The Seven Christian Virtues: Charity

In the early fourth century, a monk named Evagrius Ponticus came up with a list of cardinal sins—cardinal in the sense that these are foundational sins lead to other sins. We’ve come to know them better as the Seven Deadly Sins, and include lust, gluttony, greed, sloth, wrath, envy, and pride. Their considered deadly in that a person’s indulgence of them leads to spiritual death. In time, some wise Christian said to himself, “If there are seven cardinal sins to be avoided, then what are the inverse of these sins? What are the virtues that ought to be practiced in a believer’s life?” They are ...

Chastity ... it’s opposite it lust

Temperance ... it’s opposite is gluttony

• Temperance ... it’s opposite is gluttony

Charity ... its opposite is greed

• Charity ... its opposite is greed

Diligence ... its opposite is sloth

• Diligence ... its opposite is sloth

• Patience ... its opposite is wrath

Patience ... its opposite is wrath

Kindness ... its opposite is envy, and

• Kindness ... its opposite is envy, and

• Humility, it’s opposite is pride.

Humility, it’s opposite is pride.

Virtues are habitual and firm dispositions to do what is morally good. By developing theses virtues we become more like Christlike ... which is the goal of the Christian life. Tonight we begin with the virtue of charity. Charity is love for God above all else for His own sake and love for one’s neighbor as oneself for the love of God. Now, you would think that the opposite of charity would be generosity. Today, people often think of charity as nothing more than a giving of money for some good cause. ILLUS. This Christmas season, some of you will drop money into a Salvation Army kettle, or write a check to the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering. These are charities that do good work ... gospel work. Charity in the New Testament, however, is the word agape which as most of you are well aware, if the biblical word for the love that comes uniquely from God, and is often described as a self-sacrificing love. Then why do some New Testament translations (particularly the KJV) translate it as charity and not love? After all, the translators of the KJV knew that love was a legitimate way to translate the agape. The translators of the KJV actually did us a favor in translating the word the way they did.

When the word agape is used in the context of vertical action (God toward man and/or man toward God), it is translated as "love."

• When the word agape is used in the context of horizontal actions (man toward neighbor or enemy), it is translated as "charity."

When the word agape is used in the context of horizontal actions (man toward neighbor or enemy), it is translated as "charity."

Charity means participating in tangible acts of loving-kindness toward all others (friend or enemy) in unconditional and self-sacrificial ways. In that context you we can understand why cardinal virtue of charity came to be understood as the opposite to the cardinal sin of greed.

True love is a love that gives. To put it simply, to practice charity is to be compassionate.

I. TRUE LOVE ENCOURAGES US TO GIVE OF OURSELVES TO OTHERS

1. we live in a society where many people are suffering from what sociologists call compassion fatigue

compassion fatigue

a. it’s a real physiological malady

b. some people label is simply as burnout—marked by emotional exhaustion, frustration, withdrawal, and ultimately apathy

frustration, withdrawal, and ultimately apathy

ILLUS. It’s illustrated by the person who responds to a call for volunteers with, "Here's $50 bucks for your cause, now don't bother me any more!"

$50 bucks for your cause, now don't bother me any more!"

1) they are unwilling to offer what is needed most themself!

c. it may be one of the reasons the Apostle Paul writes ...

“Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” (, NIV84)

2. Christians must be actively engaged in the ministries of their church and must penetrate the institutions of society

penetrate the institutions of society

a. true love for God and true love for men demands nothing less

1) we cannot, we must not, be like the box turtle pull our heads into our shells and hope that the evil that is out there will go away

hope that the evil that is out there will go away

3. personal involvement is the only way we are going to make a difference in the world in which we live

which we live

a. the question is, will we give our church and our community what it needs the most?

b. US!

ILLUS Adrian Rogers once said, “There are a lot of Christians who are doing nothing for either their church or their community, but there are no Christians who have nothing to do.”

either their church or their community, but there are no Christians who have nothing to do.”

A. THE SOVEREIGN GOD OF THE UNIVERSE IS OUR SUPREME EXAMPLE OF A LOVE THAT GIVES SELFLESSLY

A. THE SOVEREIGN GOD OF THE UNIVERSE IS OUR SUPREME EXAMPLE OF A

LOVE THAT GIVES SELFLESSLY

“ “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” (, NIV84)

1. God gave us what we needed most Himself!

a. God established a covenant with Abraham, but He knew that wouldn't be enough ...

b. God gave the Law to Moses, but He knew that wouldn't be enough ...

c. God gave the ritual sacrifices to Israel, but He knew that wouldn't be enough ...

d. God gave His word to the prophets, but He knew that wouldn't be enough ...

e. but "in the fullness of time" according the Scriptures, God gave us exactly what we needed most His very own presence

needed most His very own presence

“You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. 7 Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. 8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (, NIV84)

