"The Fruit of the Spirit is Kindness"

In Colossians chapter 3*, Paul exhorts those who are “being saved,” those for whom “the grace of God toward them was not in vain,” those to whom the light that shone out of darkness has shone into their hearts “to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.” Speaking to that new man, Paul says, “Seek those things which are above…set your mind on things above not on
things on the earth. For you died and your life is hidden with Christ in God” (Colossians 3:1-3). He continues in verse 12, “Therefore, as the elect of God holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering….” Certainly kindness is one of those things that Paul considers to be “things above.” He asks us to set our minds on it. In probably one of the best known and most frequently quoted chapters in all of the New Testament, 1 Corinthians 13, Paul discusses the greatest gift, love. He speaks of that love which is uniquely God’s, and says that it is kind. Kindness is love in action. So this week we are privileged to study kindness and to do so we will look at the story of kindness
to a “dead dog.”

David the son of Jesse the Bethlehemite, the friend of Jonathan, Saul’s son, was king over all Israel. Saul and his son Jonathan had died in battle and many in Saul’s household were dead. 2 Samuel 9 beginning in verse 1 records, “Now David said, Is there still anyone who is left of the house of Saul, that I may show
him kindness for Jonathan’s sake?” It is not clear from this verse to whom David is speaking, but someone fetched Ziba, a servant in the house of Saul, who came to David. David repeated his question. “Is there not still someone of the house of Saul to whom I may show the kindness of God?” Ziba said yes,in fact, Jonathan had a son who is lame in his feet and he lives in Lo Debar. King David sent and brought
this son who was lame in his feet from Lo Debar and said to him in verse 7, “I will surely show you kindness for Jonathan your father’s sake, and will restore to you all the land of Saul your grandfather and you shall eat bread at my table continually.” Mephibosheth bowed himself and said, “What is your servant that you should look upon such a dead dog as I?”

The background of this story is rooted in a covenant that was made between David and Jonathan. “And you shall not only show me the kindness of the Lord while I still live, that I may not die; but you shall not cut off your kindness from my house forever, no, not when the Lord has cut off everyone of the enemies of David from the face of the earth. So Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David…” (1 Samuel
20:14-16). We must not miss the great parallels between this story and the story of redemption – the gospel story.

1. David is a type of Christ. John 7:42 says that Christ comes from the seed of David and from the town of Bethlehem, where David was born. Romans 1:3 tells us He was born of the seed of David according to the flesh.

2. Jonathan and David entered into an everlasting covenant relationship that, should Jonathan’s offspring encounter difficulty, David would show them kindness. We are told by the Messenger of the Lord that so great was the Father’s love for the world that He covenanted to give His only-begotten Son that whosoever believed would not perish but have everlasting life. The Desire of Ages page 834: “Before the
foundations of the earth were laid, the Father and the Son had united in a covenant to redeem man if he should be overcome by Satan. They clasped Their hands in a solemn pledge that Christ would be the surety for the human race.”

3. Jonathan’s son, Mephibosheth, was lame in the feet from a fall. He was now living in obscurity in Lo Debar, which means place of “no-pasture.” How could it be that a man born to be royalty should end up in a place of no-pasture? He was the reduced son of a prince, forgotten as a dead man, out of mind. Adam and Eve, made in the image of God, according to Their likeness, walked and talked with their Creator.
But then they fell and went into hiding.

4. Mephibosheth’s condition in his own words was a “dead dog,” and he asks David, “what is your servant that you should look upon such a dead dog?” Paul describes mankind’s condition as being “carnal sold under sin,” “dead in trespasses.” The Psalmist says in Psalm 8:4, “What is man that You are mindful of him and the son of man that You give attention to, or care for him?” This sounds a lot like Mephibosheth’s question.

5. David is the one who took the initiative to seek out “anyone who is left of the house of Saul.” One of the most precious concepts in the message of 1888 is Christ, the Good Shepherd, who is seeking His lost sheep even though we have not sought Him. The lost sheep never went out looking for the shepherd. In Christ’s Object Lessons, Ellen White says, “Christ, the heavenly merchantman seeking goodly pearls, saw
in lost humanity the pearl of great price. In man, defiled and ruined by sin, He saw the possibilities of redemption…God looked upon humanity…in Christ, saw it as it might become through redeeming love. He collected all the riches of the universe and laid them down in order to buy the pearl.”

