[papertyger]

True. And it during the times when David’s character is inconsistent with the character and nature of God, that he is to be ignored, rejected (sorry about that, David). But, how would one know when those times occur? Would it not be by checking David’s character and nature against that of God’s? And, how would this be accomplished? Would it not be by seeking to know, understand, confirm the nature and character of God? And how would one do that?

Like I said, you have my sympathies, because I understand your position, even if you don't. You're making assertions and posing questions that can't be answered in support of your "character of God" thesis, but forgetting it is the thesis itself that needs to be proven, not speculative consequences IF the thesis were true.

In short, you are assuming what you need to prove, so your reasoning is invalid.

[Quix]

Ohhhhhhhhh?

Welllllllllll harumph.

OBVIOUSLY, the

White Hanky has spoken.

Bow and scrape; bow and scrape; bow and scrape.

NOT!

[MarDav]

Do you not you believe in the God of the Bible? I ask this because your reasoning seems to indicate that we have no way of knowing whether the scripture is trustworthy (please correct if I have misunderstood you.) The question of God’s character can indeed be answered. But one must use scripture to do it. Christ says in John 14:9

Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Show us the Father?

It is the Lord, Himself, revealed in the scriptures, who proves the thesis of God’s character. Or do you have some other way of determining the character and nature of God?

Do you reject these words recorded in John as being the words of the Lord Himself? If so, what other scriptures do you reject? On what basis? Which ones do you accept? Again, on what basis?

If the words recorded in the gospels (let’s just take those for the moment) are true, then by looking at them, especially where the Lord is speaking, we can draw conclusions about His character. If so, and He, being the express image of His (God’s) person (as He attests in John), then we can draw conclusions about the character of God. If we can do that, then we can certainly identify when God would have us to listen to those He has called (whether they be the David who brings the Ark of the Covenant in from Obed-Edom, or Peter, when he tells us we are “a royal priesthood, a holy nation...) because their words and actions are in agreement with God’s character and when we need to ignore them (let’s not follow David’s example of lusting after another man’s wife, or Peter’s example of presuming to tell the Lord, “Far be it from you...”) because they are acting contrary to God’s will.