2Corinthians 10:1
The Gracious Attributes
We continue our quest to know character. We have found three
foundational attributes: wisdom, love, and self control; now, we
begin to build upward on that foundation. With a sure foundation, we
may errect a solid house, a godly person.
Each of these characteristics are important:
1. Wisdom gives us the ability to see our need for character and
to know what we need to seek.
2. Love is the basket that holds and connects all of the godly
attributes together while, at the same time, making it
impossible for the ungodly attributes to gain a foothold in
our lives.
3. Self control makes it possible for us to do the things that we
should and to reframe from the things we should not.
Tonight, we add three attributes that I have dubbed the Gracious
Attributes.
I. The Gracious Attributes - Let’s name and define them.
A. They are gentleness, meekness, and kindness.
1. These are the gracious attributes because they are graces
through which God can work.
a. Some want to be an Elijah or John the Baptist—bold,
courageous, people of action and plain speaking.
b. We do need men like that.
c. However, God uses those that are the balance of this
kind of man too. (Peter/John, Paul/Apollos)
2. I suspect God wants us to be balanced.
a. Without doubt, God is a balanced Being.
(1) God’s love and justice balance out.
(2) God’s holiness and mercy balance out.
(3) God’s sovereignty and our liberty balance out.
b. God is not merely the Almighty. God is the ALL-
Balanced.
c. Indeed, God is the God we love and serve because He
is balanced.
d. God desires us to be balanced as well.
3. Someone says, "I don’t want to be a sissy." If these
attributes make a person a sissy, I will gladly be a
sissy.
a. Was Moses a sissy?
Nu 12:3 (Now the man Moses was very meek, above
all the men which were upon the face of the
earth.)
b. Was Jesus a sissy?
Isa 42:2 He shall not cry, nor lift up, nor
cause his voice to be heard in the street.
3 A bruised reed shall he not break, and the
smoking flax shall he not quench: he shall bring
forth judgment unto truth.
c. Paul in our text described Christ as being both
gentle and meek.
B. The gracious attributes help us in dealing with people.
1. While they may overlap in how we treat "things," their
primary purpose is to show us how to treat one another.
2. These attributes can keep us from sin and regret.
a. Characteristics such as anger, wrath, bitter, and
unforgiving are born when we do not have the
balancing characteristics of mercy, kindness,
gentleness, and meekness.
b. But not only do these characteristics help keep
us from sinning with God, they also help keep
us from a life of regrets with people.
C. Let’s define them.
1. All three of these attributes are unique. They are
similar but different.
(a) Notice that Paul spoke of both the meekness and
gentleness of Christ.
(b) Paul will also mention meekness and kindness together,
meaning all three are different.
Col 3:12 Put on therefore, as the elect of God,
holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness,
humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;
(c) To some extent, the words can be used interchangeably,
but they are also different.
2. Several Greek words are translated gentle.
(a) They mean to treat someone with mildness, patience, or
moderation such as our text.
(1) The thought generally is that we should treat
people with a soft touch.
(2) Examples.
1Th 2:7 But we were gentle among you, even
as a nurse cherisheth her children:
2Ti 2:24 And the servant of the Lord must not
strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach,
patient,
(3) Don’t be hard on people.
i. Titus gives us some help in understanding
the word.
Titus 3:2 To speak evil of no man, to be no
brawlers, but gentle, shewing all meekness unto
all men.
ii. Don’t be harsh with words.
iii. Don’t be harsh with our hands (brawlers).
iv. By the way, the word "meek" used in that
verse would correspond more to our word
"humble" today.
v. It is word that is only used twice in all
of the Bible, but it directs to a verse
that teaches how to get ALL of these
gracious attributes and more.
Matt 11:29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of
me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye
shall find rest unto your souls.
vi. These kinds of attributes must be learned
from Christ. (Character is Christ, His
nature, and His teaching in us.)
(b) This word has no pre-requisite for its use; that is,
it is not a reaction but an action.
(1) This is the spirit in which we should treat
people both good and bad, strangers and
friends, people who have wronged us and people
who have not.
(2) We should not be rough or gruff; we should not
be extreme or harsh.
(c) So we are treat people as Christ has treated us.
3. Then there is kindness.
(a) There are also several Greek words translated
kindness but generally, they mean to treat someone
graciously, good, better, and benevolently.
(b) The thought is that we are to leave people better
than the way we found them.
(1) That does not necessitate that money or material
items have to be given out. We could leave
them with a smile, we an upbeat spirit, with
a better viewpoint on life.
