Kindness and Goodness
Fruit of the Spirit • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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Bear the Mark of the Spirit.
Bear the Mark of the Spirit.
The fruit of the Spirit, His work, His will can become clear in our lives and shown to others. (Gal 5:22-23)
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.
These changes occur in the heart and are seen in the life of every Christian that learns to yield to God and grows up!
This kind of change is very distinct from the spirit which comes from the world.
Do not be afraid to bear His mark!
Have you received the Spirit’s mark? (2 Cor 1:21-22)
It is important to ask if who we really are is being changed. (2 Cor 1:21-22)
Now He who establishes us with you in Christ and has anointed us is God, who also has sealed us and given us the Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee.
“You know to whom a coin belongs by the imprint on it!”
We have mentioned the Mark of the Spirit in the context of the Mark of the Beast, Rev. 13.
Kindness
Kindness
Kindness includes our attitude as well as our “core” of morality. (Rom. 2:4; 3:12; 2 Cor. 6:6)
Or do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance?
They have all turned aside;
They have together become unprofitable;
There is none who does good, no, not one.”
by purity, by knowledge, by longsuffering, by kindness, by the Holy Spirit, by sincere love,
crhsto,thj - (1) as a gracious attitude goodness, kindness (RO 2.4).. (2) as moral integrity uprightness, honesty (2C 6.6); … do what is right (RO 3.12) – Friberg
“the sympathetic kindness or sweetness of temper which outs others at ease, and shrinks from giving pain.” – Plummer
It is from this attribute that we know God will forgive us. We also must have this attribute in order for us to forgive.
Have you ever known others that you are convinced have no use for you? Such is not the love of God!
In the Old Testament this word is used of God more than anyone else. (Ps 106:1; 69:16-17; 100:4-5; 109:21)
If all we knew about God that He was morally upright then this aspect of His holiness could bring us into despair at our own sinfulness.
When we know that God is kind, then we realize that in spite of our “falling short” that our God wants to aid us! (Ps 106:1)
Praise the Lord!
Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good!
For His mercy endures forever.
It is this quality in our God that draws men to Him! (Ps 69:16-17; 100:4-5; 109:21)
Hear me, O Lord, for Your lovingkindness is good;
Turn to me according to the multitude of Your tender mercies.
And do not hide Your face from Your servant,
For I am in trouble;
Hear me speedily.
Enter into His gates with thanksgiving,
And into His courts with praise.
Be thankful to Him, and bless His name.
For the Lord is good;
His mercy is everlasting,
And His truth endures to all generations.
But You, O God the Lord,
Deal with me for Your name’s sake;
Because Your mercy is good, deliver me.
Who can you go to when you are in deep trouble? Who will help you when you come to Him without excuses and with a broken heart?
What kindness will you offer to others in order to help them see what you see about God?
This kindness brings needed instructions that are “harsh” to the one who does not trust God! (Ps 119:65-68; Mk 10:21-22)
You have dealt well with Your servant,
O Lord, according to Your word.
Teach me good judgment and knowledge,
For I believe Your commandments.
Before I was afflicted I went astray,
But now I keep Your word.
You are good, and do good;
Teach me Your statutes.
The grace of God and the law of God do go hand in hand.
Men cannot see their sinfulness without the truth of God opening a heart to see a painful reality. Those who know the kindness of God do not fear this!
Men think they are kinder than God by withholding needed teaching. We need to be reminded of the kindness of God as seen in Jesus. (Mk 10:21-22)
Then Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, “One thing you lack: Go your way, sell whatever you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, take up the cross, and follow Me.”
But he was sad at this word, and went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.
Please do not fear for the lost or our brethren to hear plain Bible teaching.
God’s kindness is universal and unconditional. (Lk 6:35; Ps 85:12; 104:27-28; Rom 2:4-5)
But love your enemies, do good, and lend, hoping for nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High. For He is kind to the unthankful and evil.
Anyone who has given accurate thought to this can see it. (Ps 85:12; 104:27-28)
Yes, the Lord will give what is good;
And our land will yield its increase.
These all wait for You,
That You may give them their food in due season.
What You give them they gather in;
You open Your hand, they are filled with good.
God also in His kindness brings judgments and removes needed provisions so that man might be humbled and return to Him.
We must be reminded of the certainty of this kindness and the purpose behind it.
Men can view God’s kindness as weakness or as a reason to continue in sin. (Rom 2:4-5)
Or do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance? But in accordance with your hardness and your impenitent heart you are treasuring up for yourself wrath in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God,
Do we find this attitude in our own hearts? (Col 4:6)
Do you relish the thought of punishing those who have hurt you?
Have you cast off others as trash and wish for bad things to happen to them?
Are you willing and glad to be used as a tool for bringing anyone back to God?
Do you often think about how you can better express yourself to others? (Col 4:6)
Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one.
Goodness
Goodness
Goodness accomplishes the Kindness sown in the heart. (Rom. 15:14; Gal. 5:22; 2 Thess 2:16-17; Eph 5:8-9)
Some contrast this word as ‘doing’ the kindness that is in the heart.
avgaqwsu,nh, hj, h` (1) as a quality of moral excellence being good, goodness, uprightness (RO 15.14);
Now I myself am confident concerning you, my brethren, that you also are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, able also to admonish one another.
(2) as a quality of relationship with others willingness to give or share, generosity, goodness (GA 5.22) - Frieberg
Now I myself am confident concerning you, my brethren, that you also are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, able also to admonish one another.
If there is a real will in our heart to do something, then we will do it! (2 Thess 2:16-17)
Now may our Lord Jesus Christ Himself, and our God and Father, who has loved us and given us everlasting consolation and good hope by grace, comfort your hearts and establish you in every good word and work.
We are to be “filled” with it! It is to abound! (Eph 5:8-9)
For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light (for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth),
These things imply finding truth, having a zeal for what is right and being willing to stand for it.
“Zeal for goodness and truth, in rebuking, correcting and chastening.” – Trench
When you became a Christian, what was your goal? (Rom 15:14)
Now I myself am confident concerning you, my brethren, that you also are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, able also to admonish one another.
I wanted others to see what I had seen in Christ, and before that, I wanted to know Him more. I needed to warn others about the deadliness of sin.
Over time, I have learned that just as important is to exhort and strengthen brothers and sisters on the foundation of truth.
Some of our brethren might be forsaking goodness in order not to “offend” others who are in sin that is culturally or politically favorable.
“In our quest for knowledge, beware of becoming smarter than God. In our quest for tolerance, beware of becoming more lenient than God. In our quest for civility, beware of becoming nicer than God.” – Ed Bragwell
Conclusion: When other begin to see our God in us we will be treated like Jesus was! Many will despise us and some will open their hearts to us.