Got Character?
The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being (Hebrews 1:3)
A few years ago, a church I attended in Arkansas hosted a Thanksgiving service, which served to raise money for the ministerial alliance. The alliance asked our church to lead in the praise and worship, and I played the piano on the worship team. Looking over the congregation, I noted a pastor from another church who, no matter what we sang, refused to either clap his hands or raise them in worship. He simply sat in his pew with his arms folded. That struck me as strange, because outside of church he was a happy, vivacious, demonstrative man.
I have never been known for my extreme subtly or bashfulness, so as we gathered for refreshments after the service, I questioned him his about posture. “Why, when Scripture instructs you to lift up holy hands to the Lord, and you have a chance to do so in a public service, did you sit with your arms folded across your chest?”
“Well, you see,” he began to stammer and laugh, “I’m a . . . .” and he named his denomination. I cut him off and said, “Are you a denomination first or a Christian first?”
At this point, he began to look around for help from the people who had gathered, including my pastor. He asked, “Is he always like this?” to which my pastor replied, “Hey, he’s going easy on you.” Everybody gathered around laughed.
It is sad that many church members (or goers) around the world are more concerned with offending their denomination and the people in the next pew than they are in obeying the Word of God. The congregation led by the pastor in my story will have trouble obeying Scripture because he was not setting an obedient example. In a simple sense of the word, this pastor lacked character.
Regarding His eternal relationship to God, Hebrews tells us that Jesus is the “exact representation of his being” (1:3). James Moffat says He was “stamped with God’s own character.” The phrase “exact representation” translates the Greek word charaktēr, which gives us our English word “character.”
Originally, this word meant to cut, to scratch, to mark. It indicated the tool or agent that did the marking, and eventually came to mean the mark or the impression that was made. It also indicated an impression made in a wax seal. Or, think of a coin: its image, numbers and letters bear the exact image of the raised numbers and letters of the original die from which the coin was cast. To see a dime or a quarter is to know exactly what the original die or stamp looked like.
Jesus said, “Anyone who has seen me has seen the father” (John 14:9). This is true, because He was the “exact representation” of God, “stamped with God’s own character.” To see Jesus is to see God, for He is the exact image of God, the perfectly engraved representation of the very nature of God.
This brings up a very difficult question, especially for me: “If to see Jesus is to see the Father, then, when people see me, do they see Jesus?” As I was looking for the Christ-like qualities in that pastor, I began to wonder:
- When I am at my church, what do people first see in me — the Kingdom of God or a denominational version of God?
- Am I stamped with the very character of God?
- Do people see Jim or Jesus?
- As a disciple of Jesus, am I exhibiting the character of Christ the way that Jesus the Son bore the character of God the Father?
- When people see the church out working in the world, whose character do they perceive? Are they seeing the compassion, mercy, patience, and love of God, or do they see the values of MTV, ABC, Wall Street, Hollywood, Cosmopolitan, and Men’s Health?
We must all ask those tough questions if we are going to live the character of Christ and represent God in all we say and do. Jesus said, “Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father.” Now I want to be able to say, “Anyone who has seen me has seen Jesus.” Maybe one day, at my funeral, some kind soul will say, “Jim was the most Christ-like person I’ve ever met.” Then I’ll know I got character.
Thinking Out Loud 
Jim,
Do you know what also bother me the most ? Is to see a pastor picturing himself as Jesus. In a long run, he will have guts to say that he is Jesus.
Your hypothesis is wrong. To say that; If to see Jesus, is to see the Father, then when people see me, do they see Jesus ? This is one of the most stupid analysis of yours. But , there is an answer to that question of yours; and the answer is YES!! FALSE JESUS. That is what you are. A False preacher.
( No offense intended, ONLY THE TRUTH)
Do you want to debate on this one?
Dove,
Thanks for your comments. No, I really don’t want to debate this one, but thank you for asking.
Blessings,
Jim
Great thought Jim. I also like that you didn’t bother deleting the other guy. I’ve always felt like my God was big enough to defend himself.
As for being like God. I’ve been thinking, studying, praying about this whole issue of being incarnate. Never thought I’d use a word that big, but there it is.
It seems I am to do things naturally from an overflow of God in me. Not do things so that I fill God in me. If I can get this right, my character issues become gravy…
Archie,
Yes, a natural re-presentation of Christ would take care of my character issues. I want my first nature to be Christ-like, not my second-nature.
Blessings,
Jim
Thanks for the great word. Apparently dove124 does not understand incarnation theology nor does dove124 comprehend that each day we are to become more like Him. It is amazing after 41+ years of marriage how much like my wife I have become and how much like me she has become. The more we walk with each other we act like each other–we are still in the process of becoming one.
Relationship with God is very similar. The more time you spend with Him the more you take on His mindset, “Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus” (Phil 2:5). Doesn’t it seem that if the mind in Christ is in us, then it will show in all we say and do. We will take on his lifestyle just because we spend so much time with Him.
I am not Jesus, I am still a man in need of a Savior who can lift me out of the darkness of this world.
Thanks for your word.
Charles R.,
To tell you frankly, yes , I do not understand incarnation theology. You know why? It’s not in the bible. It’s a concept created by a wild imagination of people WHO DO NOT UNDERSTAND THE SCRIPTURE. As it is written in 2 Peter 3:16 it says” As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; IN WHICH ARE SOME THINGS HARD TO BE UNDERSTOOD, which they THAT ARE UNLEARNED and UNSTABLE W R E S T, as they do also the other Scriptures , unto their own destruction”.
I hope that you understand my point.
archie rhine,
Yes,, God can defend himself, BUT , will it be more interesting if your so called pastor, will depend his teaching ? So that you will know if God hath really sent him? For GOD hath saith, (Isaiah 1:18)”Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord”.
What I understand from you, from the thing you wrote, is that, you yourself is not well verse of the scripture. Maybe it is the fault of your guide. Maybe he did not impart to you a knowledge of how to recognized a pastor who are sent by God , to those that are not sent by God.
So next time, don’t butt in, to topics that you yourself is ignorant of. My suggestion to you is : STUDY THE BIBLE. READ IT VERY VERY CAREFULLY !
As a very flawed human being, I can only hope to be mindful of the examples Jesus left us and in some small way exhibit His character along the way. The five questions you pose are so relevant to living each day not for me, but in God. Thanks, Jim.
Dove,
I am always interested in opposing points of view at my blog. I’m not perfect and have much to learn. Still, I will ask you to be respectful to other writers who oppose your point of view. If you want to engage in a decent, even lively dialogue with other readers, have at it. I enjoy reading the discussions. However, if you are going to tell others, who are free to leave their comments just like you are, “don’t butt in,” then I will not publish your comments. Feel free to disagree, but do so agreeably and with love.
Jim
“Are you a denomination first or a Christian first?” That is just the quesiton that I have been working through. Thanks for the reminder, Jim that we are to present ourselves as reflecitons of Christ and not the demonitation that we choose to worship Him with.