You Can Know You Have Eternal Life
#673
Man's Search for Inner Peace (87)
Honorable Citizenship in Jesus Kingdom (9)
by Jim Mettenbrink
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In addition to turning away from
sins of the flesh as defined by God in the New Testament, Jesus
has also commanded citizens of His kingdom to adopt His attitudes
as their own (1 Corinthians 2:16, 11:1; Philippians 2:5).
This is called Christlikeness.
We have considered several traits
of Christlikeness which the apostle Paul called fruit of the
Spirit love (agape), joy, peace and longsuffering
(eg. endurance in trials of opposition). The next in the
list of Christlikeness is kindness (Galatians 5:22, 23).
Some versions translate the NT Greek word as goodness,
but kindness is the better rendering.
Kindness has the quality of gentleness
and sweet disposition of temper, which puts people at ease. It
is never harsh, rude or bitter. If a man is kind, he will
never be a tyrant or slave master, but rather will have the gentleness
of a shepherd tending to the fragile newborn lamb. Jesus
displayed this attitude toward the penitent woman (Luke 7:37-50).
Kindness is the tenderhearted quality that causes the citizen
to be forgiving toward another citizen (Ephesians 4:32).
Frequently we must look to the
character of God Himself to grasp the depth of meaning of Christlike
traits. Regarding Gods righteousness in exercising
judgment of sin, the apostle Paul reminds, the Roman Christians
about Gods attitude toward mankind until that day of judgment
Or
do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance
and patience, not knowing that Gods kindness is meant to
lead you to repentance?
(Romans 2:4, ESV).
Kindness is the trait of Gods
character connected to His forbearance of mans sin with
the intent that all would repent i.e., become Christians and
live faithfully according to the New Testament. Later the
apostle Peter wrote, The
Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness,
but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish
but that all should come to repentance
(2 Peter 3:9). Gods kindness is how He exercises
His patience waiting for man to repent. He has no desire
that anyone would be condemned to hell eternally.
Although His righteousness demands
justice, He does not exercise it immediately. Rather, He
waits with the desire that folks would come to their senses and
repent from a fasle faith and all which God calls sin, becoming
citizens of Jesus kingdom. Citizenship begins with complete
trust in Jesus as Lord and Savior (Ephesians 1:12, 13),
having the change of heart to turn away from all which God calls
sin (Acts 2:36-38; 17:30). And doing so with genuine
faith submitting to God in a grave of water emulating Jesus death
burial and resurrection (Romans 6:3-4, 17) for the remission
of sins (Acts 22:16). Since Jesus knows who responds
in baptism with genuine faith, He adds the new citizen to His
kingdom (Acts 2:47). In addition to longsuffering
(patience), Jesus wants the citizen to have the same kindness,
as Jesus exemplified.
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