Word Study: The Riches of His Kindness
BYTES~ Word Study: The Riches of His Kindness
But when the kindness and the love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour, that having been justified by His grace we should become heirs according to the hope of Eternal Life. This is a faithful saying, and these things I want you to affirm constantly, that those who have believed in God should be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable to men.
Titus 3:4-8 NKJV
Our God Is Rich
The riches of His kindness. What profound words, rich with meaning because they are a true reflection of the nature of God. Our God is rich. He is rich and generous in everything good. He is the personification and the source of abundant life. God epitomizes all you have ever imagined true wealth, riches and a good life could be.
Riches in the Greek is ploutos and it literally means riches, wealth, abundance, materially or spiritually. Pletho is the root word from which ploutos is derived and it means wealth (as fulness); literally, money, possessions; figuratively, abundance, richness, valuable bestowment.
The dictionary defines riches as material wealth, possessing things that make one rich; valuable or abundant resources; treasure; affluence, richness, assets.
There is no lack in God, in other words. He is the Source of all life, wealth and riches. He is the One who can meet all of our needs, if we let Him and if we put our faith In Him.
Kindness is defined as the quality of being friendly, generous and considerate. So when we read the phrase the riches of His kindness in the Bible, a picture forms in our mind that God's kindness generosity, goodness and His consideration towards us, knows no bounds; that He is rich in kindness, therefore nothing and no-one can, will ever or has ever prevented Him from pouring out that kindness on His crowning glory: mankind: you and me.
How Does God Show His Kindness Toward Us?
God's kindness toward you and me is abundant, full of His goodness, and He is always ready to pour it out on us. Ephesians 1 reveals much of God's kindness towards us.
1. v3 God has blessed us abundantly with every spiritual blessing in the Heavenly places In Christ.
2. v4 God in the riches of His kindness has chosen us to be His In Christ even before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love.
3. v5 God predestined our adoption into His Heavenly Family by Christ Jesus according to the good pleasure of His will. In other words, it pleases God that you are His! He loves you and wants to pour out His love, kindness, goodness and blessings on your life abundantly!
4. v6 God made us accepted in the Beloved, in Jesus, to the praise of the glory of His grace. Through Christ, we have been made righteous and acceptable to God. God wanted it that way. He wanted you to spend Eternity with Him, Jesus and the Holy Spirit, so He sent Jesus to die for you and so reconcile you to Him through the riches of His grace.
5. v7 We have been redeemed from sin, the influence of the prince of the power of the air and from every curse through the redeeming Blood of the Lamb. God has graciously and generously forgiven us all of our sins forever according to the riches of His grace. Not because we earned it or deserve it, but because God is Kind!
6. v8-9 God's grace is so generous toward us! His grace abounds toward us in all wisdom and prudence, having made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which he purposed In Himself! In other words, whatever you need, God has it in abundance, and He is just waiting for the opportunity to pour all His love, goodness and kindness out on you.
So What Should Our Response Be?
So how should we respond now that we have increased knowledge of the Riches of God's Kindness poured out on us?
1. We should imitate the Father.
Ephesians 5:1 Therefore be imitators of God as dear children. And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma.
In other words, we need to do what Jesus did and do what we see the Father do, and say what we hear the Father say. And the Father is always kind and generous to all.
2. We should clothe ourselves in the riches of God's kindness every day.
Colossians 3:12 Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do.
3. We must have faith in God and believe all that He has revealed to us about Himself.
Hebrews 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.
If we do not believe that God is good, kind and generous, we will not trust Him to make a difference in our lives; to make a way where there seems to be no way, or to give us abundant mercy and grace to help us in our time of need.
Trust Him
Faith pleases God, and putting faith in the riches of His Kindness will give us peace of mind and heart knowing that God is not out to 'get us,' but rather that He is 'out' to do us good and to be kind to us at all times. Trust in the riches of His kindness.
God promised that He would never remove His kindness from us.
Isaiah 54:10 For the mountains shall depart and the hills be removed, but My kindness shall not depart from you, nor shall My covenant of peace be removed, says the LORD, who has mercy on you.
He meant what He said. God will never take His kindness from you. Meet with Him in prayer today, thanking Him for His goodness and His kindness toward you and toward your family. Then rejoice in the Lord like never before! For the Lord is good, And His mercy endures forever!
Meaghan Spies © 2022
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