The Flesh And The Spirit - The Fruit Of The Spirit

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                       "THE FLESH AND THE SPIRIT"

                The Fruit Of The Spirit - Longsuffering

INTRODUCTION

1. In discussing "the fruit of the Spirit", the nine graces listed in 
   Ga 5:22-23 are often divided into three groups:
   a. The first group contains those graces which turns one's thought
      toward God...
      1) Love (for love is of God)
      2) Joy (for we rejoice in the Lord)
      3) Peace (for from God comes the peace that surpasses
         understanding)
   b. The second group contains those graces that directs our attention
      to our fellow man...
      4) Longsuffering
      5) Kindness
      6) Goodness
   c. The third group of graces refer more directly to oneself...
      7) Faithfulness
      8) Gentleness (meekness)
      9) Self-control

2. Having examined those graces in the first group (love, joy, peace),
   we now come to the first one in the second group...
   a. The grace is "longsuffering" ("patience" in the NASV)
   b. The Greek word is makrothumia
      1) Literally, it means being "long-tempered" (the opposite of
         short-tempered)
      2) It is defined as "patience, forbearance, longsuffering,
         slowness in avenging wrongs" (THAYER)
      3) "Longsuffering is that quality of self-restraint in the face
         of provocation which does not hastily retaliate or promptly
         punish.  It is the opposite of anger and is associated with
         mercy, and is used of God." (VINE)
   c. If God is longsuffering, we should not be surprised that those
      who "walk in the Spirit" are also longsuffering!

[As we seek to work in conjunction with the Spirit of God to develop
His fruit in our lives, it might be helpful to nurture longsuffering by
recalling some...]

I. EXAMPLES OF LONGSUFFERING

   A. THE LONGSUFFERING OF GOD...
      1. God has been longsuffering toward man
         a. He was in the days of Noah - 1Pe 3:20
         b. He was in His dealings with the nation of Israel - Neh 9:
            16-21
         c. And He is longsuffering today as well - 2Pe 3:7-9; e.g.,
            1Ti 1:15-16
      2. The purpose of His longsuffering:
         a. That we might have salvation! - 2Pe 3:15
         b. That we might be led to repentance! - Ro 2:4
         c. That those who fear Him and keep His commandments might
            delight in His lovingkindness, even though they have sinned
            - cf. Ps 103:8-18

   B. THE LONGSUFFERING OF DAVID...
      1. Is best seen in his dealings with King Saul
         a. Saul had made several attempts to kill David
         b. David had several opportunities to kill Saul
            1) In the cave - 1Sa 24:1-22
            2) In the camp - 1Sa 26:1-25
      2. Out of respect for the Lord's anointed king (Saul), David
         demonstrated the true meaning of longsuffering:  "slowness
         in avenging wrongs"

[So from both God Himself, and one who was "a man after God's own 
heart" (1Sa 13:14), we learn what the quality of longsuffering 
involves.  Now let's consider its necessity in the life of the 
Christian...]

II. THE NECESSITY OF LONGSUFFERING

   A. NECESSARY IF WE WISH GOD TO BE LONGSUFFERING TO US...
      1. As Jesus illustrated in "The Parable Of The Unmerciful 
         Servant" (note particularly Mt 18:32-35)
      2. Compare also the following verses:  Col 3:12-13
         a. Christ has forgiven us
         b. Therefore we must be longsuffering and willing to forgive
            one another!

   B. NECESSARY TO MAINTAINING THE UNITY OF THE SPIRIT...
      1. A task we face, in keeping with a walk that is worthy of our
         calling - Ep 4:1-3
      2. Without longsuffering, the sins we commit against one another
         will quickly destroy the unity for which Christ died!

   C. NECESSARY FOR PREACHERS AND TEACHERS OF THE GOSPEL...
      1. As Paul charged Timothy - 2Ti 4:2
      2. As Paul had demonstrated by example - 2Ti 3:10
      3. No servant of the Lord can faithfully correct those in 
         opposition, without the quality of longsuffering (patience in
         the NKJV) - 2Ti 2:24-26

[So to be "useful for the Master, prepared for every good work" (cf. 
2Ti 2:21), and even to ensure God's longsuffering toward us (cf. Mt 
18:35), we need to develop the virtue of longsuffering.  Here are a
couple of thoughts on how...]

III. DEVELOPING LONGSUFFERING

   A. THROUGH LOVE...
      1. It is love that "suffers long" - cf. 1Co 13:4-8a
         a. Unless we love those who have wronged us, there will not be
            sufficient motivation to bear with them
         b. Therefore love (active good will) is fundamental to being
            slow to avenge wrong
      2. By growing in love (to remember how, cf. 1Th 4:9; 1Jn 3:16),
         we will grow in patience!

   B. THROUGH PRAYER...
      1. Paul evidently believed prayer would help the Colossians to
         have "all patience and longsuffering with joy" - Col 1:9-11
      2. Certainly the God who is longsuffering (cf. Ps 145:8) will
         strengthen those who desire to be like Him!

CONCLUSION

1. God has certainly revealed Himself to be longsuffering, as David
   wrote in his psalm:

   "But You, O Lord, are a God full of compassion, and gracious,
      Longsuffering and abundant in mercy and truth." - Ps 86:15

2. For those who desire to be truly His children, and led by His
   Spirit, they will want to become like Him, as David wrote just a few
   verses before:

   "Teach me Your way, O Lord;
      I will walk in Your truth;" - Ps 86:11a

3. The way of the Lord is truly one involving longsuffering, and it 
   will be a quality evident in the lives of those who bear the fruit
   of the Spirit!

May the Lord help us to be longsuffering with those around us!  May we
also be careful to respond to the Lord's longsuffering toward us in the
proper way... - cf. Ro 2:4-6
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