August 18, 2014
If we were to ask most people what they thought of God, they would describe Him as a distant, perhaps angry Being. God is perfect in every dimension—even His righteous wrath—but the leading edge of His character is always His love, kindness, mercy, and grace.
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, emphasis mine)
WHEN HIS KINDNESS APPEARED…
He saved us
Our salvation had nothing to do with our goodness or merit but everything to do with His mercy. What could possibly be a greater act of kindness than to deliver those who deserved hell from their judgment by taking it upon Oneself?
He poured out His Spirit upon us.
He did this "richly" or "super-abundantly." This was not the mere giving of a gift but the giving of Himself. What kindness to come to dwell—to actually live—in the lives of those He had brought to life! To make a common man His temple.
He justified us
By His lifeblood, He satisfied the just demands of the law so that our sins would seem as nothing before a Holy God. For those who believe in Him, it is "just as if we'd never sinned." God demanded justice and then provided it.
He made us heirs!
Not only has He saved and justified us, but He has gladly chosen to give us His kingdom, making us heirs and joint-heirs with Him to all He possesses! Think of this kindness: He took those who were His enemies (us), saved us, filled us, cleared us, and then said, "I want you to have all that I have for all of eternity!"
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