Christian Life Church
January 17, 2024 - 7pm
TOUGH TOPICS DID GOD COMMIT GENOCIDE? HOW CAN I FORGIVE AS GOD HAS FORGIVEN ME?
Locations & Times
Christian Life Church Columbia
2700 Bush River Rd, Columbia, SC 29210, USA
Wednesday 6:30 PM
TOUGH TOPICS JANUARY 17, 2024
DID GOD COMMIT GENOCIDE?
SCRIPTURE
When the Lord your God brings you into the land you are entering to possess and drives out before you many nations…seven nations larger and stronger than you – and when the Lord your God has delivered them over to you and you have defeated them, then you must destroy them totally. Deuteronomy 7:1-2
(Israel) devoted the city to the Lord and destroyed with the sword every living thing in it—men and women, young and old, cattle, sheep and donkeys. Joshua 6:21
So Joshua subdued the whole region, including the hill country, the Negev, the western foothills and the mountain slopes, together with all their kings. He left no survivors. He totally destroyed all who breathed, just as the Lord, the God of Israel, had commanded. Joshua 10:40
WERE THERE MISSTEPS?
1/ Did Scripture get it wrong?
Some believe Joshua didn’t completely wipe out Jericho but was using hyperbole.
Others believe this phrase was added to the text later to justify the action.
To suggest this is to believe that Scripture is not inerrant.
2/ Did God get it wrong?
“The God of the Old Testament is arguably the most unpleasant character in all fiction: jealous and proud of it; a petty, unjust, unforgiving control-freak; a vindictive, bloodthirsty ethnic cleanser; a misogynistic, homophobic, racist, infanticidal, genocidal, filicidal, pestilential, megalomaniacal, sadomasochistic, capriciously malevolent bully.” Richard Dawkins
To suggest this is to come into agreement with Dawkins that God is unjust.
3/ Did God evolve?
Many people see this action and measure it against the life of Jesus.
Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. Hebrews 13:8
To suggest that Christ doesn’t possess wrath is intellectually dishonest.
THE CHARACTER & NATURE OF GOD
1/ The God of the Bible is perfectly merciful.
And He passed in front of Moses, proclaiming, “The Lord, the Lord, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin. Exodus 34:6
God did send judgment, but not until His mercy was exhausted. (Genesis 15:16)
God will allow wickedness to metastasize, so its destructive nature is clear to all.
The Lord is not slow in keeping His promise, as some understand slowness. Instead He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. 2 Peter 3:9
2/ The God of the Bible is perfectly just.
And He passed in front of Moses, proclaiming, “The Lord, the Lord, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin. Yet He does not leave the guilty (unrepentant) unpunished.” Exodus 34:6-7
“This text and others like it bother us for one fundamental reason: we have virtually no grasp on the holiness of God or the sinfulness of humanity.” Sam Storms
It is dangerous when immoral people attempt to become the moral judge of God.
Justice is part of God’s divine nature.
Note then the kindness and the severity of God… Romans 11:22
We do not apologize for God’s acts, because He is trusted as the Righteous Judge.
The Lord is righteous in everything He does. Psalm 145:17
God’s judgment upon Jericho was not for racial or ethnic reason, but due to unrepentant sin.
TOUGH TOPICS
HOW CAN I FORGIVE AS GOD HAS FORGIVEN ME?
SCRIPTURE
Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. Ephesians 4:32
Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. Colossians 3:13
TRUTHS ABOUT FORGIVENESS
1/ When I forgive, I should “forget” the offense for their sake.
Christ forgave us and wants us to release offenses.
“…I will remember their sins no more.” Hebrews 8:12
“God’s promise not to remember means He will bury our sins and not exhume the bones to beat you over the head with them. God declares, ‘I will never use these sins against you.’”
Jay Adams
2/ When I forgive, I should “forget” the offense for my sake.
Christ forgave us and wants us to walk in freedom.
He has removed our sins as far from us as the east is from the west. Psalm 103:12
We cannot internally dwell upon offenses. “What you rehearse, you nurse.” PD
…we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. 2 Corinthians 10:5
3/ When I forgive, I should release the desire for revenge.
Christ forgave us and let go of wrath against us.
Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath… Romans 12:19
Revenge is subjective and often emotionally based. True justice is objective and righteous.
Forgiveness simply means I will let go of seeking revenge and trust God to bring justice.
4/ When I forgive, I should bless the offender, not harm them.
Christ forgave us and blessed us.
Do not repay anyone evil for evil. On the contrary: “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. Romans 12:17-21
5/ When I forgive, I should seek reconciliation.
