What Does It Mean to Be Sincere?

What Does It Mean to Be Sincere?

“Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering, bearing with one another, and forgiving one another . . . and be thankful.”

To be thankful is to be sincere, and if you are thankful, you are also happy.

“Strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, for all patience and longsuffering with joy.” Col. 1:11.

It is unbelievable what people can endure and do, but of what value is it unless it is done sincerely? If it is done sincerely, the person is happy and thankful.

God loves a cheerful giver. We can ask this question: “Is it possible to be anything but a cheerful giver?” Yes, in the old covenant it was difficult to gather in the tithe. This proved that they were under the law and served in the oldness of the letter. Rom. 7:6. Everyone has to be patient and longsuffering up to a certain point, but they are not cheerful givers. A few people who hear about being patient and longsuffering try to be that as long as they can, but it doesn’t make them happy and thankful. They serve in the oldness of the letter. They never come to the point of being sincere in what they are doing. The result is dead works because they do not have love, and it profits them nothing. 1 Cor. 13:3; Heb. 9:14, 6:1.

Being a disciple of Jesus and learning to live as He did means hating your own life. Luke 14:26-27. Our human nature is a hindrance to the life of Christ being manifested by our body. Therefore we need to bear the dying of Jesus with us in our body, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body. 2 Cor. 4:10-11.

When we have been apprehended of Jesus’ life, we will also hate our own life according to the flesh. Then we are in the Spirit and not under the law, for the law has been given for those who are in the flesh. Rom. 8:9. If I am in the Spirit, I also serve “in the newness of the Spirit.” Then I am apprehended of the virtues of Christ and rejoice in the opportunities I have to exercise myself in patience and longsuffering. I become a cheerful giver. Now I have an opportunity to put to death the temptation that is rooted in the demands of the flesh—which I hate—by the Spirit. Then I also bear the fruits of the Spirit. Jas. 1:14; Rom. 8:13; Gal. 5:22. I count a temptation all joy. If the death of Christ is working, I will gain patience and the crown of life. Jas. 1:2-3, 12.

If I serve in the newness of the Spirit I will always be preserved in love. This means that I am a happy and a cheerful giver. Then I am sincere.