恩慈和良善的武器  

過去幾週我們談到「強大的屬神武器」，又稱為「聖靈的果子」，這週我們繼續談論恩慈和良善。我們會一起談論這兩個果子，是因為它們緊密連結。

羅馬書十二章21節告訴我們：「不可為惡所勝，反要以善勝惡。」我們強大的屬神武器在於我們如何做到此，我們是以善勝過每個與善相反的惡，正如上一節的經文說：「你的仇敵若餓了，就給他吃，若渴了，就給他喝；因為你這樣行就是把炭火堆在他的頭上。」

「炭火」指的是臨到對我們作惡之人的精神痛苦和定罪，當我們沒有如他們所期望的以惡報惡，而是以善報惡。這必須出於我們的心，並且致力於以恩慈對待他們，代替傷害他們或看見他們遭受報應。

值得注意的是，聖靈的果子是單數而不是複數，並沒有聖靈的九個果子，而是一個果子擁有九種特性。這些特性都互相效力不能分開；舉例來說，我們的恩慈和良善必須以愛、信心、耐心…來完成。耶穌吩咐我們：「只是我告訴你們這聽道的人，你們的仇敵，要愛他！恨你們的，要待他好！咒詛你們的，要為他祝福！凌辱你們的，要為他禱告！」（路加福音6:27-28） 

或許我們可以在此陳述的其餘部分找到對「良善」和「恩慈」的最佳定義，正如馬太福音五章44-46節所記載的。耶穌解釋為何我們應當愛我們的仇敵，要對他們好： 

只是我告訴你們，要愛你們的仇敵，為那逼迫你們的禱告。 
這樣就可以作你們天父的兒子；因為祂叫日頭照好人，也照歹人；降雨給義人，也給不義的人。 
你們若單愛那愛你們的人，有什麼賞賜呢？就是稅吏不也是這樣行嗎？ 

因此，我們致力於愛我們的仇敵、對他們好，這樣我們就可以像天父一樣。還有什麼更高的呼召可與此相比？耶穌為著逼迫祂的人而死，不就是神的良善、恩慈和愛的最佳示範嗎？ 

良善和恩慈此強大武器可能是回應邪惡最戲劇性的例子，但不見得總是用來回應邪惡。使徒行傳十章38節這樣形容主：「祂周流四方，行善事，醫好凡被魔鬼壓制的人，因為神與祂同在。」主耶穌每天都在尋找行善的機會，這是否也是我們日常生活的心態呢？如果我們連於祂，這將會成為我們的心態。 

讓我們在萬事上將提摩太前書一章5節謹記於心：「但命令的總歸就是愛；這愛是從清潔的心和無虧的良心，無偽的信心生出來的。」神的愛透過我們的一個最佳表達，就是透過我們所做的善事，特別是在回應對我們所做的邪惡時。 

所以，我們若在聖靈的果子中成長，我們也會在良善和恩慈中成長。當我們在主裡行事，我們也會尋求為他人行善，而且總是在恩慈的靈裡而行。 

(摘自喬納word for the week, Week 15, 2021)
 

The Weapon of Kindness and Goodness

  As we have been covering our “divinely powerful weapons” that are also called the “fruit of the Spirit,” this week we continue with goodness and kindness. We will cover these together because they are so closely connected.

       In Romans 12:21 we are told, “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” Our divinely powerful weapons are how we do this. We overcome every evil with the good that is the counter to it, as the verse before states: “If your enemy is hungry, feed him. If he is thirsty given him a drink. By doing this you will heap burning coals on his head.”

         The “burning coals” speak of the mental anguish and conviction that comes upon those who have done evil to us when we don’t return evil to them as they expect, but rather good. This must be from our heart, and a devotion to kindness to others in place of doing harm or seeing them punished. 

         It is noteworthy that the fruit of The Spirit is singular, not plural. There are not nine fruits of The Spirit, but one, with nine characteristics. They all work together and cannot be separated. For example, our goodness and kindness must be done in love, faith, and patience.… We have been commanded by Jesus to: “But I say to you who hear, love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you” (Luke 6:27-28).

         Perhaps the best definition for “goodness” and “kindness” is found in the rest of this statement as it is recorded in Matthew 5:44-46. Jesus explains why we should love our enemies and do good to them: 

         “But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; 

         “for He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. 

         “For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same?” 

         So, our devotion to loving our enemies and doing good to them is so we can be like our Father in heaven. What higher calling could we possibly have than this? Is not the greatest demonstration of the goodness, kindness, and the love of God how Jesus died for the very ones who persecuted Him? 

         Goodness and kindness in response to evil may be the most dramatic example of this powerful weapon, but it does not always have to be in response to evil. It was said of The Lord in Acts 10:38: “He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him.” He went about looking for good to do every day. Is that our mindset as we go about our daily lives? It will be if we are abiding in Him.

         In all things let us keep in mind I Timothy 1:5: “The goal of our instruction is love from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith.” One of the great expressions of God’s love through us is through the goodness we do, especially when it is in response to evil done to us. 

         So, if we’re growing in the fruit of The Spirit, we will also be growing in goodness and kindness. As we walk abiding in The Lord, we will also go about looking for good to do for others, and always do it in The Spirit of kindness.