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The Fifth
Part of the Fruit of the Spirit
KINDNESS
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Galatians 5:22-23 But the fruit of the Spirit is love,
joy, peace,
patience,
kindness,
goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such
things there is no law [we don’t do works to gain them; we study
and the Holy Spirit changes us]
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The fifth part of the fruit of the Spirit is
kindness. Other words for kindness are courteous, loving,
considerate, understanding, gentle, helpful, patient, and
generous. When we are kind, we are not self-centered. We are
sensitive or tender to others.
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Galatians 5:22-23 But the fruit of the Spirit is virtue love, joy,
peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness,
self-control; against such things there is no law. [We can’t do
works to gain them. We learn Bible doctrine and the Holy Spirit
changes us.]
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Kindness also means being gracious and acting
with grace orientation. What? What is grace orientation? Grace
orientation is when we recognize all that God has freely given to
us. We haven’t earned it and we don’t deserve it. God can freely
give to us because of the work of the Lord Jesus Christ on the
cross. All that we have leads back to the cross.
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Romans
8:32 He Who did not spare His own Son, but gave Him up for us all
– how will He not also, along with Him, graciously give us all
things?
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We can never match God’s
kindness to us. He gave His own Son to become our Savior. That is
matchless grace! We have been graced out, so to speak! What a
kind, loving, patient, gentle, considerate, understanding, and
generous Father we have! Let us never forget Who has given us all
things. “Thank You, God!”
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Colossians 1:12 Giving thanks to the Father, Who has qualified us
to share in the inheritance of the saints in light.
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God wants us to be kind to
others, or to be gracious to others. He has shown us the way and
teaches us in the Bible. We learn that we have nothing that isn’t
from God. He just gives, gives, and gives to us. In turn, we learn
to give to others of our time, talent, or treasure. We learn to be
kind to others.
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John
3:27 To this John replied, “A man can receive nothing except it be
given him from heaven.”
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Our Lord Jesus Christ was
the kindest person on earth. He did not come to condemn us or make
us feel guilty. He came to save and free us from guilt. When using
kindness we don’t make others feel guilty. We don’t judge others;
we are tolerant of others. We let them live their lives. We march
with them in the plan of God.
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Galatians 6:1-2 Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who
are spiritual should restore him gently. But watch yourself, or
you also may be tempted. Carry each other’s burdens, and in this
way you will fulfill the law of Christ. If anyone thinks he is
something when he is nothing, he deceives himself [being
arrogant].
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God knows all of our faults
but He doesn’t tell anyone about them. He could probably tell some
pretty good stories about us! God knows that would be harmful to
us. He doesn’t want to harm us. God wants us to grow in His grace
and wisdom, not to be pushed down with our faults. God loves us
and we need to love people in the same way, with virtue love. We
need to encourage them, not bring up their sins to others. That
would not be kind!
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Proverbs 17:9 He who covers a transgression [sin] seeks love, but
he who repeats a matter [maligns, gossips] separates intimate
friends.
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We couldn’t be abiding
(living) in a better place than in the Vine, the Lord Jesus
Christ. He is always kind. He will never leave us alone. He will
never put us down. He will always be our friend. We will always
have a home with the Lord Jesus Christ! It’s our job to stay in
that place with the Vine! If we leave that safe home we need to
rebound, privately tell God the Father our sins, so that we can be
filled with the Holy Spirit and living in the Vine!
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Hebrews 13:5-6 Keep your lives free from the love of money and be
content with what you have, because God has said, “Never will I
leave you; never will I forsake you.” So we say with confidence,
“The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to
me?”
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When we are abiding in the
Vine, being filled with the Holy Spirit, the Holy Spirit will
teach us to be kind along with the other eight parts of the fruit.
We won’t be pretending to be kind, loving, etc. We’ll have the
real thing! We just have to learn, know, and apply Bible doctrine
and the Holy Spirit will make the fruit of the Spirit grow in us!
Our lives will manifest or show the fruit of the Spirit.
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2Peter
3:18 But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior
Jesus Christ. To Him be glory both now and forever: Amen
Matthew 23:23 Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you
hypocrites [pretenders, phonies]! You give a tenth of your spices
– mint, dill and cumin. But you have neglected the more important
matters of the law – justice, mercy and faithfulness. You should
have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former..
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The
Fifth Part of the Fruit of the Spirit
Kindness
References used:
Robert R.McLaughlin Bible Ministries
www.gbible.org
Lesson: 7-22-05
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