“The saying is sure and worth of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners – of whom I am the foremost. But for that very reason I received mercy, so that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display the utmost patience, making me an example to those who would come to believe in him for eternal life” (1 Timothy 1:15-16).

If you are a sinner, this is great news!

If you are a repeat sinner, this is great news!

If you struggle with doubts, this is great news!

Here is the God-honest truth: when God thought of eternity, God could not imagine spending an eternity without you in it. Because sin separates us from the presence of God, God had to come up with a way to get us into a right relationship with God.

God’s solution? Jesus Christ. Jesus came into the world to save sinners.

Sinners. First time sinners, regular sinners, repeat sinners. Gay sinners. Straight sinners. Republican sinners. Democrat sinners. Black Lives Matter sinners. All Lives Matter sinners. All sinners.

The Apostle Paul claims the title of the foremost sinner. Not sure about that. There have been others who have tried mightily hard to dethrone the Apostle Paul from this title. But, we’ll just go with that for now.

The Apostle Paul declares because he is the foremost sinner, because Christ came to save such sinners, he has received mercy so that in him Christ might display his utmost patience. Let’s unravel this.

• Paul – foremost sinner
• Christ – came into the world to save sinners
• Paul – received mercy
  • Mercy – when we don’t receive what we rightfully deserve
  • Paul and all sinners deserve God’s wrath and punishment. But because of God’s love and heart for sinners, instead, we receive Christ’s mercy
  • We are saved from what we rightfully deserve because Christ took on God’s wrath and paid the price for our sins
• Christ – displays his utmost patience with sinners

Because we live in the time in between Christ who ushered in his kingdom and the time when Christ will come again to establish his kingdom, we are saved but we are saved sinners who still live in the flesh.

As long as we have this flesh, we will continue to have fleshly problems. There are some sins we will struggle with until the day we die or until Christ returns – whichever comes first. When we are resurrected, God promises to give us new bodies. Until then, we will struggle with our flesh.

That’s why Christ’s utmost patience with sinners is such great news.

So, then does this mean we can celebrate our sin? Enjoy our sin?

No! This doesn’t mean we give into our sins. Keep struggling. But recognize that the struggle itself pleases and honors God.

 

“Or do you despise the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience? Do you not realize that God’s kindness is meant to lead you to repentance?” (Romans 2:4).

Out of all the times the word “patience” is used in the New Testament, about half of the references are in regard to God’s patience toward sinners, toward us.

As we saw yesterday patience literally means waiting a sufficient time before expressing anger. The literal translation of the compound Greek word for “patience” is being long-tempered as opposed to be short-tempered.

It doesn’t take much to get a short-tempered person to lose it. Anger, retribution, diatribe, cutting remarks spew out the moment the short-tempered person feels attacked or offended.

God is not that way. God is forbearing, patient, long-suffering. God knows we will mess up. God knows we will let him down. So God is patient, forbearing, and long-suffering with us.

This is not because God is weak. This is because God is strong. This is because God is loving and kind. This is because God wants to give us every opportunity to repent.

Thank God for that. If it were not for God’s patience and long-suffering with me, I would be toast!

God is our biggest fan. God wants us to succeed. God wants us to improve. God wants to see us live into our God-given potential. So he is patient with us. His patience is our only hope. Thank God for God’s patience!!!

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law” (Galatians 5:22-23).

The fourth characteristic of the fruit of the Spirit we will be focusing on this week is patience.

Let me start with a confession. Patience? I don’t have time for this!

Patience. Ugh!

The Greek word for patience is makrothumia. The word literally means “patience,” “long-suffering,” “forbearance.”

So let me get this straight. As if suffering isn’t bad enough, the characteristic of the fourth fruit of the Spirit is LONG-suffering?!?!

Ugh! Yuck!

Before we get off track, let me explain what the Greek word actually means by patience, long-suffering, and forbearance.

The Greek word is a compound word:

• makros – long
• thumos – passion, anger

The Greek compound word literally means “long-passion” or “long-anger.” What this word means is waiting a sufficient time (i.e. long) before expressing anger. This word has in mind the ability to avoiding the premature use of force and retribution that arises out of improper anger.

In the English, we have the term short-tempered. Patience is the opposite of that. Patience, long-suffering, forbearance is to be long-tempered; waiting a proper time before expressing anger so as to not over-react.

This is how God is with us. And this is what God calls us to practice with one another.

Patience is hard and difficult.

Patience is not something we feel. It is something we do. We wait. We forbear. We long-suffer. This is an active verb. This is something we must work at. Patience doesn’t just happen.

What a timely word. Our world could sure use a lot more of patience, being long-tempered, long-suffering, and forbearing with one another.