Holiness, Godliness, Usefulness
04/18/2015, by John Kincaid
Lesson 575: In All Our Relationships
We can study the godly character traits as they apply to all our relationships: Godward, self-ward and outward.
Our relationship with God involves humility, contentment, thankfulness and joy.
Training/disciplining ourselves involves holiness, self-control and faithfulness.
Our relationship with others involves peace, patience, gentleness, kindness, goodness and love.
These traits call us to deny ourselves, to turn from pride, greed and selfishness. Contrary to some contemporary worship, the Bible teaches that it is most definitely NOT all about me.
Instead, God calls us to consider the needs of others, to share, to serve with humility. By God’s grace, we become strict and firm with ourselves, but gracious, compassionate and tender toward others. Only God could create such a beautiful mixture in one human being.
In these traits, we fulfill the greatest commandment: to love God and others. At the core, our love for God and devotion to God are the motivation for all we do.
He is the source of love, wisdom and all gifts, which enable us to love ourselves and others.
God enables us to see ourselves and others as valuable. God enables us to serve others and actually be useful.
About This Series
The goal of this series is to become more useful in serving the Lord Jesus Christ, as an instrument in the Redeemer's hand. The theme verses for the series are Ephesians 4:22-24, Philemon 11, 2 Timothy 2:21
- to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds,
- and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.
- Formerly he was useless to you, but now he is indeed useful to you and to me.
- Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from what is dishonorable, he will be a vessel for honorable use, set apart as holy, useful to the master of the house, ready for every good work.
