God's Attitude Toward Us and Our Attitudes Toward One Another

Consider God’s attitudes toward us:

4 But when the kindness of God our Savior and His love for mankind appeared, 5 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,

6 whom He poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior,

7 so that being justified by His grace we would be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

(Titus 3:4-7)

In seeking to become Christ- like we note the presence of the following attitudes in Christ and the Father. See how they each enter into the redemption story.

Compassion – (Deep sympathy ) God saw our need and was moved to act to redeem us.

Kindness - (gracious, gentle & useful) He saved us

Humility – (lowliness of mind) Jesus “appeared” or came as a man (see Philippians 2:5-10)

Gentleness – (mildness) Jesus dealt gently with sinners He sought to save

Patience (distant + wrath) He did not quickly respond to our sins with angry judgment

Bearing with us (put up with) He extended mercy in spite of our deeds

Forgiving (delivering from sin) He justified us by His grace

As God is, so are the disciples of His Son Jesus. The "new self" that we are to "put on" as we discard the old is patterned in this likeness. Paul writes, "and have put on the new self who is being renewed to a true knowledge according to the image of the One who created him" and the describes this "new self" as possessing the following characteristics:

"So, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience; 13 bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you. " (Colossians 3:12)

And thus, we add to our characters as disciples the same attitudes that God has toward us so that we could become heirs of eternal life. Let these characteristics be yours, everyday, as our Savior means for them to be.