THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT – Longsuffering

 THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT – Longsuffering

 The fourth fruit of the Spirit mentioned is:

LONGSUFFERING  (also known as Patience)

Oxford Dictionary defines Longsuffering as this: having or showing patience in spite of troubles, especially those caused by other people.

Merriam Webster defines it as: patiently enduring lasting offense or hardship.

I like the way activeChristianity.org describes it:  the ability to bear and allow for others’ weaknesses.

Patience – something we all need more of.

There are two aspects to the fruit of Longsuffering…. There is God’s longsuffering toward us, and the longsuffering we are to show toward others.

GOD’S LONGSUFFERING

First, we’ll look at what the Bible says about God’s Longsuffering (His patience) toward us.

Moses stood on Mt Sinai as the Lord had commanded him, holding the 2 tables of stone on which God was going to write the 10 commandments with His own hand.

As the Lord descended in the cloud and stood with Moses, He proclaimed,  “The LORD, the LORD God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth.  Keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and that will by no means clear the guilty…” (Exodus 34:6-7 + Numbers 14:18)

We usually think of iniquity, transgression, and sin as being the same thing, but notice that God listed them as three separate things.

Iniquity means: perversity, evil, mischief (Strong’s H5771)
Transgression: rebellion against what is morally and religiously right (H6588)
Sin: an offense, sometimes repeated (H2403)

God is merciful and patient and will forgive us of the evil, mischievous, rebellious, and repeated sins we commit IF we repent.  Repentance means to STOP sinning. Stop doing evil and wrong. Stop rebelling against His Word, His morals, and His ways.  God is merciful, but He said He will not clear the guilty who will not repent and will not stop sinning and rebelling against Him.

It was the longsuffering of God that moved on Noah to build an Ark for whosoever would heed, obey and get on the Ark to escape the judgment to come.  It was the longsuffering of God that waited and warned against sin as Noah built that Ark.   It was the longsuffering of God that put up with the disobedience of His creation as long as He did until He could bear it no more.  No one would listen.  No one would obey but Noah and his family. (1 Peter 3:20)

We are seeing the same thing happen today.  The cries are going out, “Get on the Ark before it’s too late!  Get in the Church, live for Jesus, love Him, serve Him before it’s too late!  Pray, read your Bible daily, repent of your sins, get baptized, you need the Holy Ghost!”   Yet, the cries and warnings are falling on deaf ears as so many continue to blatantly commit sins, live however they want, won’t go to Church, yet boldly proclaim that they’re going to heaven. 

God is longsuffering – that’s why He hasn’t returned for the Church yet - but there is coming a day when we will all have to stand before the judgment seat of Christ and give account for our actions, words, deeds….the Bible said we’ll give account for every idle word.

Jesus said in Matthew 12:35-36 - A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things. 
But I say unto you, that EVERY IDLE WORD that men shall speak, THEY SHALL GIVE ACCOUNT THEREOF in the day of judgment.

That’s pretty scary and sobering to think about.  We need to guard our tongues and make sure our conversations are upright before the Lord.

God is longsuffering – thank God for His longsuffering! - but one day His longsuffering/His patience will run out.  Don’t resist His Spirit when He calls to draw closer to Him. 

2 Peter 3:9 tells us that it is God’s longsuffering that is waiting, not wanting any to perish, but that all would come to repentance.  He’s calling.  The response is up to us – will we hear and obey as Noah did?  Or will we ignore and keep living how we want to live and be destroyed when God’s judgment comes just as those who ignored Noah’s cries (the preacher’s messages) did until the flood came.  Then, all of a sudden they wanted on the Ark….but it was too late. 

Don’t despise the riches of His goodness and forbearance (tolerance) and longsuffering (patience) by ignoring His call.  It is the goodness of God that calls and leads us to repentance. (Romans 2:4)

David was able to pen these words in Psalms 86:15 because he had experienced God’s longsuffering – But Thou, O Lord, art a God full of compassion, and gracious, longsuffering, and plenteous in mercy and truth.

Because God is longsuffering, we are to follow His example and be longsuffering toward others. 

1 Timothy 1:16 – Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might SHEW FORTH ALL LONGSUFFERING, FOR A PATTERN to them which should hereafter believe on Him to life everlasting.

Paul recognized that it was the longsuffering of Christ that showed mercy to him while he was persecuting the Christians.   Christ’s longsuffering was a pattern, an example, that all Believers are to follow after.

Paul wrote to the Church in Colossia as the elect of God to PUT ON certain traits:  bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, and LONGSUFFERING, forbearing (putting up with) one another, and forgiving one another.  If you have a quarrel against someone, forgive them just as Christ forgave you.  And above all these things, put on charity (love).  If you have the fruit of love, it will be easier to be longsuffering and forgiving toward others. (Colossians 3:12-14)

Paul wrote to the Ephesians 4:1-3 – Walk worthy of the vocation (calling) wherewith you are called, with all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing (putting up with) one another in love. Endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

Sounds like a couple churches were dealing with contentions among the people that Paul was needing to address and remind them to let the fruit of the Spirit rule in their heart.

Paul had to write a letter admonishing Timothy, who was a young pastor…
Preach the Word;
be instant in season, out of season (be ready and stand);
reprove (convince, tell a fault – Pastor’s job is to tell us when we’re doing wrong)
rebuke (express disapproval of a behavior or action)
exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine (try to convince to change using patience and the Word of God)

Many no longer feel that it is the Pastor’s place or job to tell them when they are doing wrong.  Many want a cheerleader and motivational speaker but not a pastor. 

Because the time will come and now is when so many are no longer able to endure (put up with) sound (uncorrupt) doctrine, but will pursue after their own lusts and desires.  They are chasing after and accumulating teachers (religious instructors) who tell them what they want to hear, make them feel good in their sin, give them an easy road to salvation (just believe, no change required), and that tickle and scratch their itching ears.

So many are turning their ears away from the Truth and believing fables (things that are not true) because it appeals to the flesh and its desire. (2 Timothy 4:1-4) 

Paul knew it was coming.  He knew people’s hearts were growing cold and carnal.  He knew that many would rise up against and oppose Truth and those who preached it.  And he knew it would wear on the patience of pastors who are trying to preach and stand strong for what is true and right according to the Word of God.  

But Pastor, keep reproving (tell us when we’re doing wrong); keep rebuking (express disapproval of a behavior or action); keep exhorting with all longsuffering and doctrine.  Keep trying to convince us to change using patience and the Word of God, because souls are depending upon it.  There will be some who will depart, seeking teachers/preachers who will tickle their ears.  But there will also be a remnant who will hear and heed the warnings. 

Longsuffering, Patience – we all need to work on having more this fruit.

Circumstances of life will try and test our patience.

People will try and test our patience.

But because God has been longsuffering toward us and is still showing patience with us when we mess us, falter, and fail, we need to follow His example and be patient with others.