(2) However, kindness seems to demand that we not
leave them worse off than we found them.
i. Kindness would never take advantage of
anyone, be cruel, hurtful, or mean to
anyone.
ii. You would not be rude, crude, curd to
them.
(3) It seems like you would speak, be friendly,
smile.
i. Wouldn’t it be something if the only thing
necessary to remove the tensions between
races and social status is for us to
start greeting and speaking to people we
see?
ii. Perhaps our motto should be, "Making
friends out of strangers."
(4) For years, I have told you that kindness is the
lubricant of the church. It is what makes it
possible for the members of the church to work
together without friction.
(5) I think we can say of kindness that is also the
lubricant which makes it possible for employees
to work together, for school children to learn
together, for homes to live together and for
citizens to co-exists together.
(c) Kindness is another attribute that has no
pre-requisite. It is not our reaction to someone it
is our action toward everyone.
4. The third attribute is meekness.
(a) Meekness is when a person has a reason and power to
execute his cause but does not.
(b) The word meek is used freely in both the New and Old
Testaments.
(1) In most of the contexts, it is used in a
reactionary sense.
(a) For example, some wrong was done and meek
has a reason to execute his wrath.
(b) \\#Nu 12:3\\ When Moses was called the
meekest man on the earth, Aaron and Miriam
were attempting to promote themselves
either up to or over Moses.
(3) Meekness always demands having the power to do
execute his wrath.
(a) If a person has no power, he is just weak.
(b) When the Bible refers to Jesus as meek, it
does not mean that He was weak.
(c) Jesus had the power to stop every wrong that
was done against Him. He was meek in that
He chose to allow the wrongs against Him.
5. So we have three attributes and their practical
definitions:
(a) Gentleness - handling people softly.
(b) Kindness - Leaving people better than when we found
them.
(c) Meekness - Having a reason and power to execute your
cause but deferring to do so.
II. The Bible does not give a lot of teaching on these attributes,
but it does give examples both of how they were used and how
they were not.
A. \\#Luke 9:51\\
Lu 9:51 And it came to pass, when the time was
come that he should be received up, he stedfastly
set his face to go to Jerusalem,
52 And sent messengers before his face: and they
went, and entered into a village of the
Samaritans, to make ready for him.
53 And they did not receive him, because his
face was as though he would go to Jerusalem.
54 And when his disciples James and John saw
this, they said, Lord, wilt thou that we command
fire to come down from heaven, and consume them,
even as Elias did?
55 But he turned, and rebuked them, and said,
Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of.
56 For the Son of man is not come to destroy
men’s lives, but to save them. And they went to
another village.
1. \\#55\\ Notice Jesus’ statement, they did not know "what
manner of spirit ye are of."
2. James and John wanted to put some "Elijah" spirit on the
Samaritans, but Jesus wanted them to show a gracious
spirit.
3. This passage actually demonstrates a lacking of all three
of these attributes:
a. gentleness - They were not wanting a soft touch.
b. kindness - They were not wanting to leave them better
than when they found them.
c. meekness - They knew Jesus had the power to call down
fire and they wanted to use it.
B. \\#Luke 23:33\\ contains the greatest example of all three.
Luke 23:33 And when they were come to the place,
which is called Calvary, there they crucified
him, and the malefactors, one on the right hand,
and the other on the left.
34 Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for
they know not what they do. And they parted his
raiment, and cast lots.
III. The Bible commands us to have all three of these
characteristics.
A. Meekness and gentleness are both found in the fruits of the
Spirit \\#Gal 5:22-23\\.
B. Kindness is found, among other places, in Ephesians.
Eph 4:32 And be ye kind one to another,
tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as
God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.
IV. And they bring great rewards.
A. They stop arguments before they get over heated.
Pr 15:1 A soft answer turneth away wrath: but
grievous words stir up anger. (gentle and kind)
B. God promises food and satisfaction to the meek.
Ps 22:26 The meek shall eat and be satisfied:
they shall praise the LORD that seek him: your
heart shall live for ever.
C. Jesus raised the bar when He said:
Mt 5:5 Blessed are the meek: for they shall
inherit the earth.
D. But then He raised it even higher in Revelation:
Re 21:7 He that overcometh shall inherit all
things; and I will be his God, and he shall be
my son.
If you want to know what happens to people who refuse the gracious
attributes, just look at our world. From the Presidential race down
to racial tensions to violence in our homes and schools. One last
truth about the gracious attributes. Someone has to be the first do
follow them. Jesus called His disciples to be the side to model them
first—and it got all of them killed; but their followers took them
on and their followers and their followers. In time—and it took some
time—it took hold. The question is do we want to be fuel on the
fire of anger, wrath, and bitterness or do we want to be the water?
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