Tonight in Women's Biblical Guidance, Pastor Kenny talked about something that's been on my mind constantly for the past week. In a nut shell he was talking about people who excuse their temperaments on "that's just the way God created me" as if they can't help it. As Christians this just isn't acceptable!
Amber R, Nikki T, and I have been memorizing Colossians 3. Verse 12 says "put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience". If I'm being honest I didn't really understand why the verse started with 'put on'. HELLO! These things don't come naturally...our sin nature is everything opposite of these qualities. It's our responsibility as children of God to pursue ('put on') these things and not excuse our sin when we fail in these areas. Patience is still something I struggle with and seek help and strength from the Lord. Anyone who knows me could tell you that I often lack compassion in certain situations. This isn't because God created me that way; it's years of habitual sin in my life previous to salvation (passed down from Adam...not from God).
"What about people who aren't Christians and are kind and compassionate?" This is what I'll say about that, (and please correct me if I'm wrong or if this isn't Biblical) their 'kindness and compassion' is tainted with pride and done under selfish motivations...which in return isn't true kindness or compassion at all. There is no way they're honoring a God they don't even believe in...they completely lack humility. These qualities are meant exclusively for Christians. A lost person would see no significance in these characteristics because everything inside them goes against them.
All I'm saying is that I hope I never hear a Christian again try to justify their lack of compassion, patience, meekness, humility, or kindness on the way they were "created". I think it's important that we're all transparent with each other and realize that these things may never be fully, righteously achieved here on Earth; however, WE need to take responsibility for it, not blame it on God.
On another note, I had some sweet sweet fellowship with some middle school girls tonight after church in KFC. They were asking about my testimony and I was so encouraged by their attentiveness and their own testimonies. I had the opportunity to be extremely honest with them and shared some really personal stories with them that I haven't shared with very many people....at all. But it was so important to me that they knew that I haven't lived a perfect christian life, but at the same time God has spared me from so much sin that I could have fallen into. Man...they were just so eager to listen and learn! I pray that I said the right things and that they'll seek Christ more and trust in His strength instead of their own.
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I would say I disagree with you about lost people being unable to exude true kindness and compassion. What about the common grace that God bestows upon everyone, not just exclusively to Christians? Wouldn't that allow lost people to get a glimpse of true kindness and compassion if there is common grace?
ReplyDeleteGod's grace is a characteristic of His own and He is merciful to show it as He pleases so I agree with you in that! But to say that a person can do good without Christ is impossible knowing the depravity of mans heart. Maybe you're thinking of a verse that I'm not recalling, so you could share it? I believe that God does bestow common grace upon everyone when His hand of restraint is on us, and when He doesn't allow us to forget what He has mercifully written on our hearts (saved and unsaved).
ReplyDeleteI want to share a few verses about the character of God.
Isaiah 55:7 says "let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the Lord, that he may have COMPASSION on him, and to our God,for He will abundantly pardon."
Titus 3:4&5 says "but when the goodness and loving KINDNESS of God our Saviour appeared, He saved us,not because of works done by us in righteousness,but according to His own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit"
It is hard for me to believe that any lost person can exude characteristics of God.
I think the only glimpse of true kindness and compassion that a lost person can experience is through believers and God Himself. My main reason for believing this way is Romans 2:4-8 "Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God's kindness is meant to lead you to repentance? But because of your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God's righteous judgment will be revealed. He will render to each one according to his works to those who by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, He will give eternal life; but for those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, there will be wrath and fury."
I truely believe that compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience are acts of righteousness in which no lost person can participate.
I'll end with this passage because I love it so much! 2 Peter 1:3-11 "His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us to His own glory and excellence, by which He has granted to us His precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire. For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For whoever lacks these qualities is so nearsighted that he is blind, having forgotten that he was cleansed from his former sins. Therefore, brothers, be all the more diligent to make your calling and election sure, for if you practice these qualities you will never fall. For in this way there will be richly provided for you an entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ."
Also, a good friend reminded me the other day that we (all) are created in the image of God. (And maybe this is what you're getting at!) But because of our sin nature it's impossible to achieve righteousness on our own. For those who receive Christ, we fulfill these qualities through Him. For those who don't receive Christ, these qualities remain skewed. I hope this is making sense! I'm praying that through this "blogging experience" the Lord would increase my writing skills so I can express my thoughts more clearly. Let me know if this is confusing:)
ReplyDeleteNo, this isn't confusing at all! I completely agree with the passages you brought up. I was thinking about the passage in Lamentations 3 I believe, new mercies each morning. And that can be said about every person whose given breath and life because of that. But thinking about what you wrote and the verses you brought up remind me that though the law is written on our hearts, apart from salvation, Christ, we wouldn't choose to obey. I think I was thinking of lost people being able to make "good moral" decisions but down to it, its based off of morals that our culture has created and its not out of obedience that they do something that may seem outwardly good. So, thanks for writing and sharing, excellent food for thought!
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