Since April, I have been reading and studying the Book of Acts. Today, I read this verse in Acts 11
When he came and saw the grace of God, he was glad, and he exhorted them all to remain faithful to the Lord with steadfast purpose, for he was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith. And a great many people were added to the Lord.
Acts 11:23-24
I often encounter that word “exhort” in the New Testament, particularly in the epistles, the letters to the Christian churches. Yet this act of exhortation, this gift of exceptional encouragement, seems sadly lacking in church today.
The absence of loving encouragement and appreciation can break a person. This happened to me over many years. But once I was born of the spirit, this great desire to exhort and encourage others came about.
Thus, when I came to church and experienced, over the past 7 months, the sad lack of genuine, joyful, loving exhortation. I felt out of place and alone. I prayed fervently to God for help.
In the world, such a dampness of spirit is the norm. At the other end we have exploitative and manipulative flattery. So, exhortation must be a fruit of the Spirit, because it is not a natural ability. But exhortation is not listed as one of the fruit of the Spirit in Paulś letter to the Galatians:
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.
Galatians 5:22-23
Then I remembered a lecture by RC Sproul, about goodness and faith, from the series Developing Christian Character. Here’s what I learned from it.
We know from Scripture that no one is good, not one person, not a single one. So what does “goodness” mean in Galatians 5?
This message is from Dr. Sproul’s 12-part teaching series Developing Christian Character.
RC Sproul believed it to be one’s capacity to appreciate what is good, despite one not being up to the divine standard of what is good. He brings to mind the good, the true and the beautiful, and that such fruit of the Spirit that is of goodness, is a profound, active, powerful appreciation for all that is good for Godś glory. How can one, therefore, not manifest the unstoppable act of exhortation, this evidence of true spiritual quickening!
At a recent children’s art workshop at The Shepherds Well Transformation Center in Ubay, I often prayed, Oh my LORD please don’t let me dampen the true, good and beautiful in these children! And God answered my prayer: Amidst the difficult moments when some of the children seemed too challenging and out of control, my proud authoritative heart was broken. From it came expressions of exhortation, encouragement and appreciation that I couldn’t express on my own. I began to deeply love the children each passing day as I began to love Jesus more and more.
Looking back on a lifetime of rebellion against God, I don’t deserve this. But God showed me mercy. ❤ May His name be praised forever!
1 Thessalonians 5:19 ESV
Do not quench the Spirit.