Ask the Pastor: Does God Command Cruel Behavior? Battling Chronic Sin.
by the Rev. Walter Snyder
Religion Columnist

Q: I believe that Jeremiah 19:9 and 1 Samuel 15:3 are mistakes. I do not think that God is
capable of commanding such events. My question is whether I would still be a Christian if I
didn't believe them.

A: Jeremiah 19:9 says, "And I will make them eat the flesh of their sons and their daughters, and
every one shall eat the flesh of his neighbor in the siege and in the distress, with which their enemies
and those who seek their life afflict them." 1 Samuel 15:3 says, "Now go and smite Amalek, and
utterly destroy all that they have; do not spare them, but kill both man and woman, infant and
suckling, ox and sheep, camel and ass."

In both of these, the Lord speaks harshly, yet under different circumstances. In the former, he is not
going to directly cause cannibalism. However, some in Jerusalem would, because of the siege and
their own sinful natures, resort to eating even members of their own families (perhaps not killing
them, but eating they died during the siege) because they would be completely without food. Ezekiel
saw similar depravities. It would not be God, but sinful humans, who would finally commit the
atrocity. It was sinful inclinations like this among his people that God was addressing by bringing the
invasion to Judah.

The second verse is part of the conquest of Canaan. God had zero tolerance for those who would
lead his people to idol worship, sexual sin, and other violations of his holy Commandments. There
were some he allowed to live, but many he commanded to be destroyed. We see from the history of
Israel that when they left those alive whom God ordered killed these people soon were enticing the
people of Israel with the sexual worship of false gods and other great shame and vice. 

How are these two examples "worse" or less believable than God's actions in the Noahic flood? Even
more so, they pale beside the punishment he inflicted upon his sinless Son Jesus. If you want to
know how completely holy and hating of sin God is, cast your eyes on Jesus as he hangs battered and
torn on the cross, crying out, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" Yet in destruction, we
also see God's great love. Even as he roots out and destroys evil, he also forgives the penitent who
believes his promises of salvation through Christ.

Q: I have had problems for years with the same sin. No matter how I try, or how long I don't
do it, sooner or later I'm back doing it again. How can I get away from that and not sin?

It may not happen overnight. Indeed, our sinful natures stay with us and certain sins are special
burdens for many of God's people. Directly fighting by resisting the thoughts and feelings is only
partially successful because sin is so powerful and so much a part of us by birth. Setting new and
different habits is helpful, if these habits are godly. Perhaps you can intentionally cut your computer
time for a while and spend a specific amount of time in Bible study, devotions, and prayer. Even if
alone, pray aloud.

Look for things away from home and not directly benefitting yourself. Volunteer your time and labor.
Read to the young, visit the old in a nursing home. When feeling especially tempted, seek the
company of other Christians. But even if you relapse, don't hide from God in shame. He wants you
to give him the new sins even as he's already taken the old ones from you. Receive his forgiveness
and realize each time that you are starting out with a "blank slate." Ask that he write on this slate
instead of you, and marvel at the results. Ultimately, it is only God who has the power to break our
shameful slavery to habitual sin.

To Ask the Pastor, please write Ask the Pastor, PO Box 12, Emma, MO, 65327 or send email to
askthepastor@aol.com. I look forward to hearing from you.

Walter Snyder is the pastor of Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Emma, Missouri and coauthor of the book
"What Do Lutherans Believe."

Ask the Pastor is copyright (c) 2001 by Walter P. Snyder. It may be reproduced  in totality,
including this disclaimer, by anyone, provided that no profit is generated by said republication
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