22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such there is no law. (Galatians 5:22-23) (RSV)
Baker's Evangelical Dictionary.
http://www.biblestudytools.com/dictionaries/bakers-evangelical-dictionary/kindness.html
Kindness. An attribute of God and quality desirable but not consistently found in humans.
The main problem in understanding kindness is the fact that it is one of a series of terms that are overlapping and not clearly or consistently distinguishable in meaning.This is true not only in English (kindness, goodness, mercy, pity, love, grace, favor, compassion, gentleness, tenderness, etc.) but also in Greek (chrestos, eleemon, oiktirmon, charis, agape, splanchnon, epieikeia, etc.) and in Hebrew (hesed, tob, rahamim, hemlah, hen, etc.). Consider, for example, the relationship of love, goodness, kindness, and mercy in lu 6:35-36. Nevertheless, although distinctions are not consistent, kindness (like goodness, love) tends to cover a broad range of meaning, with mercy and grace being progressively narrower.
35 But love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil.
36 Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful. (Luke 6:35-36) (NKJV)
35 But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. 36 Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful. (Luke 6:35-36) (NIV)
35 But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. 36 Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful. (Luke 6:35-36) (NIV)
35 But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return;[b] and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High; for he is kind to the ungrateful and the selfish.36 Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful. (Luke 6:35-36) (RSV)
Divine Kindness. God's kindness is presupposed or taught throughout Scripture.
It is manifest in what is called "common grace." God is kind to all he has made ( Psalm 145:9 ), even when his creatures are ungrateful and wicked ( Luke 6:35 ; cf. Matt 5:45 ). His kindness is intended to lead to repentance, not to rejection of him ( Rom 2:4 ).
9 The Lord is good to all: and his tender mercies are over all his works. (Psalms 145:9) (NKJV)
9 The Lord is good to all;
he has compassion on all he has made. (Psalms 145:9) (NIV)
he has compassion on all he has made. (Psalms 145:9) (NIV)
4 Or do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, forbearance and patience, not realizing that God’s kindness is intended to lead you to repentance? (Matthew 5:45) (NIV)
In the second place, it is the believer who can truly celebrate God's kindness, even in areas of experience not directly related to salvation from the guilt and punishment of sin. God's kindness is seen in his deliverance of the believer from affliction, fear, and trouble.
Third, God's kindness is manifest in the full salvation that comes through Christ ( 1 Peter 2:3 ). Indeed, our salvation derives from the kindness of God ( Eph 2:7-8 ), and it is through continuing in his kindness that we are saved ( Rom 11:22 ).
3 If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious. (1 Peter 2:3) (NKJV)
7 That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.
8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: (Ephesians 2:7-8) (NKJV)
7 in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. 8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast (Ephesians 2:7-9) (NIV)
7 that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith; and this is not your own doing, it is the gift of God— 9 not because of works, lest any man should boast. (Ephesians 2:7-9) (RSV)
22 Consider therefore the kindness and sternness of God: sternness to those who fell, but kindness to you, provided that you continue in his kindness. Otherwise, you also will be cut off. (Romans 11:22) (NIV)
22 Note then the kindness and the severity of God: severity toward those who have fallen, but God’s kindness to you, provided you continue in his kindness; otherwise you too will be cut off. (Romans 11:22) (RSV)
What is true of God in general is also specifically attributed to Christ, who is gentle( Matt 11:29-30 ). In this connection, Jesus' kind yoke might better be understood to speak of the fact that it is gently and considerately laid upon his disciple rather than that it is easy to accomplish.
Human Kindness. The Scriptures also teach that divine kindness is to be reflected in the human experience. Indeed, expressing kindness to other human beings is more important than performing ritual sacrifice to God ( Hosea 6:6 ; Matt 9:13 ; 12:7 ). Thus, we are to love kindness ( Mic 6:8 ) and to be children of the Most High, exhibiting his kindness and mercy ( Luke 6:35-36 ). Even more direct is the simple injunction to be kind ( Eph 4:32 ).
6 For I desired mercy, and not sacrifice; and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings. (Hosea 6:6) (NKJV)
6 For I desire mercy, not sacrifice,
and acknowledgment of God rather than burnt offerings. (Hosea 6:6) (NIV)
and acknowledgment of God rather than burnt offerings. (Hosea 6:6) (NIV)
13 But go ye and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance. (Matthew 9:13) (NKJV)
13 But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’[a] For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.” (Matthew 9:13) (NIV)
7 But if ye had known what this meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice, ye would not have condemned the guiltless. (Matthew 12:7) (NKJV)
7 If you had known what these words mean, ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice,’[a] you would not have condemned the innocent. (Matthew 12:7) (NIV)
32 And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you (Ephesians 4:32) (NKJV)
32 Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. (Ephesians 4:32) (NIV)
Kindness often finds a place in the lists of Christian virtues ( 1 Col 13:4 ; Col 3:12 ). Paul can take the injunction a step further and claim to exemplify kindness in his own life to a degree that commends his ministry as authentic ( 2 Cor 6:6 ).
Yet human imitation of God's kindness does not come naturally. In fact, ultimately no one is kind (Psalm 14:3 ; Rom 3:12 ). It is only as the fruit of God's Spirit that kindness can be a consistent part of the believer's experience ( Gal 5:22 ).
Saturday, Feb 1, 2014.
Michael Yeap.
No comments:
Post a Comment