Christian Love is Kind and Does Good to Others.

By Nick Bibile

 

 

1 Corinthians 13:4

Charity suffereth long, and is kind.

 

Last time we studied that Christian love is longsuffering and bearing all kinds of injuries that we receive from others, today we are going to see the other side of the coin that Christian love is kind meaning doing good to others and to those who hate us. This is true Christianity.

 

Tit 3:3 For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another.

4 But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared,

5 Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost.

 

Here we see how God was kind to us, when we were living in sin and darkness and it was Gods kindness and love appeared to us through Christ Jesus, God regenerated us, gave us a new birth, new life not because we were better than others but according to his mercy. This is the greatest kindness and goodness that God did to us and in the same way we can do spiritual goodness to others.

 

1.    First we can do good to those who are outside of the house of God.

2.    We can do good to those who are inside, in the house of God.

 

Those who are outside of the house of God, the unbelievers are careless sinners daily living in sin gratifying their flesh. They are ignorant and careless. They are dead to spiritual things of God. We cannot save them only God can, but we are Gods instruments to awaken them from their danger. Our goal is to persuade them to come to the house of God so they can hear the word of God, which can save them.

 

Da 12:3 And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever.

 

Pr 11:30 The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; and he that winneth souls is wise.

 

1Co 9:19 For though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself servant unto all, that I might gain the more.

 

Our goal is to win souls for Christ Jesus. The true Christian has a burden to witness Christ as he or she sees the lost souls going to hell. If you have no desire to bring others to Christ, you are living in sin, not willing to do what Christ commanded us to do.

 

Following is a quotation by Charles Spurgeon.

"THE GREAT SIN OF DOING NOTHING"


"Surely it is an intolerable disgrace to anyone to profess to be a Christian, and have no concern about the souls of others, while they are perishing by millions."

 

Secondly we do good to those who are inside the house of God. There are a mixture of people in the church, some are unsaved, some are infants, some need warning, instructions, edification and counseling. It is a good thing to minister to one another within the house of God. We need to promote one anothers spiritual joy and strength.

 

Ps 55:14 We took sweet counsel together, and walked unto the house of God in company.

 

Pr 9:8 Reprove not a scorner, lest he hate thee: rebuke a wise man, and he will love thee.

 

There are some when they pray they will attack their brothers and sisters, they will provoke them into anger into jealousy, this is not from the spirit, this is from the flesh. We need to taste the sweetness of his grace.

 

Pr 27:5 Open rebuke is better than secret love.

 

2Ti 4:2 Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.

 

Read Ephesians 4:11-16.

 

We can also do good to those who are outside the church of God and inside the church who need physical help. God is not obligated to give rain, sunshine, a good job, home to the wicked, yet we see God is sovereign.

 

1Th 2:9 For ye remember, brethren, our labour and travail: for labouring night and day, because we would not be chargeable unto any of you, we preached unto you the gospel of God.

 

Do good to your enemies

Mt 5:43 Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy.

44 But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;

45 That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.

46 For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? Do not even the publicans the same?

 

The natural nature is to do good to your friends and to those who you love. Doesnt even the pagans do this? The Christians are to be different. What is the difference? The Christians do good to their enemies. Again we see the natural man will get angry with the enemy but the Christian knows, his enemy has sinned against God and he is ignorant of God, he needs help, see from Gods perspective.

 

Ro 12:17 Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men.

18 If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.

19 Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.

20 Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head.

21 Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.

 

Apostle Peter said:

1Pe 3:9 Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise blessing; knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing.

10 For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile:

11 Let him eschew evil, and do good; let him seek peace, and ensue it.

 

Do good to those who are in need.

We need to be kind and do good to those who are in need, inside and of the outside the church.

Mt 25:35 For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:

36 Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.

 

1Jo 3:16 Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.

17 But whoso hath this world's good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?

 

Give without expecting a return.

Now what is the motive of our doing good to others and being kind to them? The natural mans motive of giving has to do with a reward. It means the natural man will give, and he will expect you to give back later. I will do good to you and you better to good to me. I will lend you money and you will return back, sometimes with interest. Sometimes they give so they will be honored among people. There are some who give with a mercenary spirit. Which means they give to gain, as they are greedy.

 

On the other hand when the Christian give, he gives without asking to return back. Do not expect them to return back. You are giving to a person who is in need and who have not, sometimes it is very difficult for him to return back what he receives. How can the poor return?

 

Lu 6:35 But love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil.

36 Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful.

 

When you give do not expect them to return back.

Lu 14:12 Then said he also to him that bade him, When thou makest a dinner or a supper, call not thy friends, nor thy brethren, neither thy kinsmen, nor thy rich neighbours; lest they also bid thee again, and a recompence be made thee.

13 But when thou makest a feast, call the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind:

14 And thou shalt be blessed; for they cannot recompense thee: for thou shalt be recompensed at the resurrection of the just.

 

Give with a cheerful heart.

 

What ever you give with a cheerful heart is done with love. Do not give anything grudgingly. God loves a cheerful giver.

 

De 15:7 If there be among you a poor man of one of thy brethren within any of thy gates in thy land which the LORD thy God giveth thee, thou shalt not harden thine heart, nor shut thine hand from thy poor brother:

8 But thou shalt open thine hand wide unto him, and shalt surely lend him sufficient for his need, in that which he wanteth.

 

De 15:10 Thou shalt surely give him, and thine heart shall not be grieved when thou givest unto him: because that for this thing the LORD thy God shall bless thee in all thy works, and in all that thou puttest thine hand unto.

 

Pr 11:25 The liberal soul shall be made fat: and he that watereth shall be watered also himself.

 

2Co 9:7 Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.

 

1Pe 4:9 Use hospitality one to another without grudging.

 

Christian love is sincere and it is real.

 

1Jo 3:18 My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.

19 And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him.

 

Jas 2:15 If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food,

16 And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit?

 

The opposite of the Christian spirit of giving is a malicious and a selfish spirit. They give according to their own interests. The motive is not godly but fleshly. They take every opportunity get from their neighbor rather than to give. They do not want to suffer for their neighbor. This is the opposite of the Christian love of being kind. The more we worship God, the more we will know his will and the true Christian love. Walk in the spirit not in your flesh. 'The lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye, the pride of life,' is the Trinity some worship.

 

Remember the kindness of God to us, his divine mercies to us as he gave us spiritual blessings, what can compare them to all the wealth that is in world? He has given us Christ Jesus, Christ had to suffer, it was longsuffering but was kind to us as he gave his Son to us. He delivered us from sin, making us kings and priests unto God, giving us an inheritance that is incorruptible.