6. David was kind, but he correctly identifies it as “the kindness of God.” As we mentioned at the outset, kindness is love in action. Ellen White, in the book The Desire of Ages page 19, echoes what Peter marvels at in 1 Peter 1:12 when she says, “the mystery of redeeming love is the theme into which angels desire to look.” Paul describes it like this: “Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who,
being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a servant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross” (Philippians 2:5-8). This amazing act of kindness, which compelled Christ to give up the glory of heaven and give back the scepter into His Father’s hands and step down from the throne of the universe, fills our minds with awe. This choice was made with great agony on Christ’s part. We read in The Desire of Ages page 690 that His humanity wanted to shrink from that awesome act of kindness. He prayed three times that He wouldn’t have to pay the ultimate price. But praise God, “the history of the human race comes up before the world’s Redeemer. He sees the helplessness of man. He sees the power
of sin…He sees its impending fate and His decision is made. He will save man at any cost to Himself.” Amazing love, how can it be? Its more amazing than we think because Scripture tells us in Romans 5 that He did this for us while we were ungodly, sinners, and even enemies.

7. We are told three times in 2 Samuel 9 that Mephibosheth ate at the king’s table continually, or always. Paul says of us, in Ephesians 2:4-6, “But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses” (lame in the feet), “made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved),” and here it is, “raised us up together and made us sit together in
heavenly places in Christ Jesus.” What does this story tell us? David, who was a type of Christ, let his kindness to Mephibosheth serve to illustrate the kindness and
love of God toward fallen mankind. God did not have to redeem us; after all we were ungodly, sinners and enemies. Man rebelled against God like Saul’s house rebelled against David, and because of that we became lame after the fall. Jesus Christ came to seek and to save that which was lost when we did not seek after Him, By His supreme, selfless, self-sacrificing love and kindness, God reconciled the world
back to Himself. For those who accept and receive this abundance of grace, the lost inheritance is restored. David sought to use God’s kindness as the model and motivation for his kindness to the house of Saul. When we comprehend our undeserved mercy and kindness from God, His love, which is kind, is “shed abroad in our hearts,” and we respond in kindness to our fellow man. Matthew 5:44 and 48 says,
“But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you…therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.” As we contemplate what this text could mean this Sabbath, two texts are helpful. Colossians 3:14 says, “But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection.” Luke 7:47 says, “Therefore I say to you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much. But to whom little is forgiven, the same loves little.” May God grant us the divine eyesalve we need to see the kindness of God.

Lyndi Schwartz
*All

"The Fruit of the Spirit is Patience"

This week’s lesson focuses on the fruit of the Spirit called patience. When a Seventh-day Adventist hears the term “patience” his/her mind quickly goes to Rev. 14:12. “Here is the patience of the saints here are they that keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus.” This is a statement concerning the final generation, those who have “washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the lamb” (Rev. 7:14).

James wrote:

“But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing” (James 1:4*).

This is what the one hundred-forty four thousand have done. They have developed the attribute which will particularly be seen in characters of the final generation, “patience”.

Thus we should understand and appreciate that description in Revelation 14:12 of the final generation:



Here is a call for the endurance of the saints, those who keep the commandments of God and their faith in Jesus (ESV).



Here is the perseverance of the saints who keep the commandments of God and their faith in Jesus (NAS).



This calls for patient endurance on the part of the saints who obey God's commandments and remain faithful to Jesus (NIV).



The last generation must endure “a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation” (Dan. 12:1). That will call for patient endurance. And “he [we might add “and only he”] that endureth to the end shall be saved” (Matt. 24:13). The 1888 Message was sent to prepare a people to stand in that time. What is it about the message that particularly relates to the development of patience? There are at least two elements of the message which specifically relate to this subject.

The message was a message concerning the righteousness of Christ. Christ came to reveal the righteousness of God (See Romans 3:26). God described Himself in Exodus 34:6-7

And the LORD passed before him and proclaimed, "The LORD, the LORD God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abounding in goodness and truth, keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, by no means clearing the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children and the children's children to the third and the fourth generation." (Exodus 34:6-7)

Notice the term “longsuffering”. It means to suffer long without manifesting an impatient, intolerant attitude. In other words it is a synonym for “patience”. God Himself is patient. Therefore, when Jesus came to reveal the righteousness of God, He came to reveal among other qualities, the patience of God. And therefore, the message of the righteousness of Christ must be a message that reveals and cultivates patience in those who hear and believe.

As we understand the history of that message, we are again called to take note of the patience of God. Even though He was despised and rejected in the 1888 era, and the message has been resisted and rejected by some ever since, God is still patiently working with His church. He is still knocking at the door and calling them to repentance. Patience is a very large element of the 1888 message and history.

Another aspect of the 1888 message which relates to patience is a concept which has grown out of an understanding of the message and its history. That concept is corporate repentance. The best way to cultivate patience, when dealing with erring brothers and sisters, is to engage in corporate repentance on their behalf. One cannot have a repentant spirit on behalf of someone who is in error and be impatient with them at the same time.

As we understand that Jesus experienced repentance on our behalf (see “As Many as I Love”, Chapter 5, Robert Wieland), as we see the righteousness of God revealed in this attitude, we begin to realize that there is no reason why we should not repent on behalf of those who err or even sin against us. “All have sinned and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). We are all in the same “boat”. We are all made of the same “dough”. If the sinless One could repent on behalf of a sinner, surely a fellow sinner can repent on behalf of another sinner.

