Deeds and Character

New South Wales has recently introduced legislation to abolish the "good character references" in sentencing for criminal offences.  Previously when someone was found to be guilty of committing a crime by a court, they could supply "good character references" which would be taken into account and likely minimise the punishment doled out by the court.  People could use their prior good social standing or personal connections to reduce their culpability.  Their past good conduct or ability to find others to write positive descriptions of their character in no way lessens the severity of the crime committed and should not remove strong consequences criminal activity deserves.  Our deeds are better indicators of our character than what people say about us.

It may be a surprise to some, yet God's word sets a precedent for this positive change.  God said the wicked man who turned from his ways and did good would be pardoned, yet the one who turned from righteousness and did wickedly would bear the full brunt of the Law in Ezekiel 18:24:  "But when a righteous man turns away from his righteousness and commits iniquity, and does according to all the abominations that the wicked man does, shall he live? All the righteousness which he has done shall not be remembered; because of the unfaithfulness of which he is guilty and the sin which he has committed, because of them he shall die."  God emphasised how He did not punish the son because of a wicked father, nor would He punish the father for the wickedness of his son:  each would answer and be judged for his own sin.  God said concerning the repentant sinner in Ezekiel 18:21:  "But if a wicked man turns from all his sins which he has committed, keeps all My statutes, and does what is lawful and right, he shall surely live; he shall not die."

The audience of the prophet Ezekiel took issue with God's judgment and accused Him of His ways not being equal!  God responded, "My ways are not equal?  Your ways are unequal!"  God's ways are gracious, just and entirely consistent.  The children of Israel pushed back upon God's judgments because they were not just or merciful.  They were not inclined to forget the wrongs people had done, and they would give people of good reputation a free pass to do wickedly.  They would blame and punish the father for the wickedness of the son, and they also would condemn the son of a convicted criminal.  I have observed this many times, where a church or ministry leader is condemned because someone in a church or organisation does wickedly, or a current government is vilified because of what happened many years ago when other people were at the helm.  We see a badly behaved child and we may instinctively blame the parent for a lack of discipline, but consider how God is the best Father and the way His children sometimes behave.

God emphasised the need for sinners to repent and revealed His inclination to forgive (unlike people who criticised Him) in Ezekiel 18:30-32:  "Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, every one according to his ways," says the Lord GOD. "Repent, and turn from all your transgressions, so that iniquity will not be your ruin. ³¹ Cast away from you all the transgressions which you have committed, and get yourselves a new heart and a new spirit. For why should you die, O house of Israel? ³² For I have no pleasure in the death of one who dies," says the Lord GOD. "Therefore turn and live!"  A convicted felon could supply many good character references to the court, but God's judgment is the only one that matters.  God knows better than anyone that iniquity will certainly be the ruin of all those who walk therein, and He takes no pleasure in the destruction of sinners--but that sinners would turn and live.  By faith in Jesus Christians are declared righteous, and the wise will continue to repent of sin and turn to Jesus in willing obedience.