., one who gives himself up to another's will those whose service is used by Christ in extending and advancing his cause among men
1c) devoted to another to the disregard of one's own interests
2) a servant, attendant
1Timothy 6:1-5 ¶ Let as many servants as are under the yoke count their own masters worthy of all honour, that the name of God and his doctrine be not blasphemed. And they that have believing masters, let them not despise them, because they are brethren; but rather do them service, because they are faithful and beloved, partakers of the benefit. These things teach and exhort. If any man teach otherwise, and consent not to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness; He is proud, knowing nothing, but doting about questions and strifes of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings, Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself.
Character counts. We are servants, bond slaves of the Most High God sent to the world with a purpose to reveal what the Spirit is saying to the church! We must walk in a higher level of character, and we must be ever aware that what we say will be destroyed when we do what we want. We can not allow the name of God to be blasphemed! We must not arm God's enemies with things to drag His name through the forums on the internet, through the newspaper in our towns, through the radio and television. It is God's will for us to be especially aware of choice. We must choose every moment of the day to walk in Scriptural agreement to character.
Isaiah 52:5 Now therefore, what have I here, saith the LORD, that my people is taken away for nought? they that rule over them make them to howl, saith the LORD; and my name continually every day is blasphemed.
Ezekiel 36:20-22 And when they entered unto the heathen, whither they went, they profaned my holy name, when they said to them, These are the people of the LORD, and are gone forth out of his land. But I had pity for mine holy name, which the house of Israel had profaned among the heathen, whither they went. Therefore say unto the house of Israel, Thus saith the Lord GOD; I do not this for your sakes, O house of Israel, but for mine holy name's sake, which ye have profaned among the heathen, whither ye went.
Character matters as character adds up, it adds up as a nation, and the name of the Lord is blasphemed because of the nation of Israel. Israel's idolatry caused God's holy name to be blasphemed among the very people to whom God ordained Israel to be a witness and lighthouse. Character does matter. How we talk, how we act, how we relate to people may arm the enemy to blaspheme the name of God. So we have seen character is important, how people blaspheme God when we have the morals of an alley cat, we have seen that a nation's actions give the enemy cause to blaspheme God's name, but there is still one more are that must be seen.
Titus 2:3-5 The aged women likewise, that they be in behaviour as becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things; That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children, To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed.
We see something else about character, this is seen in the Word from Paul to Titus concerning sound doctrine to women. Because of the lack of character in a young woman, the Word of God can be blasphemed. Character matters. We shouldn't allow the name of the Lord to be blasphemed taking a stand for holiness and purity, but we must be ever conscience to make the right decisions in our lives to obey His Word, to follow His will, to walk in His character so that His name, His Word, and His doctrine can not be blasphemed. We must walk in the truth, flee the lusts of the flesh, and live lives that glorify His Word. Character matters and it can never ever be taken for granted or justifying our actions denying responsibility. What we believe is vital to the gospel, to preparing others in accepting the Word, as we walk in obedience and integrity. Let's walk in His Spirit and obey His call walking in His "expressed image" in our lives. Character matters.