Christ forgave us and brought us back into relationship with God.
Though not true for every situation, the aim of forgiveness should be relationship.
6/ When I forgive, I may still have to practice forgiving.
Christ forgave us and continues to forgive us for repeated sin.
DID GOD COMMIT GENOCIDE?
SCRIPTURE
When the Lord your God brings you into the land you are entering to possess and drives out before you many nations…seven nations larger and stronger than you – and when the Lord your God has delivered them over to you and you have defeated them, then you must destroy them totally. Deuteronomy 7:1-2
(Israel) devoted the city to the Lord and destroyed with the sword every living thing in it—men and women, young and old, cattle, sheep and donkeys. Joshua 6:21
So Joshua subdued the whole region, including the hill country, the Negev, the western foothills and the mountain slopes, together with all their kings. He left no survivors. He totally destroyed all who breathed, just as the Lord, the God of Israel, had commanded. Joshua 10:40
WERE THERE MISSTEPS?
1/ Did Scripture get it wrong?
Some believe Joshua didn’t completely wipe out Jericho but was using hyperbole.
Others believe this phrase was added to the text later to justify the action.
To suggest this is to believe that Scripture is not inerrant.
2/ Did God get it wrong?
“The God of the Old Testament is arguably the most unpleasant character in all fiction: jealous and proud of it; a petty, unjust, unforgiving control-freak; a vindictive, bloodthirsty ethnic cleanser; a misogynistic, homophobic, racist, infanticidal, genocidal, filicidal, pestilential, megalomaniacal, sadomasochistic, capriciously malevolent bully.” Richard Dawkins
To suggest this is to come into agreement with Dawkins that God is unjust.
3/ Did God evolve?
Many people see this action and measure it against the life of Jesus.
Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. Hebrews 13:8
To suggest that Christ doesn’t possess wrath is intellectually dishonest.
THE CHARACTER & NATURE OF GOD
1/ The God of the Bible is perfectly merciful.
And He passed in front of Moses, proclaiming, “The Lord, the Lord, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin. Exodus 34:6
God did send judgment, but not until His mercy was exhausted. (Genesis 15:16)
God will allow wickedness to metastasize, so its destructive nature is clear to all.
The Lord is not slow in keeping His promise, as some understand slowness. Instead He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. 2 Peter 3:9
2/ The God of the Bible is perfectly just.
And He passed in front of Moses, proclaiming, “The Lord, the Lord, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin. Yet He does not leave the guilty (unrepentant) unpunished.” Exodus 34:6-7
“This text and others like it bother us for one fundamental reason: we have virtually no grasp on the holiness of God or the sinfulness of humanity.” Sam Storms
It is dangerous when immoral people attempt to become the moral judge of God.
Justice is part of God’s divine nature.
Note then the kindness and the severity of God… Romans 11:22
We do not apologize for God’s acts, because He is trusted as the Righteous Judge.
The Lord is righteous in everything He does. Psalm 145:17
God’s judgment upon Jericho was not for racial or ethnic reason, but due to unrepentant sin.
TOUGH TOPICS
HOW CAN I FORGIVE AS GOD HAS FORGIVEN ME?
SCRIPTURE
Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. Ephesians 4:32
Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. Colossians 3:13
TRUTHS ABOUT FORGIVENESS
1/ When I forgive, I should “forget” the offense for their sake.
Christ forgave us and wants us to release offenses.
“…I will remember their sins no more.” Hebrews 8:12
“God’s promise not to remember means He will bury our sins and not exhume the bones to beat you over the head with them. God declares, ‘I will never use these sins against you.’”
Jay Adams
2/ When I forgive, I should “forget” the offense for my sake.
Christ forgave us and wants us to walk in freedom.
He has removed our sins as far from us as the east is from the west. Psalm 103:12
We cannot internally dwell upon offenses. “What you rehearse, you nurse.” PD
…we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. 2 Corinthians 10:5
3/ When I forgive, I should release the desire for revenge.
Christ forgave us and let go of wrath against us.
Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath… Romans 12:19
Revenge is subjective and often emotionally based. True justice is objective and righteous.
Forgiveness simply means I will let go of seeking revenge and trust God to bring justice.
4/ When I forgive, I should bless the offender, not harm them.
Christ forgave us and blessed us.
Do not repay anyone evil for evil. On the contrary: “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. Romans 12:17-21
5/ When I forgive, I should seek reconciliation.
Christ forgave us and brought us back into relationship with God.
Though not true for every situation, the aim of forgiveness should be relationship.
6/ When I forgive, I may still have to practice forgiving.
Christ forgave us and continues to forgive us for repeated sin.