Building Character COMPASSION Part 2 Building Character Constitution
Building Character COMPASSION Part 2
Building Character • • Constitution of one’s real self Who you are Conformed to image of Christ, Col 3: 10 Christian’s character is expressed by his or her faith, 2 Peter 1: 5 -7 • Building character: Shaping our hearts Col 3: 12 -17 (Rom 12: 2) • Determined action (“put on”), Col 3: 12 2
Compassion • (oiktirmos) “To have pity, a feeling of distress through the ills of others” (Vine) • “bowels of mercy” (KJV) • Mercy grows out of compassion – “the outward manifestation of pity”, Matt 5: 7 3
Compassion • God’s elect have received compassion, Col 3: 12; CHARACTER Rom 9: 15 OF CARING – Do the same, 1 Jno 4: 19, 10 -11 – Or we condemn ourselves, Luke 6: 38 • Trait of holiness, Col 3: 12 – God’s compassion, Rom 5: 8 – Be holy as He is, 1 Pet 1: 15 -16 4
Compassion • We all need to be more CHARACTER evangelistic, Lk 15: 1 -7 • Sacrifices to try to save OF others, 1 Cor 9: 22, 19 EVANGELISM – Foregoes liberties Matt 9: 35 -38 Acts 15: 36 Acts 16: 9 -10 – Labors to save others • Produces a commitment to teach, Acts 20: 18 -20 – Peter and Paul, Ac 8: 20; 24: 25 5
Compassion • Removes the limits from our willingness to forgive, Matt 18: 21 -35 (Gen 50: 15 -21) CHARACTER • Such forgiveness is harder than it may appear, Luke 6: OF 27 -28, 35 -36 FORGIVENESS – Being compassionate in the face of abuse is a great test of faith (character), Luke 23: 34 – What sin does to those who sin against us, Acts 7: 59 -60 6
Compassion • We can learn compassion, CHARACTER Isaiah 1: 16 -17 • If you are willing… (Isa 1: 19) OF HELPING THE LESS FORTUNATE Mark 1: 40 -42 – Brotherly love, 1 Jno 3: 16 -17 – Help needy, Lk 10: 33 -34 – Comfort the mourner, Lk 7: 13 – Remember the distressed, Heb 13: 1 -3 (10: 34) • Sees itself in others and acts, Matt 7: 12 (Psa 35: 11 -14) 7
Compassion • Pity toward the distress of others even when they refuse to show the same pity to you, Psa 35: 15 -16 • Build hearts of compassion • Compassion is the character of godliness…the character of God’s holy ones 8
- Slides: 8