Re: Old vs New Testament God

Richard Dimery (rjd20@hermes.cam.ac.uk)
Wed, 11 Jun 1997 16:45:13 +0100 (BST)

Is the picture of God so different? The OT is telling a history of
hundreds of years, and so is bound to talk about the violent upheavals
concerning God's people, because these were very important events. But the
NT only spans a much shorter time, so is surely less likely to talk about
how God is using the wars of the day to accomplish his plan. But I'm
sure he did use them. The "God of the OT" is a God of mercy too. Don't
forget he didn't purge Canaan of its non-Jews when Abraham et fam were
there, because the "sin of the Amorites had not reached fulness" (or
something similar), ie he gave them time to repent. Ninevah shows God's
willingness to have mercy in times of repentance too. Don't forget Ninevah
was a major royal city in those times, and apparently a den of iniquity.
And God would have been willing to spare Sodom and Gomorrah if there were
ten righteous men to be found there. Don't forget that the "God of the NT"
is the one who "smote" Ananias and Sapphira in Acts because of one "small"
sin. And also it's tough to read Jesus or Revelation talking about
judgement and Hell and see the "NT God" as one of sweetness and light. God
is consistently just, merciful, loving and holy.

Richard.