Charity And Its Fruits Notes - Chapter 5

Chapter/sermon 5 is called "Charity Disposes Us To Do Good" and goes into more detail on 1 Corinthians 13:4, the kind part of "Love is patient and kind...".

The first thing that Edwards does is define what this kindness entails. He points to 2 basic actions:

1. Doing good to the souls of others (instructing, counselling, warning, reproving etc.)


2. Taking care of bodily needs (feeding, clothing, housing etc.)

This latter item includes:

1. Giving to others


2. Doing for others


3. Suffering for others

He then goes on to describe the objects of our acts, stressing that we must be kind to both the good and the bad, friends and enemies, the thankful and the unthankful.

Next he stresses how we are to do good:

1. Not for the sake of a reward.


2. Cheerfully (or, heartily.)


3. Liberally

Having defined the what, who and how of kindness, Edwards discusses how a genuine Christian love will dispose us to be kind.

What it comes down to foremost is that benevolence (wishing good for others) is the sum of Christian love for Edwards. We want people fed, housed and clothed. We want them saved and we want God glorified. To not care about others is to not follow Christ.

Secondly, benevolent acts are the most conclusive proof of a believer's sincerity. We measure a person's love for others (and for God) by what that person does (within the limits of their abilities and resources) not by what they say.

Edwards sees 2 applications for what he presents in this sermon:

We can use this knowledge to judge our thoughts and reprove those which go against people's good. Do we rejoice at someone's failures and setbacks? Do we feel jealous by another's successes? Even if that person is a personal enemy we should feel ashamed.

We can also use this knowledge to know what we should exhort in others: their doing good.

Edwards closes the sermon by asking people to consider 4 things:

1. It is a great honor to be an instrument of good in the world. God gives us the honor of being a blessing to the world, just as Abraham was a blessing.


2. We show approval of the benevolence we receive when we do the same for others. (What we approve of should be seen in our conduct.)


3. How kind God and Christ have been to us.


4. The rewards promised to those who do good to others.