Thus instead of censure and condemnation, we will manifest patience and forgiveness toward those who err, even in the most grievous and severe manner. This is what it means to wear the robe of Christ’s righteousness. This is a prominent characteristic of the “saints”.

*All scripture quotes are from the King James Version unless otherwise noted

"The Fruit of the Spirit is Joy"

"The Fruit of the Spirit is Joy"

by Jerry Finneman

In the early days of my experience as a Seventh-day Adventist I read material by E.J. Waggoner concerning the joy God experience when one sinner repents. This was an entirely new thought to me because of my distorted thoughts about God. Like many of Judea in Christ's day and even more Christians today, I believed God was more tyrant than Savior. To think that God would sing over one lost sinner, even though found, was beyond my comprehension.

Waggoner joined three thoughts together and painted a verbal picture of God that I shall never forget. That picture was/is of God rejoicing with singing over sinners saved by His marvelous grace. The first passage Waggoner used was from the trilogy of Luke 15 which contains three vivid illustrations of God's interest in sinners. Here we reflect on the picture of God's song of rejoicing over one sinner who repents (Luke 15:7, 10, 24). The second thought was Neh 8:10, which says that "the joy of the Lord is your strength." The third thought was Zeph 3:17, concerning God's song of rejoicing.

In reference to Luke 15, I quote Elder Waggoner: "People read it as though it said that there is rejoicing among the angels of God when a sinner repents. That is no doubt true; for if 'all the sons of God shouted for joy' when the world was first created, we may be sure that they have no less joy when a new creation appears; but what the text says is that there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth. That indicates that it is God Himself who manifests and leads in the joy. He is as genuinely glad at heart as are the man and the woman who recover the lost sheep and the lost coin.

"What a glorious thought that even here and now we can add to the joy of heaven, and that, even if we cannot sing a note, we may increase the music of heaven! Every saved sinner adds to the harmonies of heaven a note that no angel could ever produce. Thus it is that 'the manifold wisdom of God, according to the eternal purpose which He purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord' is made known through the church unto the principalities and powers in the heavenly places. Eph. iii. 10, 11. Who would forego the pleasure of making the heart of God glad, and of hearing Him sing for joy?

In the next paragraph Waggoner referenced two passages concerning the joy of the Lord: "This joy of the Lord is our strength. Neh. viii. 10. 'The Lord thy God is in the midst of thee, a mighty One who will save; He will rejoice over thee with joy; He will rest in His love, He will joy over thee with singing.' Zeph. iii. 17. This is the joy of His salvation. His joy is the joy of a mighty One in His own strength, the joyful contemplation of His own work, just as when on the seventh day He rested from all His work, and delighted Himself with the sight of the perfection of the work which His hands had made. He rests in His love, and in it we may also rest, and rejoice and be glad for ever in that which He creates."[1]

Never does the Lord call men and women to the rack of torture, whether physical or mental. To be continually longing for something, and to be fighting against that longing, is torture. So the last thing that we should even think of doing, is to deprive anyone of any real pleasure or enjoyment. We are to point them to the fountain of all joy. We are to bring "good tidings of great joy which shall be for all people" (Luke 2:10). From this we are to hold out to people the gospel as a way of life that's full of the joy of the Lord. In God's presence there is fullness of joy. The person who loves the Lord finds life a joy; not a burden. The "joy of the Lord" is his strength.

While it is true in 2 Cor 11:24-33 Paul catalogued his extraordinary perils and experiences of hardship, in another place he calls these things but a "light affliction" (2 Cor 4:17). Paul's letters are full of courage and of joy in spite of trials and tribulations. Some of his most powerful letters of encouragement were written while he was in Rome's prison dungeon. He knew personally that the strength of his life was the joy of the presence of the Lord.

So, is it not the time to be cheerful when trouble threatens? Jesus frequently said to His disciples, "Be of good cheer" when their lives were in danger or they were in trouble of one sort or another. Cheerfulness, joyfulness in God, is most needed in times of distress. There is nothing more glorious in this world than to be permitted to witness for Jesus, even though in bonds. The apostles, after they had been thrust into prison, and beaten, departed from the council "rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for His name."

There is no trouble that frightens Christ from us. Are we willing for His presence to abide with us? If so, there is no trouble, no peril, no hardship in which we may not "rejoice with joy unspeakable, and full of glory."

Consequently we can say, with Christ: "The Lord God will help me; therefore I shall not be confounded; therefore I have set my face like a flint, and I know that I shall not be ashamed. He is near who justifies me" (Isa l. 7, 8). And again we can say, "Rejoice not against me, O my enemy: when I fall, I shall arise; when I sit in darkness, the Lord shall be a light unto me" (Micah 7:8).

