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Grace Presbyterian Church Characteristics of the Christian by Pastor Bob Burridge ©2001 |
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Chapter 3 In the Presidential campaign of the year 2000, George W. Bush was able to win some of the support that gave him his slim victory by calling himself a compassionate conservative. Voters were very hungry for a type of politics that responded with sincere concern for the people being governed. Of course all the candidates claimed to be the real compassionate ones, and accused each of the others of using the word compassion while they were really being oppressive and opportunistic. In a world guided more by impressions than by God's word, ideas like compassion are hard to define and even harder to sort out from the self-serving motives that often lie behind people's words and actions. Though its often confused by our fallen hearts, its the common testimony of all sorts of people that compassion is to be a goal of humanity. if we are to live together in peace. We need to be truly concerned for the well-being of others. People need encouragement, companionship, sympathy, advice, and help in times of calamity. God created us, and redeems us, to be his earthly kingdom, his family, his flock, his church. We are called the human race. That doesn't mean we are all racing against one another. We are made in the image of God and justified by the death of Jesus Christ so that we can represent God's love, mercy, and compassion among one another. This means living in community with other people. Its a sin problem we have to work on. When our brothers and sisters in the Lord have needs, we are called by God to help them. This mandate from God is summarized in Colossians 3:12-15
Notice that compassion is something we are told to put on. Its a duty, something to do. We don't just assume that because we are Christians we have it somehow, even though it might not show itself. Compassion isn't like a disease without symptoms! When you've got it, those around you ought to be able to see its evidences. And its our job to work on those evidences by making sure the cause is there in our hearts. into something quite its opposite. What is thought of as compassion is often just a concern to ease a troubled conscience. It can show itself as mere superficial gestures that appear to show concern but do little to really help, or may actually hurt the person more. The other extreme is to condemn superficial gestures and do nothing to help those in need. We need to learn how to follow God's mandate. There is a false compassion that doesn't do what's really good for people at all. It may look good, and feel good. But in reality it may cause more harm and hurt to those we say we are helping. True compassion is not ...
Its not surprising that a society made up of unsanctified souls tends toward false compassion. Fallen people define compassion by what they believe it ought to be. God's word shows us what true compassion is, and how we can put it on. The method of compassion can be divided into four lessons: true compassion is only possible in the redeemed. In our fallen condition, no one is capable of sincere concern for others and for God's honor.
The First Epistle of John is a detailed study of how love manifests itself in God's children. And it makes the point that true God-honoring compassion can only be found in them. Showing compassionate concern for others is one of the marks of a true Christian. If there is no compassion, a person should be very concerned about the reality of his salvation.
A lack of compassion weakens our own confidence that we belong to the Lord.
If a person is redeemed by Christ, then love and compassion should evidence itself.
Our own compassion is the seal of God's compassion upon us.
So the first step in learning to be truly compassionate, it to make your salvation sure. Regeneration alone enables us. There is no other cause for true compassion. All else is a false compassion moved by selfish concerns, needs and desires. And if we expect to see compassion expand in our neighborhood, country and the world, we need to evangelize with the gospel of Christ. God's word is filled with help about how we can show true care for others. When we know the truth about God and about others as his creatures, and when we remember that all the redeemed are our brothers and sisters by grace, then we will have a foundation for learning to appreciate what is really best for others. Our text, Colossians 3:12-15 describes the elements of that compassion. It must include kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. It must bear with one another, and be forgiving to each other with love, peace and thankfulness. 2 Corinthians 1:4 explains how God's mercies enable us. Its Him who comforts us in all our affliction so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. 1 Peter 3:8-9 puts it this way ...
The love chapter, 1 Corinthians 13, shows how this kind of compassion is part of love ...
Then in the next verses of 1 Corinthians 13 Paul continues ...
When self is our center, our compassion is just a means to making us, not others, to feel good. Paul, in Philippians 2:3 writes,
These verses show us that true compassion not only puts up with the rudeness of others, it responds with kindness! Instead of treating them the way they deserve, it treats them as God commands. This means that the best thing we can do for others, is to help them to live by the principles God gives us in his word and by helping them with their needs inwardly and outwardly as they struggle along. Its good to know how the Bible describes compassion. But, as humans, it also helps us to have examples to follow. The Bible is filled with examples of compassion and godly models for us to see. Daniel didn't refrain from forbidden prayer to avoid getting people upset with him. Compassion in his understanding was not to hide his prayers to make the pagans feel good about him. It was to show devotion to God's word above comfort to himself. Paul didn't tell the Thessalonians to keep giving food to those who were out of work. In sincere and godly compassion he told them in 2 Thessalonians 3:10 "... if anyone will not work, neither let him eat." It was best for them was to help the habitually dependent learn the importance of work. Aquilla and Priscilla were thanked in Romans 16:4 because they risked their lives for Paul. They could have just prayed and minded their own business. They could have just repaired tents and lived quiet lives. But that would not have been the compassionate thing to do. Jesus is of course our greatest example. His whole life is an example of compassion. But he didn't hide the truth to draw more followers. John 6:65-66 Jesus said ...
He knew that what was best for these people was to hear the truth. There are many other examples that could be drawn from Christian history and from the Christian community. One Christian writer tells of the time when he was riding a subway on a cold Chicago day. An elderly woman shuffled into the subway and took a seat. Her clothes were ragged, barely able to protect her from the bitter Chicago winds. She hunched herself against the cold gripping a worn shawl around her. He said her hands appeared to be white, cracked and bony. In contrast a healthy looking young man energetically got on the train. He noticed the pain of the old woman sitting in quiet misery. Three stops later the man left the train leaving his pair of brown leather gloves in her lap. The writer then says, "He saw her need and responded with compassion while I just sat there. It never occurred to me to give her my gloves. That young man showed compassion in a way I'll never forget." what we learn about compassion. Compassion isn't a set of facts or doctrines, its a way of life to be put into practice. Our text say that we must put it on. We need to slip into the clothing that honors Christ as it reaches out to really help others. In practical terms here are 4 steps that might help:
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