2. God loved us so much, that He invested His own life in ours by becoming one of us in the form of His son, Jesus who is the Christ

the form of His son, Jesus who is the Christ

a. He then expended great personal effort in teaching the people of his day about the Kingdom of God, in healing the sick, in ministering to the afflicted often to the point of exhaustion

Kingdom of God, in healing the sick, in ministering to the afflicted often to the point of exhaustion

b. ultimately He poured out His life's blood as a sacrifice for our sin so that we might know true forgiveness and redemption

know true forgiveness and redemption

3. true love cost God dearly

a. when God decided to say "I love you" He laid aside his glory and picked up the dusty wrap of humanity and lived among us for 33 years

dusty wrap of humanity and lived among us for 33 years

“Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior. 22 But now he has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation—” (, NIV84)

b. the sovereign god of the universe is our supreme example of a love that gives selflessly

selflessly

B. TRUE LOVE ALWAYS GIVES REGARDLESS OF THE PERSONAL COST

1. true love is never cheep, because it will always cost us

“Nobody should seek his own good, but the good of others.” (, NIV84)

2. if you are going to live in the service of others, you will certainly be pierced through with many sorrows

with many sorrows

a. you will meet with more base ingratitude from your fellowmen than you would from a dog

dog

b. you will meet with unkindness and two-facedness

3. and if your motivation for this selfless service is love for your fellowmen, you will be exhausted in the battle of life and you will be tempted to throw in the towel

exhausted in the battle of life and you will be tempted to throw in the towel

ILLUS. Mark Twain got it right when he quipped, “If you pick up a starving dog and make him prosperous he will not bite you. This is the principal difference between a dog and man.”

him prosperous he will not bite you. This is the principal difference between a dog and man.”

4. but if the motivation of your service is love for God, no ingratitude, no sin, no devil, no angel, will hinder you from serving your fellowmen, no matter how they treat you

angel, will hinder you from serving your fellowmen, no matter how they treat you

a. if you love Jesus Christ, you will serve humanity, though humanity will often treat you like a doormat

you like a doormat

5. and why would any of us be willing to put ourselves through this?

“So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. 32 Do not cause anyone to stumble, whether Jews, Greeks or the church of God— 33 even as I try to please everybody in every way. For I am not seeking my own good but the good of many, so that they may be saved.” (, NIV84)

a. true love always gives regardless of the personal cost

C. TRUE LOVE ALWAYS GIVES EVEN AT THE POTENTIAL COST OF ONE'S OWN LIFE

C. TRUE LOVE ALWAYS GIVES EVEN AT THE POTENTIAL COST OF ONE'S OWN

LIFE

“Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.” (, NIV84)

ILLUS. To be a servant of Christ is not easy. A model of servanthood can be found in the example of Dietrich Bonhoeffer. He was a German minister born in 1906. He became a respected scholar and theologian at a young age. Bonhoeffer had foresight, and knew that the Nazi party was an evil plague for Germany and the world. He became a powerful voice of German resistance.

Shortly before the WW2 broke out, Bonhoeffer came to the United States after being offered a comfortable teaching position at one of America's distinguished seminaries. But after just a few months in New York City, Bonhoeffer made plans to return to Germany to minister and to serve his own people. He knew that if he returned to Germany he was a marked man, but he returned anyway.

offered a comfortable teaching position at one of America's distinguished seminaries. But after just a few months in New York City, Bonhoeffer made plans to return to Germany to minister and to serve his own people. He knew that if he returned to Germany he was a marked man, but he returned anyway.

I often wonder what I would do in the same circumstances facing certain death? But for Bonhoeffer there was no choice. He was a servant of Christ, no matter what the circumstances. He was arrested by the Nazis in 1943 and on Apr 8, 1945, after conducting Sunday morning worship he was hanged. As he was being led away, he remarked to an English officer who was also a prisoner of war: "This is the end, but for me the beginning of life."

1. true love always gives even at the potential cost of one's own life

II. TRUE LOVE ENCOURAGES US TO BE AN EXAMPLE OF A HUMBLE SERVANT

“I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you.” (, NIV84)

ILLUS. On the night that Jesus was betrayed he and his disciples celebrated the Passover Seder Feast. After the dinner was over, Jesus did something very unexpected, but very much in keeping with his character. He took off his robes and wrapped a towel around his waste. Then he took a basin of water and a towel, and one-by-one he began to wash the feet of the twelve disciples. We pick up the story in John's gospel: "So when He had washed their feet, taken His garments, and sat down again, He said to them, "Do you know what I have done to you? 13 "You call me Teacher and Lord, and you say well, for so I am. 14 "If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet. 15 "For I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you. 16 "Most assuredly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master; nor is he who is sent greater than he who sent him. 17 "If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them," () NKJV

1. Jesus told his disciples, "I have set for you an example to follow ..."

a. and then he added his own commentary: "If you know these things,blessed are you if you do them,"

if you do them,"

2. he was not talking about actually washing another's feet, but the attitude required to perform such a lowly act

perform such a lowly act

a. the most important fruit of our union with Christ, is our willingness to sacrifice ourselves to serve our fellow man

ourselves to serve our fellow man

b. Christianity is something which is meant to be seen

3. the example that Jesus set for us to follow was that true love gives of itself

“and whoever wants to be first must be your slave— 28 just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”” (, NIV84)

4. our Lord's example of love was a revolutionary one

a. Jesus dismissed loving those who love us

b. even "tax collectors do that"

5. the real test of our faith comes when we give of our time, and efforts, and resources even to the stranger!

even to the stranger!

