Character: the measure of who we are

One definition for character goes like this:"the inherent complex of attributes that determine a persons moral and ethical actions and reactions".

Character is who we are when the facade has been stripped away. My pastor was preaching this morning about how our character is the only thing we are going to be taking to heaven with us. Everything else is pretty much a means to an end.

He went on to say that character deals directly with our integrity. Integrity, deals with what we do when no one is looking. It deals with what we do behind closed doors. What we think in the dark corners of hour minds. A wise man once said that a virgin is not necessarily virtuous. It might just mean that they just didn't get an opportunity.

True character is tested under fire, just as gold is refined inside a fiery furnace. True character comes out when we are pressed against a rock and a hard place, just as juice comes out of an orange, water out of a sponge, and toothpaste out of a tube.

The journey of life is not on a straight road. Therefore just as you wouldn't go off road on a Ferrari, the facade we may be keeping will not hold all the time. No matter how hard someone tries to hide their true character, it will reveal itself every once in awhile, and when it does, people will take notice.

So, it goes without saying that integrity determines how effective our testimony is. It determines if non-Christians will call us hypocrites, or if they will call us Godly. It determines if we can boldly go before the throne of God, or if we will hide behind our doubts and fears.

The God of Hope

Today ends the book of Hosea in my 'Bible in a Year' plan. In the book of Hosea, God pours out the grief in his heart. He is heart-broken over how Israel ignores Him and seeks other gods. How they revel in evil and forget about Him.

God is God, the ruler of the universe. With one word He could bring about the destruction of Israel. How many rulers in this world have not done anything when people have opposed them? What judge will give a second chance to a convicted criminal?

Yet, our God is Love. He's not full of love, he is love. So despite all that Israel has done against Him, and all the punishment that Israel deserves, God offers a second chance.

Take words with you and return to the LORD. Say to him: "Forgive all our sins and receive us graciously, that we may offer the fruit of our lips....-Hosea 14:2

I will heal their waywardness and love them freely, for my anger has turned away from them. -Hosea 14:4

This gives me comfort, and it gives me hope. Our God is one who will look past our mistakes, and look past our inadequacies. All we have to do is just turn to Him. God not only does second chances, He does unlimited chances.

Sow for yourselves Righteousness

Sow for yourselves righteousness, reap the fruit of unfailing love, and break up your unplowed ground; for it is time to seek the LORD, until he comes and showers righteousness on you. -Hosea 10:12

Righteousness is something that needs to be sown. You don't sit back and wait to be made righteous.

The blood of Jesus sanctifies us. His blood makes us holy, taking away all our unrighteousness. However, righteous living is something that has to come out of us. It's something we need to sow.

On the flip-side, the next verse says:

But you have planted wickedness, you have reaped evil, you have eaten the fruit of deception. Because you have depended on your own strength and on your many warriors - Hosea 10:13

So the principle is simple:

If you sow righteousness, you will reap unfailing love. If you sow wickedness, you will reap evil.

This is a truth that's usually always on the back of my mind. To make it effective however, I've decided from today to bring it to the front, and keep it there.

I remember all their evil deeds

A question that most people ask at some point in their lives is 'if there is a God why does he let all these horrible things happen in the world?'. Atheists use that question to say there is no God. Dis-heartened believers use it saying all is hopeless.

Anyone who sees the big picture however, will realize that things are different. Consider this verse from Hosea:

They practice deceit, thieves break into houses, bandits rob in the streets; but they do not realize that I remember all their evil deeds. - Hosea 7:1b-2a

I remember as a kid my grandma used to tell me of a big book in heaven where everything I do is recorded. I don't know which format the angel's uses to store their data, but everything is actually being tracked. The security agencies of governments go to great lengths to keep track of what its people are doing, how much so will God, who rules over the whole earth.

Just like criminal cases take a long time to close, God's judicial system is a complex one. Apocalypse will bring with it the white-throne judgment, where every man will be held accountable for what he has done. But even before then, people who commit crimes get their just rewards. They're constantly watching their back. They are happy on the surface, but not really satisfied.

This doesn't of course apply only to the thieves and murderers. All of everyone's actions will be remembered, and each one will be held accountable. What will I do if I was held accountable for every evil thing I ever did? I'd go to hell, that's for sure. That is why I'm so thankful for the Blood of Jesus. To quote one of my favourite hymns:

What can wash away my sins,
nothing but the Blood of Jesus
What can make me whole again,
nothing but the Blood of Jesus