~ Being Kind To Those Who Are Not
Lovely Is A Fruit Of The Spirit ~
Overview Scripture ~ “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), finding out what is acceptable to the Lord. And have no fellowship with the unfruitful
works of darkness, but rather expose them” (Ephesians 5:8-11).
Series Scripture ~ “But the fruit
of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.
Against such there is no law. And those who are Christ’s have crucified the
flesh with its passions and desires. If
we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit” (Galatians 5:22-25). It is important to note that while this
passage lists nine fruits of the Spirit it is not a complete list—which includes
“all goodness, righteousness, and truth”
as seen above in Ephesians 5.
Comment ~ The
first verse my youngest daughter learned was “Be kind.” Kindness is not a natural trait of mankind—especially
towards those who are not friends.
Natural Man
~ There is a false kind of kindness. For example, do you “express kindness”
by softening the Word of God so as not to “offend” them? Allowing a person to continue their path to
hell is not kind!
“Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you
not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the
world makes himself an enemy of God” (James 4:4).
“For I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of
this book: If anyone adds to these things, God will add to him the plagues that
are written in this book; and if anyone takes away from the words of the book
of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the Book of Life, from the
holy city, and from the things which are written in this book” (Revelation 22:18-19).
~
Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT
LIFE NOW blog.
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