Kindness (5544) (chrestotes from adjective chrestos = useful, profitable in turn from chraomai = to furnish what is needed in turn from chráo = lend, furnish as a loan) is a gracious attitude, and thus describes the quality of being helpful and beneficial. Kindness is God's beneficial provision that meets the need of sinful man. Kindness reflects the tender concern of God, providing for helpless, hapless man what he never could have provided for himself. This is the "starting point" for our salvation. Expositors calls it God's "pitying kindness that prompts Him to bestow forgiveness and blessings". Chrestotes -10 times in NAS - Ro 2:4; 3:12; 11:22; 2Co 6:6; Gal 5:22; Eph 2:7; Col 3:12; Titus 3:4 Translated - kindness 9x and good 1x. Nelson's New Illustrated Bible Dictionary says that... Kindness is not an apathetic response to sin, but a deliberate act to bring the sinner back to God. (see Ro2:4 below) (Youngblood, R. F., Bruce, F. F., Harrison, R. K., & Thomas Nelson Publishers. Nelson's New Illustrated Bible Dictionary) Kindness is an attribute of God and a quality desirable but not consistently found in men as discussed below. Jesus taught that we are to "love (our) enemies, and do good and lend, expecting nothing in return and (our) reward will be great, and (we) will be sons of the Most High; for He Himself is kind (adjective chrestos) to ungrateful and evil men." (Lk 6:35) John MacArthur writes that kindness (chrestotes) "connotes genuine goodness and generosity of heart. Our salvation from sin and lostness and death issued wholly from God’s kindness, His loving, benevolent, and entirely gracious concern to draw us to Himself and redeem us from sin forever." Chrestotes - 15x in non-apocryphal Septuagint (LXX) - Esther 8:12; Ps 14:1, 3; 21:3; 25:7; 31:19; 37:3; 65:10; 68:10; 85:12; 104:28; 106:5; 119:65, 66, 68; 145:7. Here is an example from the prayer of David in which he asks God to "not remember the sins of my youth or my transgressions; according to Thy lovingkindness (see word study on hesed/chesed/heced) remember Thou me, for Thy goodness’ (chrestotes - kindness) sake, O Lord. Good (adjective chrestos- kind) and upright is the Lord; therefore He instructs sinners in the way." (Ps 25:7, 8) In other words David bases his appeal on God's attribute of kindness for he recognizes that it is God's kindness that leads sinners to repentance ("instructs sinners in the way.") Trench describes chrestotes as a "beautiful word, as it is the expression of a beautiful grace...one pervading and penetrating the whole nature, mellowing there all which would have been harsh and austere (Ed note: this latter applicable only to men but not to God for He is never harsh or austere)...a goodness which has no edge, no sharpness in it..." (Trench, R. C. Synonyms of the New Testament. Hendrickson Publishers. 2000) Kindness reflects benevolence in action, kindliness which disposes one to do good but not a goodness qualitatively but a goodness in action and expressed in deed. Kindness is that temper or disposition which delights in contributing to the happiness of others, which is exercised cheerfully in gratifying their wishes and which supplies their wants or alleviates their distresses. Kindness is not just a sweet disposition but is a serving trait. Jesus used the adjectival form (chrestos) in His famous invitation to "all who are weary and heavy laden" to come to Him, take His yoke and learn from Him, for His "yoke is easy (chrestos) and (His) load is light." (Mt 11:28, 29, 30) Jesus' yoke is pleasant, beneficial, useful, and causes no discomfort. Paul asks the question "do you think lightly of the riches of His kindness (chrestotes) and forbearance and patience, not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance?" (Ro 2:4-note) God's kindness does not excuse men of their sin but convicts them of sin and leads them to repentance. In the next chapter of Romans Paul uses chrestotes to contrast the attitude and action of sinful men writing all have turned aside. Together they have become useless. There is none who does good (chrestotes). There is not even one. (Ro 3:12-note) And yet when men become beneficiaries of God's kindness and repent and believe, they are new creatures in Christ, now fitted to shine forth the fruit of the Spirit...love, joy, peace, patience, kindness (chrestotes), goodness, faithfulness." (Gal 5:22-note) Paul in his famous definition of "love" writes that love is patient (present tense = continually, as the habit of one's life = only possible supernaturally, not naturally!), love is kind (chresteuomai - also in the present tense) (1Cor 13:4-note) He instructs the Colossian saints as "those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved (to), put on a heart of compassion, kindness (chrestotes), humility, gentleness and patience." (Col 3:12-note) Peter writes that believers "have tasted the kindness (adjective chrestos) of the Lord." (1Pe 2:3-note) And in another reflection of God's amazing grace, Paul records "that in the ages to come He (will) show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness (chrestotes) toward us in Christ Jesus." (Ep 2:7-note) God's kindness initiating our salvation. His kindness continuing throughout eternity! Simply unfathomable! Even a glimpse of the true meaning of God's kindness is something that ought to cause us to drop to our knees in grateful adoration as expressed by Isaac Watts in the hymn below... WHAT SHALL I RENDER TO MY GOD (Isaac Watts) Click to play What shall I render to my God For all His kindness shown? My feet shall visit Thine abode, My songs address Thy throne. The Tyndale Bible Dictionary summarizes "kindness" as that "state of being that includes the attributes of loving affection, sympathy, friendliness, patience, pleasantness, gentleness, and goodness. Kindness is a quality shown in the way a person speaks and acts. It is more volitional than emotional." One of the most beautiful illustrations of this volitional aspect of human kindness is King David’s treatment of Mephibosheth (2Sa 9:1ff-note). Scripture records David's question -- "Is there yet anyone left of the house of Saul, that I may show him kindness for Jonathan's sake?" David’s desire was to show “the kindness of God” to King Saul’s family because of his covenant with Saul’s son, Jonathan. The young man chosen was Mephibosheth, Jonathan’s son, who "was lame in both feet." (2Sa 9:13-note) If David had acted according to justice, he would have condemned Mephibosheth who belonged to a condemned family. But David acted on the basis of kindness, seeking out Mephibosheth, assuring him he had no need to fear, inviting him to live in the king's palace as family and to eat at the king’s table. This is but a veiled picture of the infinite kindness of God! Indeed every believer has experienced even greater kindness, for we are now children of the King and shall revel in His majestic presence forever! What kindness! THERE IS GLORY IN MY SOUL (Grace Davis) Click to play Since He cleansed my heart, gave me sight for blindness, There is glory in my soul! Since He touched and healed me in loving kindness There is glory in my soul! In sum, how was God our Savior's undeserved kindness manifest to sinners who deserved hell? Paul sums it up this way: "And the Law came in that the transgression might increase; but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, that, as sin reigned in death, even so grace might reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." (Ro 5:20, 21-note) This is divine kindness in action! OF GOD OUR SAVIOR: tou soteros hemon theou: Our Not just God the Savior but "our" Savior. What a glorious thought and bold confession of possession! Can you proclaim Him as "your" Savior? If not, then read on to see how you can and why you should.