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The Patience of God

We tend to think of patience as a human virtue, generally expressing a disposition towards some thing or some expected event that we cannot change… which encompasses a lot because we human beings have very limited power over the universe, time, or other people. However, like most good things we understand patience through knowledge of God, the patience of Jesus Christ and the Father are the source… and pattern for your patience.
Goal: Why Should We Seek To Understand and To Practice Patience?
Our Outline: DefinitionExamplesMeaning and Purpose

What does the word Patience mean?

Patience – there are 2 words that are translated “patience” in the KJV and NKJV…
  1. mak-roth-oo-meh'-o – slow to anger, willingness to delay judgment
  2. hoop-om-on-ay' – courageous and hopeful endurance/perseverence in expectation of God’s action
The NIV and most other more modern translations render makrothoomio as patience and hoopomonay as perseverance or endurance – more in keeping with the actual meaning of the word and how it is used in scripture.

Examples of Patience (categories)

  1. mak-roth-oo-meh'-o – the patience of God
  2. mak-roth-oo-meh'-o – the patience of Mankind
  3. hoop-om-on-ay' – the endurance of the Saints in persecution
  4. hoop-om-on-ay' – perseverance in doing good (not growing weary)

The Patience of God

An attribute or quality of God that is repeated over and over through the OT like the chorus of a pop song: “God is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness”
Numbers 14:18 Joel 2:12-13 (Israel)
Jonah 3:5-4:2 Nahum 1:3 (Gentiles)
God’s patience or “slowness to anger” does not dismiss His judgment or the execution of punishment, His patience delays His wrath… His patience provides opportunity for, or calling to, repentance. It is very important not to misuse this display of patience on His part.
The FOOL says: “there are no consequences to what I have done” (no lightning from the sky, so what I have done either doesn’t matter or is OK)… the WISE MAN recognizes the opportunity to repent and seeks reconciliation with God while there is still time.
OT phrase “slow to anger” was often translated mak-roth-oo-meh'-o in Spetuagint which is the translation of God’s word used by the early church.
II Peter 3:9-15 (consistent approach in NT)

God’s Patience Is A Pattern For Us to Follow

Matt 18:23-35 Parable of Unforgiving Servant… (v24) the King (God) does not give up His right to call the servant (you) to a reckoning (v32-35). He has merely given him time to repent.
Your responsibility for righteousness is not set aside… the fact that God does not smack you down immediately when you go astray is not because He does not care… likewise for those who might have done you wrong… God’s mak-roth-oo-meh'-o allows time for repentance… and even though He is “slow to anger” the day will come… and it won’t be pretty.
I Timothy 1:16 – Christ is patient toward Paul, giving Him the opportunity to repent
II Timothy 3:10 – Paul in turn becomes an example of patience to others, instructing them to practice great patience
II Tim 4:2 – even here patience (slow to anger) provides opportunity for repentance/change

Patience of Mankind (Christians)

Gal 5:22 – a fruit of the spirit / an element of God’s mind and character
Galatians 5:24 patience is something you are “obligated” to put on… “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God
Note: H.S. does not “make” you patient… rather it strengthens you so that you can put on patience. For example: the H.S. helps you to understand the truth, to see the big picture of the plan of God both for you and all of mankind… BIG PICTURE thinking is an essential element of patience…
Example: you don’t fire an employee after one mess up because you and see the long-term benefit they will bring to the organization once they learn what they are doing
Godly patience, mak-roth-oo-meh'-o, slowness to anger, helps you deal with the irritations, upsets, disappointments coming at you every day… because you keep the big picture in mind with the longer term goals that come from the mind of God
Col 1:11 – comes when one is strengthened by the power of God
Patience affects how you treat others… helps you deal with others in a way that is more:
LovingI Cor 13:4 patience is the first thing said about the workings of love
You are more focused on their long term success that the short term pleasure of passing judgment on them, getting revenge, vengeance belongs to the Lord.
HumbleCol 3:12 (repeats the exhortation to “put this on”)
Placing their long-term welfare above the pleasure of exerting your will over them – it pleases a parent when a child begins to figure out doing good for themselves

I Thess 5:14-15 Godly patience, mak-roth-oo-meh'-o delays judgment and anger, it does not repay “evil for evil” /” wrong for wrong”… does not mean tolerance for evil, or dismissal of laws…
Key verbs: warn / encourage / give them time
Mankind (You) Must Be Patient toward God’s Promises…
Where is God and what’s taking Him so long?
  • Discuss the example of Abraham… this is taking too long, I am wasting my life Heb 6:15
Already touched on this in II Peter 3:9… passing judgment on God, He doesn’t care, He’s not coming… result, let’s eat drink and be merry for tomorrow we die!
  • Example of farmer sewing a crop, waiting for the yield… James 5:7-10

The Endurance & Perseverance of the Saints

The word used is hupomone – also translated patience in the KJV and NKJV but is really a different word. Modern translations usually translate hupomone as:
  1. Endurance in face of trials, tribulations, persecutions and
  2. Perseverance in doing good (not growing weary through loss of hope)
Courageous endurance during trials and tribulations is obviously more a part of the human condition rather than a Godly prerogative set forth as a model for us to emulate. God being all “powerful” is not affected by trials. He can do what He wants, when he wants, where he wants etc.

Jesus Experienced Suffering, Endurance & Perseverance

The member of the God family known as the Word/Logos has experienced trials and tribulations by coming in human form… Jesus Christ! And having done so is better able to understand and relate to the suffering, trials & weariness that are part of the human experience… “in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God
In the same way that makrothumio is especially related love, hupomone is related to hope

Endurance… based on your hope and confidence in God’s promises

  • Romans 5:3-4
  • Romans 8:18-25 we wait with eager longing… not apathy or fatalism (we inherit universe)
  • Roman 12:12

Endurance When Persecuted for the Word of God

Rev 1:9; 2:2-3 – loss of friends, loss of opportunities etc.

Perseverence… not growing weary in doing good

Romans 2:7 persistence in doing good… even when you don’t feel like it,
  • Obedience to God’s commandments,
  • Seeking your reward… generosity, serving others, forgiveness, humility, self-control, leading others to repentance, enduring persecution, prayer, fasting, earnestly seeking God
  • Walking in the spirit… love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control
Psalm 37:1-13



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