The joy of the Lord is the strength of our life (Neh. 8:10). Let us not tell our friends and neighbors, in countenance or in speech, that the Christian life is a doleful one. However, it makes no sense in our telling them that it is a good life, if the joy and peace of it are not seen in the telling of it, and are not manifested in the life.

Consider, too, how it must grieve the heart of God to hear so much murmuring and complaining, by His people, where there is so much cause for praise and thanksgiving. Let none of us have any part in such a chorus of bitterness, and thus bring pain to the heart of our heavenly Father in heaven. Instead, let us repent and contemplate the song of our Singing Savior: "The Lord thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; He will save, He will rejoice over thee with joy; He will rest in His love, He will joy over thee with singing" (Zeph 3:17). And then one day in the not too distant future we shall, in heaven, "unite in the Father's song of rejoicing" (COL 207).

[1] E.J. Waggoner, "English Present Truth," Oct 11, 1900. (See similar thoughts in "The Signs of the Times," July 21, 1890).

"The Fruit of the Spirit Is Love"

"The Fruit of the Spirit Is Love"

One of the special messengers to our church was given a vision that demonstrates the importance of understanding how God defines the concept of love:

"Those who rose up with Jesus would send up their faith to Him in the holiest [the Most Holy Apartment], and pray, 'my Father, give us Thy Spirit'. Then Jesus would breathe upon them the Holy Ghost. In that breath was light, power, and much love, joy and peace.

"I turned to look at the company who were still bowed before the throne [who had not followed Christ by faith into the Most Holy Apartment]; they did not know that Jesus had left it. Satan appeared to be by the throne, trying to carry on the work of God. I saw them look up to the throne, and pray, 'Father, give us Thy Spirit'. Satan would then breathe upon them an unholy influence; in it there was light and much power, but no sweet love, joy and peace" (Early Writings, 55, 56).

Note the differences, Satan could not counterfeit "love, joy and peace". The life and death of Jesus invested an obscure Greek word, agape, and its human response, faith, with enhanced meaning that turned the ancient "world upside down".

"That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ" (1 Peter 1:7).

"The gold tried in the fire is faith that works by love. Only this can bring us into harmony with God. We may be active, we may do much work; but without love, such love as dwelt in the heart of Christ, we can never be numbered with the family of heaven" (Christ's Object Lessons, 158).

Christ Himself makes clear what faith is, and his view is different from that of the popular concept. "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him...Note: God's love is the first thing, and until that love is revealed, there can be no believing. As the result of His "loving" and "giving", the sinner finds it possible to "believe". Thus, faith is a heart-experience, "heart-work" to borrow Ellen White's phrase, and it cannot exist until God's love is understood and appreciated. Please note very carefully a fundamental point: the "believing" is not motivated by a fear of perishing or an acquisitive reward of everlasting life. The believing is the direct result of the loving.

The work of the High Priest in the Most Holy Apartment will result in the complete purification of the motives of those who follow His work by faith. They will become mature Christians and "put away childish things, i.e. self centered motivations (1 Corinthians 13:11,(KJV).

Whereas all non-Christian religions as well as apostate Christianity appeal to man's self-centeredness and insecurity, the apostles presented a gospel with a radically different appeal. Paul, for example, did not begin his preaching with a presentation of man's need, but of God's deed. "When I came to you,...I determined not to know anything among you, save Jesus Christ and Him crucified". The result was the development of true faith in the hearts of the listeners. Such a heart response is the true article of "faith" found in New Testament justification by faith. This is the third angel's message in verity!

The true Christocentric motivation for service and obedience finds refreshing demonstration in the appeals of the 1888 messengers. A. T. Jones said

"I heard of a person...speaking of missionary work, "Oh, I must do more work or I will not have stars in my crown. I must do more or someone else will have more stars than I."...This is not the right motive; nothing is the right motive but love for Christ.

"Think of it, my brethren, if I should be so happy and so glad as to get to that blessed place, and the Saviour should hand me a crown, do you think, brethren, that I could stand in His presence and put it on?...Do you think that I could stand before my master and beholding the print of the nails in His hand, and see the marks of the thorns that pierced His lovely brow, ---do you think, I say, that I could...receive from those hands a crown, to be placed on my head? No! No! I would want to bow low at His knee and put it on His head, for His is the power and the glory" (Sermon, Sept 24, 1888, Oakland, California, reprinted in Wieland, R. J., Knocking at the Door, p 66).

This kind of love is a gift from God, one facet of the fruits of the Holy Spirit. We can conform our conduct to appear as if we have such love, but our love will always arise from self-centered motives. Any distortion of this truth, is just that, a distortion, and constitutes a refusal to follow Jesus into His Most Holy Apartment ministry of cleansing His sanctuary.

--Arlene Hill