T. J. Switzer
Puritan Board Freshman
Do you ponder the kindness of God? I know that until recently I didn’t even think about His kindness, just his fury. There is wisdom in this as Proverbs 1:7 tells us that fearing God is the beginning of wisdom. We all could use a good dose of fear in retrospect to how we often treat God, treating with contempt the things that are holy and pure. This is not somewhere we should stay. If we do we will not get a more rounded and even view of the Character of God.
In the Greek, we see that the word χρηστότης (chréstotés) is the word used to describe goodness, uprightness, kindness, gentleness. All of which can be used to describe Christ in the Gospels. In fact Paul tells his spiritual son Titus that it was through God’s kindness that we have been born again through Jesus.
“But when the kindness of God our Savior and His love for mankind appeared, He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that being justified by His grace we would be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.” (Titus 3: 4-7)
It's the kindness of God that saves mankind. Nothing short of that. Nothing more than that. The Pilgrim would do well to remember this. For when we ponder on the greatness of God, our pondering of His kindness, goodness, mercy of His grace should bring us to our knees in gladness of heart that we “being justified by His grace would been made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.” We, who have nothing worth loving in us, are loved by the King of the Celestial City. That we share in the rule of His heavenly kingdom. What joyful news this is! It is worth shouting from the rooftops! It is worth selling everything we have to obtain! This gospel is the means by which we come to know this great King and the love He has for His creation.
It isn’t easy to understand or accept what that means. Our finite human brains cannot grasp heavenly concepts fully in this lifetime. It’s why teachers like Charles Spurgeon said, “The mind of God is greater than all the minds of men, so let all men leave the gospel just as God has delivered it unto us.” He was right. We need to more or less accept that the Gospel at face value and understand that it is through the kindness of our Master that we are loved and saved for himself. Now don’t hear what I am not saying. This does not mean we shouldn’t ponder this great love. Just the opposite. Paul tells us in Philippians 4:8, “Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things.”
Dwelling of the pure truths of the Scriptures alone. Ponder the meaning of the χρηστότης (chréstotés) of the Lord Jesus. Let these things fill you till you are overflowing with praises to God. This will be to His praise and your benefit as you grow into the mind of Christ. After all, His kindness and goodness and excellence is what drew you to Him. May the grace of the Lord be with you as you do.
In the Greek, we see that the word χρηστότης (chréstotés) is the word used to describe goodness, uprightness, kindness, gentleness. All of which can be used to describe Christ in the Gospels. In fact Paul tells his spiritual son Titus that it was through God’s kindness that we have been born again through Jesus.
“But when the kindness of God our Savior and His love for mankind appeared, He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that being justified by His grace we would be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.” (Titus 3: 4-7)
It's the kindness of God that saves mankind. Nothing short of that. Nothing more than that. The Pilgrim would do well to remember this. For when we ponder on the greatness of God, our pondering of His kindness, goodness, mercy of His grace should bring us to our knees in gladness of heart that we “being justified by His grace would been made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.” We, who have nothing worth loving in us, are loved by the King of the Celestial City. That we share in the rule of His heavenly kingdom. What joyful news this is! It is worth shouting from the rooftops! It is worth selling everything we have to obtain! This gospel is the means by which we come to know this great King and the love He has for His creation.
It isn’t easy to understand or accept what that means. Our finite human brains cannot grasp heavenly concepts fully in this lifetime. It’s why teachers like Charles Spurgeon said, “The mind of God is greater than all the minds of men, so let all men leave the gospel just as God has delivered it unto us.” He was right. We need to more or less accept that the Gospel at face value and understand that it is through the kindness of our Master that we are loved and saved for himself. Now don’t hear what I am not saying. This does not mean we shouldn’t ponder this great love. Just the opposite. Paul tells us in Philippians 4:8, “Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things.”
Dwelling of the pure truths of the Scriptures alone. Ponder the meaning of the χρηστότης (chréstotés) of the Lord Jesus. Let these things fill you till you are overflowing with praises to God. This will be to His praise and your benefit as you grow into the mind of Christ. After all, His kindness and goodness and excellence is what drew you to Him. May the grace of the Lord be with you as you do.
