THINGS THAT QUALIFY US TO INSTRUCT OTHERS - PART 1

MONDAY 25 JULY 2022

When we come to the knowledge of Christ through salvation, we begin to live a life of righteousness because we've been made right with God. Since we are freely justified by God's grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus, there are qualities that build us to instruct others with the truth of salvation in Christ. So Apostle Paul, the minister to the Gentiles, explores the significance of these qualities according to the systematic presentation of his gospel of grace.

Reference: Romans 15:14 New International Version (NIV) "I myself am convinced, my brothers and sisters, that you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with knowledge and competent to instruct one another."

Simply put, Paul, the minister to the Gentiles, in his epistle to the Romans, says, "I am fully convinced, my dear brothers and sisters, that firstly, you are full of goodness. Secondly, you know these things so well; thirdly, you can teach each other all about them." In others words, we have three areas of being grounded in the Lord which Paul indicated here while addressing the saints in Rome and they are three obvious practical applications that can position us to wisely instruct one another in the Lord. And in three parts of this wonderful topic, I'm going to consider the effectiveness of these qualities in our faith walk, starting with being full of God's goodness.

What does it mean to be full of goodness? Is the fullness possible? Yes! The Bible noted that the earth is full of God's goodness (Psalm 33:5 NKJV). So God expects us to be full of it through the enabling grace and power of His Spirit. Interestingly, goodness here, is not directly defined as being full of good works or good deeds, meaning that good works or deeds are just part of being full of goodness. The Greek rendering for goodness is the word, "agathosyne," which denotes "an uprightness of heart and life." It is an inward quality destined for the saints in Christ and when it is expressed outwardly, it can now produce good works. It is an inseparable nature of God, relating to a born again Christian because it is a perfect "goodness" that comes from Him alone and it displays itself on the frequency of spiritual and moral excellence.

In Galatians 5:22, the Bible noted that the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness...", meaning that this goodness is an inspired work of the Holy Spirt who is resident in us and it produces fruit in other people's lives. He grants us the desire for every good pleasure of this fruit. This is the reason we can instruct or positively impact one another with the fruit in our lives. When we are full of goodness, it causes us to persevere through all oppositions and challenges because when in manifestation, the quality can be challenged. It also empowers us to spread the Gospel with the intention of reaping its harvests in abundance. This goodness is an uprightness in us that believes in prayer and patient expectation, and it conditions us to enjoy harmonious association with our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ. It equips us as witnesses for Christ Jesus and helps us to gain access to all other blessings of our generational values.

When we extend the table of goodness to others, it becomes widespread in circulation and then it produces a far more bullion of good works. Beloved, so much goodness is being daily exhibited by God through us. Romans 2:4 reads, "do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance?" (NIV). Nothing speaks more volume than the goodness of God demonstrated through our daily lives, with its practical impression directed towards the lost. When they see the goodness of God, their conscience becomes a witness to it and then we instruct them in righteousness. May the manifestation of God's goodness in our lives always remain steadfast and keep us joyful, such that we readily make practical use of it by giving it back to others. Stay tuned for part 2. Shalom!

Scripture Reading - Exodus 34:6; Psalm 31:19; Psalm 119:68; Galatians 6:10.

Guided Prayer: Dear Father in heaven, thank you for your goodness which is a core quality in me and the fruit of the Spirit at work in my life. The more I observe your Word, the more your goodness jumps out of me to dignify and enrich others in my world. By demonstrating this goodness, I transfer huge generosity and kindness to all. I'm, therefore, infinitely generous towards others, which in turn, brings them lasting joy and activates your blessing in their lives in Jesus' Name, Amen!