Exhortation – The Kindness of God

We are holy and beloved

“Put on therefore as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering” (Col. 3:12). Here the apostle Paul gives to us two signs as marks of our election. We are “holy” and “beloved.”

The elect are holy, consecrated to God in their thoughts and in their living; a people set apart, belonging to the Father. They are beloved because they are kept and sustained by the love of God.

We are to be holy and loving

If we are to be the elect of God, we must “be conformed to the image of his Son” (Rom. 8:29). Our Lord Jesus Christ is “the Holy one of God” (Mk. 1:24). Thinking of those who would follow after him and be conformed to his image, Jesus says, “For their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth” (John 17:19). Jesus is also the “beloved,” the Son of God’s love. When Jesus came to John at the Jordan river to be baptized of him, the Father declared, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased” (Matt. 3:17).

We, too, are the beloved of the Father, the recipients of His love. Therefore, we are exhorted to love one another. “Put on therefore as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering; forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye. And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness. And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful” (Col. 3:12-15). “If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us” (1 John 4:12). We should also be “holy,” consecrated in heart and mind. “And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him” (Col. 3:17).

Practicing kindness a key

The way in which we might attain to such a high calling is by the exercise of kindness toward one another and toward all men, as God has extended His kindness to us. Kindness is the means by which we might demonstrate the reality of our election.

The example of David

Consider the example of David and Jonathan. Jonathan caused David to swear a covenant of kindness to his house “forever,” even after the Lord had cut off the enemies of David. The covenant was sealed in love, “he loved him as his own soul.”

After David had subdued his enemies and ruled as king, he remembered the covenant which he had made with Jonathan, and asked whether there be any left of the house of Saul, “that I may shew him kindness for Jonathan’s sake” (II Sam. 9:1).

There was one, the son of Jonathan, Mephibosheth. He was lame on both feet; he was incapable of fighting and defending himself, and quite unable to work the land and support himself. He lived beyond Jordan in Lodebar.

David called for him. We can imagine the man’s fear at being summoned by the king. Mephibosheth was the natural heir to the throne; was he to be killed? Was he to be thrown into prison? What would the king do with him? It was known through all Israel that David was a mighty warrior. “Now when Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, was come unto David he fell on his face, and did reverence….What is thy servant that thou shouldest look upon such a dead dog as I am?” (II Sam. 9:6,8). But David had remembered the covenant which he had made with his father and said to him, “Fear not: for I will surely shew thee kindness for Jonathan thy father’s sake” (v.7).

Generosity to the helpless

David gave to Mephibosheth all the lands and servants that pertained to Saul and his house. Then he exalted him to the position of a king’s son so that he ate at the king’s table continually. It was as if Jonathan, his father, reigned as king. What enormous generosity was shown him.

Mephibosheth had no personal claim on David. He was benefiting from the king keeping the promise he made to another. He had no ability to force the matter; he was weak and helpless. Giving him land and servants would have been a full satisfaction of any promise David had made. But David went far beyond that in making him part of the royal household. David was exceedingly abundant in his kindness toward Mephibosheth because David wanted to exercise toward him the “kindness of God” (II Sam. 9:3).

The kindness of God

In Isaiah 53, God tells us of the root that would spring out of the dry ground, and of the way he would bear our griefs and carry our sorrows. He tells us of the means of our redemption.

In Isaiah 54, God then tells us of the reason He redeems those worthy of wrath but who contritely turn, looking for mercy. “With everlasting kindness will I have mercy on thee saith the LORD thy Redeemer.” “For the mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed; but my kindness shall not depart from thee, neither shall the covenant of my peace be removed, saith the LORD that hath mercy on thee.”

Exceeding abundant

In the letter to the Ephesians, Paul prays for the holy and blessed, the elect, and asks that our Father would give them wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him. Paul continues in his second chapter to tell of the wonder­ful covenant of kindness which God has made with all those who were once dead in trespasses and sins. “That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus” (Eph. 2:7). God extends His loving kindness to men through the Lord Jesus Christ, not because of our works, or our righteousness, but according to His abundant goodness and mercy that “we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life” (Tit. 3:7).

And what exceeding riches await us, for we are called to partake in His holiness, sharing in the divine nature and being a part of the name of God. We are called to be members of the royal household, we who are helpless and unable to care for ourselves.

Respond to what we have received

If we have been the recipients of the Father’s kindness in Christ Jesus, then we should reflect this in our lives. We who are holy and beloved of the Father, are particularly set apart by Him to reflect Him in the world. We should not be preoccupied with the daily cares, nor should we set our affections on getting and possessing this world’s goods. Our delight should be to walk in His ways and reflect the joy of His redemption.

Let us not leave the practice of kindness to others. Let us manifest it in our lives, for we are the recipients of the exceeding abundance of His grace.