ILLUS. In 1928, a very interesting case came before the Supreme Court in the state of Massachusetts. It concerned a man who had been walking on a boat dock when suddenly he tripped over a rope and fell into the cold, deep water of an ocean bay. He came up sputtering and yelling for help and then sank again, obviously in trouble. His friends were too far away to get to him, but only a few yards away, on another dock, was a young man sprawled on a deck chair, sunbathing. The desperate man shouted "Help, I can't swim!" The young man, who as it turned out, an excellent swimmer, only turned his head to watch as the man floundered in the water, sank, came up sputtering in total panic, and then disappeared forever. The family of the man who drowned was so upset by that display of callous indifference that they sued the sunbather. They lost. The court reluctantly ruled that the man on the dock had no legal responsibility whatever to try and save the other man's life. In effect, the law agrees with Cain's presupposition: I am not my brother's keeper, and I have every legal right to mind my own business and to refuse to become involved.

The family of the man who drowned was so upset by that display of callous indifference that they sued the sunbather. They lost. The court reluctantly ruled that the man on the dock had no legal responsibility whatever to try and save the other man's life. In effect, the law agrees with Cain's presupposition: I am not my brother's keeper, and I have every legal right to mind my own business and to refuse to become involved.

6. non of us has a legal responsibility to help the stranger or even a friend but if we are truly followers of the Lord, we will follow his example in faithfully giving ourselves

truly followers of the Lord, we will follow his example in faithfully giving ourselves

a. true love encourages us to be an example of a humble servant

III. TRUE LOVE ENCOURAGES US TO TELL OTHERS ABOUT OUR JESUS

1. one day while on a journey, Jesus and his disciples came to a well by the side of the road

road

a. Jesus stayed there, while the disciples went into the next town to buy something to eat

eat

b. while he was there, a women of a very questionably reputation came to the well to draw water

draw water

c. Jesus asked this lady if she would share a cup Of water from the bucket she had just raised from the well

just raised from the well

2. as she did so, Jesus looked at the ladle of water she had just drawn from her bucket and told her: "Whoever drinks of this water will thirst again, but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life." NKJV

a. Jesus, himself, is the water of live he was referring to

b. when we quench our spiritual thirst with Jesus, we shall know true spiritual satisfaction

satisfaction

c. the Bible calls that spiritual satisfaction being "born again"

1) as Baptists we like calling it "getten' saved"

3. that day at a well by the side of a dusty road, a woman got saved

a. she hurried back into town to tell her friends and family and many others came to Jesus and they also believed

Jesus and they also believed

4. the apostle John repeatedly tells us that Jesus came to give eternal life to all those who come to him

who come to him

"Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life.” NKJV

And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day. KJV

5. if theses verses are true, how dare we have the audacity to proclaim that we love others while at the same time refusing to share the gospel story with them

others while at the same time refusing to share the gospel story with them

ILLUS. At the turn of the century, Alexander Whyte was a popular Scottish minister who pastored a large church in Edinburgh. He was known for his powerful sermons.

A semi-regular attender of Whytes' church was a salesman by the name of Allen Rigby. He did not live in Edinburg, but his business frequently took him there. Rigby would often stay over on the weekends just to hear Whyte preach. Rigby also had the habit of inviting other businessmen to accompany him to the services.

One Sunday morning he asked a fellow traveler to go to church with him. Reluctantly, the man said yes. When he heard Whyte's message, he was so impressed that he returned with Rigby to the evening meeting. As the preacher spoke, the man bowed his head and trusted Christ as his Savior.

The next morning, as he was leaving for home, Rigby decided to stop by Alexander Whyte's home and tell him how his message had affected the other man's life. When Whyte learned that his caller's name was Rigby, he exclaimed, "You're the man I've wanted to meet for years!"

He went to his study and returned with a bundle of letters. Alexander Whyte read Rigby some excerpts all telling of changed lives. They were men Rigby had brought to hear the gospel.

6. like the Samaritans who had been led to Jesus by the woman at the well, these men "believed in Him because of the word" of Rigby

"believed in Him because of the word" of Rigby

a. true love encourages us to tell others about our Jesus

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