Preaching goodness: Kindness

My good and beloved friends, grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. I do not want to keep you in the dark, until the end of our dialogue about spiritual gifts. I will write you wisdom: in the definition of good (Mic 6, 8) the mystery of the connection - body, soul and spirit - is revealed. As the body is able to act, the soul man can love. But humble in body with a merciful soul, only a man born of the Spirit of God can stand before Jesus Christ.

The Bible teaches that God created man in His own image and likeness: the LORD God formed man out of the clay of the ground and blew into his nostrils the breath of life, and so man became a living being. (Gen 2:7).

Adam had a body made from the clay of the ground, a soul to give life to the body, and a spirit (the breath of life) to communicate with God. The LORD God gave man this order: "You are free to eat from any of the trees of the garden except the tree of knowledge of good and bad. From that tree you shall not eat; the moment you eat from it you are surely doomed to die." (Gen 2:16-17). Adam's body died many years after the day he ate, since the soul is what enables the body to live, but God is always accurate in what He says, and we now know what had to die. Adam was one in body, soul and spirit before God and as soon as he ate of the tree of knowledge, his body and soul stopped listening to the Holy Spirit. Adam became a soulish man and ceased to walk humbly before God. He still had a soul that loved and spoke to the body, but his soul was disobedient to the spirit. This was spiritual death for Adam. It is such people to treat with repentance, the Jesus calls, and told in the Holy Gospel: I am the resurrection and the life; whoever believes in me, even if he dies, will live (John 11:25).

So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown corruptible; it is raised incorruptible. It is sown dishonorable; it is raised glorious. It is sown weak; it is raised powerful. It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual one. (1 Cor 15:42-44). And if Adam died, it is given to us to be born. Nicodemus said to him, "How can a person once grown old be born again? Surely he cannot reenter his mother's womb and be born again, can he?" (John 3:4). The Lord Jesus Christ, answering these questions, gives us the wisdom of returning to God: Amen, amen, I say to you, no one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and Spirit. What is born of flesh is flesh and what is born of spirit is spirit. Do not be amazed that I told you, 'You must be born from above.' (John 3:5-7). 

The Apostle Paul also shows us the way to seek kindness and be born in the Spirit: See that no one returns evil for evil; rather, always seek what is good (both) for each other and for all. Rejoice always. Pray without ceasing. In all circumstances give thanks, for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus. Do not quench the Spirit. Do not despise prophetic utterances. Test everything; retain what is good. Refrain from every kind of evil. May the God of peace himself make you perfectly holy and may you entirely, spirit, soul, and body, be preserved blameless for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. (1 Thess 5:15-23)

How can we be kind and receive the Holy Spirit? When we believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, in His resurrection and receive the gift of the Holy Spirit, we are no longer just body and soul, but spirit, soul and body. We are the whole body of Christ, for God is Spirit, and those who worship him must worship in Spirit and truth. (John 4:24).

Many have read the Bible and the natural person can understand the meaning - Only to do right and to love goodness. But kind deeds can only be done by a spiritual person who walks humbly before God. For it is said: Now the natural person does not accept what pertains to the Spirit of God, for to him it is foolishness, and he cannot understand it, because it is judged spiritually. (1 Cor 2:14).

How can we collect kind deeds, flying like a bee collecting nectar? For example, a guy helped his grandmother, and she answered him: "Thank you, grandson!". The guy acted justly, loving mercy, like many others from the bottom of his heart. But a Christian (spiritual man), who walks humbly before God, a Christian himself will thank God for this trial. And to his grandmother he will answer: "Grandmother, thank the Lord for giving me the opportunity to be there for you and help you." - Having done a kind deed, thank Him who said: I am the vine, you are the branches. Whoever remains in me and I in him will bear much fruit, because without me you can do nothing (John 15:5). 

And how can you determine whether a deed is kind deed or not before you do it? If there is doubt and no wisdom. The heart is silent to make a quick decision and choice: yes, yes or no, no. Man begins to think and rely on his mind, and as a result he goes down the invisible path following Adam. And whatever decision a person makes, it will be not from the Lord, but from the mind of the person himself. Pray to the Lord before your difficult deed and you will receive a signal from your heart. As Jesus taught: Let your 'Yes' mean 'Yes,' and your 'No' mean 'No.' Anything more is from the evil one (Matt 5:37). If a visible decision comes from your heart, then do a kind deed and dedicate it (give thanks) to the Lord. But if any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God who gives to all generously and ungrudgingly, and he will be given it. (James 1:5). Don't rely on your brain and reason, or you will get an answer from the evil one and go through the trial with it. If there is no wisdom from the heart, then it is not your trial now. Go away from this task with the words: Lord, Your will be done. Time will pass and the Lord will give you wisdom and you will receive an answer. Or the Lord Himself will solve everything and lead you through this trial.

The Lord tests the righteous and the wicked, and his soul hates him that loves violence. (Ps 11:5). The Lord loves you and sends you trials. You must go through the trials in love for the Lord, and not convince yourself or those close to you. Your choice is yes, yes - in thanking the Lord for the opportunity to do a kind deed, or no, no - in trusting the Lord and His decisions. 

A man who walks humbly before God is a kind man. And when a man is not good, he is dead like Adam. Jesus said to him, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. (John 14, 6)

Be kind in your deeds, pleasing to the Lord!