Because everyone enjoys kindness. Last Lord’s Day we defined what it meant to be God’s workmanship and illustrated what work we should be doing on behalf of our Lord. We concluded that by being God’s workmanship we are to work, laying aside many things that would cause distraction and conflict. Especially when it pertains to our manner of life when observed by the world. We lay aside our old life and put away all malice. These are just a couple of evil practices listed in the passage (Eph. 4:31). Last week we ended quite abruptly before we could get into replacing them with the admirable characteristics in Ephesians 4:32.
The reason it was planned this way, to end at verse 31, is because we are going to study the characteristics listed in verse 32 individually over the next couple of weeks. They deserve a closer examination to make sure we understand them and how we can apply them to our lives. We want to know how those in the first century were taught these lessons and how we can improve our spiritual attitudes by striving to commit them to our lives.
The challenge we have been given is to showcase God’s workmanship. He didn’t make us a new creation to turn people away but rather to draw people closer to God through us. So, it’s no wonder Apostle Paul begins by instructing us to be kind to one another. Because we have tasted the kindness of God (I Pet 2:3) we will want to share it with others. If we know the kindness of the Lord will lead those with a good heart to repentance, (Rom. 2:4) we will strive to share in their salvation by being kind.
Kindness is a result of love for one another. We came to learn this important lesson earlier in our study of Ephesians. Ephesians 1:4-6: “Just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before Him. In love He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, which He freely bestowed on us in the Beloved.”
When people view us, do they praise God for the glory He brought into the world through His kind intention? He wants us to be praising His glory in our lives on a daily basis by being kind to one another.
My prayer for you is that you will be here this Lord’s Day as we look more closely at this subject of being kind to one another. What does kindness look like? We would love for you to come and see kindness in action as we assemble together, as we pray, sing and partake of our Lord’s supper until He comes again.
In Christ,
Steve