Patience.
The third key characteristic of authentic Christianity is patience. Throughout the Bible, patience hails as a top Christian virtue. Based on its frequency, evidently the tendency toward anger, bitterness, and wrath must be a fairly common response among followers of Christ everywhere. No doubt every one of us at times have struggled, are struggling, or will struggle with patience.
In this mini-series, I explain the foundational challenge of living as a Christian and explore the five key attitudes that go along with it. In the first article, we discussed balance together. Not just any kind of balance, but a special balance: the responsibility we have as Christians to balance God’s call on us (as indicated through the three senses of the Gospel) and our walk or lifestyle. In subsequent articles, we look at each of these five key characteristics of a gospel-consistent lifestyle.
The challenge for each of us is to walk consistent with the wonderful realities of the Gospel. Yet, God enables us to do this, which is the blessing. Although God graciously gives us a challenge, He also provides the ability to live up to that challenge.
Living consistent with the Gospel requires five key attitudes in order to glorify God. Today is the third: patience.
Five Key Characteristics of Walking with Christ: Patience
As you consider each of these five key characteristics of walking with Christ, think in terms of a staircase. Unless you begin at the first step, it is impossible to get to the rest of the corresponding steps. The first step is humility, the second is gentleness, and the third is patience.
Paul wrote to the Ephesians:
1 I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, 2 with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love, 3 endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. 4 There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling; 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism; 6 one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all. (Ephesians 4:1-6)
Longsuffering refers to patience and is part of the fruit of the Spirit (cf., Gal 5:22). The term longsuffering or patience comes from a compound word which refers to anger and a long time. In other words, you could describe it as having a long fuse. When something happens that would normally result in anger, the person exhibiting patience has a long fuse before getting angry, is slow to anger, or longsuffering. In the Bible, God is known as slow to anger (cf., Ex 34:6). As a fruit of the Spirit, the Spirit provides you the ability to respond slowly to any kind of provocation.
Longsuffering primarily deals with sin.
In the way the Apostle Paul puts this passage together, when he calls on us to be patient, he is primarily dealing with sin. Of course patience includes many more circumstances than just when someone sins against you. However, in this text, these five attitudes relate more to relationships with people than just merely responding to a long traffic signal, a rundown battery, or an otherwise long day. However, growing in patience applies in each of these incidences as well.
How often do people sin against you? Further, how often do you perceive that you are sinned against, put off, or slighted by another person in one way or another? Have you ever assumed someone else’s motive when you perceive these things?
In these situations, patience means that you do not either fly off the handle or internally seethe because of what you consider is against you – whether simply perceived or real.
How is this kind of patience possible? In this text, there are two ways that you can have increased patience.
First, remember the gospel or your call (as Paul puts it in verse one of this section). The goal is to live consistent or worthy with the gospel. As you strive to increase in patience, you remind yourself regularly of the gospel. You consider the great patience that God has for you through Christ. As you contemplate the patience you receive from God, you strive to emulate that toward others.
Second, recognize that a lack of patience may highlight a greater struggle with humility and gentleness. Pride does not encourage patience. Therefore, if you lose the battle of pride versus humility, you can almost guarantee your fuse will be short with people. Further, if you are not committed to gentleness, to that same extent you will increase your struggle with patience. A prideful harsh person most certainly will not be patient with those who do something against them or are perceived as doing something against them.
More In This Series Balance: More than Just Merely a Goal or Good Idea 5 Key Characteristics of Walking with Christ: Humility 5 Key Characteristics of Walking with Christ: Gentleness 5 Key Characteristics of Walking with Christ: Forbearance 5 Key Characteristics of Walking with Christ: Unity of the Spirit 5 Key Characteristics of Walking with Christ: The Application – Living Like Christ
The problem with forgetting the Gospel and making assumptions…
Related to forgetting the Gospel… We would say someone has forgotten the Gospel anytime that person goes through a particular day or event without any reflection on his or her relationship with God through the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ. Not that a person overtly walks into each room reflecting upon the crucifixion; but that this person is aware of his or her own sinfulness, the grace of God that provided salvation even in light of our own sinfulness, and the joy of being in Christ as a forgiven sinner.
Reminding yourself of the Gospel takes practice. In fact, the Apostle Peter calls on followers of Christ to be diligent as we seek to live for God each day and warns us about forgetting the Gospel (2 Peter 1:2-11). When we forget, we suffer under the consequences of it. We do not produce the kinds of fruit God intends for us as Christians. For sure, patience is part of that fruit God intends.
Related to assumptions… We make assumptions anytime we think we know the motive of another person. If you say or do something that I perceive is against me, if I am not careful, I respond from an assumption of your motive. In other words, if you say something that is not true, it could be a totally innocent mistake or you could have intentionally lied to me. I make an assumption if I believe I know your motives. To keep from making an assumption, I will have to ask a question or two to reveal what your motive is.
In this instance, I could ask you, “What you said is not true, did you realize that you were not telling me the truth?” If the person answers affirmatively, then you can respond, “What was your motivation to not tell me the truth?” As the person answers, then I can respond accordingly. This protects me from assuming motive and responding impatiently.
Understanding the patience of God toward us…
As we strive to patient toward others like God is toward us, it is important to remember some key aspects of God’s patience toward us.
9 The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9).
Notice how God demonstrates patience toward us with a specific purpose. God’s patience reflects God’s desire to see us repent. Repentance of course is the first step toward restoration with Him. This is helpful to notice. God demonstrates patience toward us for the hope of repentance. Therefore, as people sin against us or we perceive they do, we respond with patience similar to God because we desire for this other person to ultimately enjoy a restored relationship with God and us through repentance.
Further, consider how Paul explains it to Timothy.
15 This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief. 16 However, for this reason I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might show all longsuffering, as a pattern to those who are going to believe on Him for everlasting life (1 Timothy 1:15-16).
Notice here how Paul explains that Christ Jesus demonstrates incredible patience with him so that others can understand the patience God has toward them as well. In other words, God through Christ shows patience to Paul for others to see how patient He is toward them as well. Let’s extend this one more level then. When you show patience toward others because of the patience God has shown you, you demonstrate to them the incredible patience God has for them as well. You live out the Gospel for them. You become a living example of Christ.
Reflection Questions
- When someone sins against you or you perceive that in someway he or she does something against you, do you think of Jesus Christ and the significance of the Gospel?
- When you struggle with patience, do you reflect upon the significance of the Gospel, humility versus pride, or the desire to be gentle like Christ?
- How often do you consider your patience with others in light of God’s goal for their repentance, restoration, and growth? Do you consider your patience as a demonstration of the patience God also has toward them?
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