OBC-FRS-5-KINDNESS

THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT

Webster’s gives this meaning to “kindness”: “a kind deed, favor; the quality or state of being kind; archaic – affection.” (p. 635 Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary of 1977) The second series of meanings given for the root word “kind” is this:

“affectionate, loving; of a sympathetic nature; disposed to be helpful or solicitous; of a forbearing nature, gentle;arising from or characterized by sympathy or forbearance; of a kind to give pleasure or relief, agreeable.” (p. 635) Henry Drummond once wrote, “You will find as you look back on your life that the moments that stand out above everything else are the moments when you have done things in a spirit of love.”

The Creator of all life has been gracious to us. He allows the rain to fall on the just and the unjust. Each new day He gives us the breath of life and the opportunity to accept Him or reject Him. It is His continuing favor on mankind that prolongs His bringing about a day of judgment on all mankind. This is not to say that His patience has no limits for clearly the Old Testament is filled with examples of His divine wrath being poured out on mankind for disobedience. Just as His righteousness demanded that a penalty be paid for sin in both the Old and New Testaments there is coming a day when he will repay man for his sinfulness. It is the sympathetic nature of our God that has allowed His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, to die in our place. He has allowed His own Son to take our sins upon Himself and offer Himself once for all time as the perfect, supreme sacrifice for sin.

God knows our nature, our character, and each of our hearts. He is disposed to be helpful to us, because He knows the frailty of man and how we are so prone to step aside from the path that He has placed before us. His nature is one of forbearance and He is willing to bring relief into our lives from sin, heartache, and pain. Those who choose to obey Him have the wonderful promise of living forever with Him in eternity. Those who submit their lives to Him in baptism for the remission of their past sins have been made new creatures in Christ. We buried the old man of sin in the watery grave and have resurrected a new man created in the image of the Son of God. We now reflect the image of Jesus Christ in our actions, thoughts, and daily walk. As we mature in Christ we take on a whole new attitude toward life. As we strive to become more like the Savior one of those noticeable attributes of character that is changed is our quality to be kind.

The golden rule as it is called in Matthew 7:12 takes on a whole different meaning for you and me when we become a follower of Jesus Christ. The passage says, “Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.” Can you imagine the wonder of the people when they heard Jesus sum up the Law and the Prophets here? Everything Moses taught and everything the different prophets stated could be put in this simple phrase, “do unto others as you would have them do to you.” Today the application is quite remarkable! How do we respond when we are cut off in traffic? Not always favorably? How do we react when we are justly or unjustly criticized? Depends on who is telling us right? Being a Christian is not always a simple thing to do, but it is never wrong to do right! Kindness is something we begin to learn as a child, but sometimes when we become adults we have to be reminded. Let us study God’s word a little closer.

Larry R. Scott, minister

THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT – KINDNESS – (Week 5) Saturday April 5^th., 2008

1. The word “kindness” is used 39 times in the Old Testament. What does Nehemiah 9:17

say about God?_________________________________________________________

2. Does the Psalmist say that God’s kindness is marvelous? (Psalm 31:21) ____________

3. What do you think the writer means in Proverbs 19:22 when he speaks of kindness?

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4. What does Proverbs 31:26 say about kindness? _______________________________

5. Did the kindness of God enter into the saving of the people of Ninevah? (Jonah 4:2)

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6. In Acts 28:2 the Apostle Paul speaks of the “love of mankind” (definition of kindness

as used in this text) for them. How was kindness shown them by total strangers?

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7. Kindness is used to mean “usefulness, beneficence” in the following passages:

II Corinthians 6:6; Ephesians 2:7; Colossians 3:12; Titus 3:4 What is the significance

for one who is a child of God? (Explain) ____________________________________

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8. The expression “brotherly kindness” is used by Peter to mean “love of the

brotherhood” In II Peter 1:7. How is this to be added to our character?_____________

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Is it possible for us to do this?_____ How can we love the brotherhood?___________

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9. List some ways we can display kindness in our lives.

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Student____________________

Date____________

Grade___________

Instructor: Larry R. Scott