“And be ye kind one to another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you” (Ephesians 4:32).
This verse gives us the extent, the experience, the expression, and the greatest example of Christian character.
1. THE EXTENT OF CHRISTIAN CHARACTER – “Be ye kind”
When a person is born again by the Spirit of God, he or she becomes a new creation in Christ. The inherent nature of this new life will then become gentle, gracious, good, and kind. Such characteristics ought to dominate the entire life and make up the real Christian personality. Paul wrote, “Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, long-suffering” (Colossians 3:12).
Someone once wrote these lines: “I have wept in the night for the shortness of sight that to somebody’s need made me blind; but I never have yet felt a twinge of regret for being a little too kind.”
2. THE EXPERIENCE OF CHRISTIAN CHARACTER – “tenderhearted”
In its relations to others, Christian character is easily moved to love, to sorrow, to pity, to compassion. Such experience will be able to place itself in the position of others and feel as they feel. It will move with compassion for others as Jesus was moved. “But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd” (Matthew 9:36).
True Christian character quickly lends a hand to the person in need, and will gladly spend itself for others.
3. THE EXPRESSION OF CHRISTIAN CHARACTER – “forgiving one another”
Christian character will readily express itself toward others in being willing to forgive those who sin against it. A forgiving spirit is Christlike, for on the cross the Lord Jesus Christ prayed for those who crucified Him, saying, “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do” (Luke 23:34).
Jesus taught that His followers should be willing to forgive a limitless number of times, “Until seventy times seven” (Matthew 18:22b). Christian character expresses itself in a willingness to forgive.
4. THE EXAMPLE OF CHRISTIAN CHARACTER – “even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you”
The example of God the Father is here held up as the pattern and ideal for the Christian. This is the absolute best example of Christian character. It is the highest and holiest ideal for every believer and ought to be before every Christian. “Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye” (Colossians 3:13).
Do we see the Christian ideal? Then let’s be the ideal Christian!