Patience Fruit

The fruit of patience shows the benefits on waiting for God’s timing, goodness and justice.

“The spirit produces fruit which consists of nine characteristics or attitudes that are inextricably linked with each other and are commanded of believers throughout the New Testament. Patience which refers to the ability to endure injuries inflicted by others and the willingness to accept irritating or painful situations. Patience is also known as longsuffering.” [MacArthur 1676]

“It is significant that the apostle distinguishes between the works of the flesh, and the fruit of the Spirit. Works are produced by human energy. Fruit it grown as a branch abides in the vine (John 15:5). They differ as a factory and a garden differ. The Holy Spirit produces one kind of fruit, that is, Christlikeness. All the virtues now listed describe the life of the child of God. Longsuffering is patience in afflictions, annoyances, and persecutions.” [MacDonald 1924]

Patience Defined

“The suffering of afflictions, pain, toil, calamity, provocation or other evil, with a calm, unruffled temper; endurance without murmuring or fretfulness; the act or quality of waiting long for expected good without discontent.” [Webster]

It is important that we distinguish the gift of the Spirit, which is salvation (Acts 2:38; 11:17), and the gifts of the Spirit, which we have for service (1 Corinthians 12), from the graces (fruit) of the Spirit, which relate to Christian character. [Wiersbe 575]

The characteristics that God wants in our lives are seen in the ninefold fruit of the Spirit.

• The first three qualities express the God-ward aspect of the Christian life: love, joy, peace.
• The next three express the man-ward aspect of the Christian life: patience (long-suffering), kindness, goodness (love in action).
• The final three qualities are self-ward: faith (faithfulness, dependability), gentleness (meekness), self-control (temperance). [Wiersbe 576]

Foundational Thoughts on Patience

“Patience or ‘longsuffering is that quality which enables a person to bear adversity, injury, reproach, and makes them patient to wait for the improvement of those who have done [them] wrong. When the devil finds that he cannot overcome certain persons by force he tries to overcome them in the long run. He knows that we are weak and cannot stand anything long. Therefore he repeats his temptation time and again until he succeeds. To withstand his continued assaults we must be longsuffering and patiently wait for the devil to get tired of his game.” [Luther 166]

“If we profess to have received the Spirit of Christ, or that we are renewed in the Spirit of Christ, or that we are renewed in the spirit of our minds, and endued with a principle of spiritual life, let us make it appear by the proper fruits of the Spirit of our lives. Paul exhorts us to not use our liberty as an occasion to the flesh, but by love to serve one another. Long-suffering, patience to defer anger, and a contentedness to bear injuries.” [Henry]

“In giving the Galatians a character portrait of the godly life, the apostle Paul was also giving the Galatians a portrait of the Holy Spirit! The character traits produced in the Christian are the traits of the Spirit. These are the same character traits of Christ Jesus, and of God the Father.”

“God’s nature is what is being replicated in the person who believes in Jesus and seeks to be led by the Spirit. The fruit that is born in the believer’s life is fruit that the Spirit produces. It is not fruit that can be manufactured by the believer’s will, intellect, desire, or effort. It is fruit that is produced as a person ‘walks in the Spirit’ and seeks to be led by the Spirit.” [Blackaby 58]

“Paul’s list stresses character (e.g., patience: bearing with difficult people or situations while still maintaining one’s composure).” [Moody 1840]

Patience is shown through our “enduring situations and putting up with difficult people [which] is not easy.” [Platt 2257]

“The best antidote against the poison of sin is to walk in the Spirit. Paul specifies the fruits of the Spirit, or the renewed nature, which as Christians we are concerned to bring forth and which has a tendency to make Christians agreeable with one another. Paul exhorts that we should not use our liberty as an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another for His sake. In long-suffering, patience to defer anger, and a contentedness to bear injuries.” [Henry]

Patience in the Word

Paul wrote to Timothy, “Now you followed my teaching, conduct, purpose, faith, patience, love, perseverance, persecutions, and sufferings…what persecutions I endured, and out of them all the Lord rescued me!” (2 Timothy 3:10-11 NASB)

Paul entreated the church in Ephesus, “Therefore I, the prisoner of the Lord, implore you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing tolerance for one another in love, being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.”

“There is one body and one Spirit, just as also you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all who is over all and through all and in all.” (Ephesians 4:1-6 NASB)

Paul encouraged the church in Colossae, “So, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience; bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you.”

“Beyond all these things put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity. Let the peace of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hums and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God. Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father.” (Colossians 3:12-17 NASB)

Patience Quotes

Patience is bitter, but its fruit is sweet. ~Aristotle

Patience is waiting for God to solve problems we cannot. ~Anonymous

Patience is power. Patience is not an absence of action; rather it is ‘timing’ it waits on the right time to act, for the right principles and in the right way. ~Fulton J. Sheen

The strongest of all warriors are these two – Time and Patience. ~Leo Tolstoy

Patience is the ability to suffer a long time under the mistreatment of others without growing resentful or bitter. ~Jerry Bridges

Christian patience is an active thing. It conveys the idea of positive endurance rather than quiet acceptance. ~A. Fernando

Patience is a vibrant Christian virtue, which is deeply rooted in the Christian’s absolute confidence in the sovereignty of God and in God’s promise to bring all things to completion in a way that most fully demonstrates His glory. ~Albert Mohler

Blessing for a Patient Spirit

“It is a trustworthy statement, deserving full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, among whom I am foremost of all.”

“Yet for this reason I found mercy, so that in me as the foremost, Jesus Christ might demonstrate His perfect patience as an example for those who would believe in Him for eternal life.”

“Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.” (1 Timothy 1:15-17 NASB)

Thank you, Lord, for demonstrating patience towards us. And we ask that we would be empowered by Your Holy Spirit to extend patience towards others even if they bring challenges into our lives. Amen.

Recommendations

Patience – One of 8 Garment to Wear https://strengthwithdignity.com/patience-one-of-8-garments-to-wear/

Forbearance – One of 8 Garments to Wear https://strengthwithdignity.com/forbearance-one-of-8-garments-to-wear/

References

Blackaby, Henry, Richard, Thomas, Melvin and Norman. Encounters with God – The Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Galatians. Thomas Nelson, 2008. [Kindle Edition]

Luther, Martin. Commentary on the Epistle to the Galatians. Written in 1535 in Latin. Translated by Theodore Graebner. This book is in the public domain. The Kindle edition was published March 24, 2011.

MacArthur, John. The MacArthur Bible Commentary. Published by Thomas Nelson, 2005, page 1676.

MacDonald, William. The Believer’s Bible Commentary. Thomas Nelson, 2016, pages 1920-1927.

Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible. [MH] Originally written in 1706. Kindle Edition published November 7, 2010.

New American Standard Bible. Copyright 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation.

Platt, David and Tony Merida. Christ-Centered Exposition – Exalting Jesus in Galatians. Published by B&H Publishing Group, 2014. [Kindle Edition]

Quotes on patience retrieved on September 7, 2021, from GoodReads https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/tag/patience and from Grace Quotes https://gracequotes.org/topic/patience/

The Moody Bible Commentary. Published by The Moody Bible Institute. General Editors: Michael Rydelnik and Michael Van Laningham. Moody Publishers, 2014, page 1840.

Webster’s 1828 Dictionary. Retrieved September 6, 2021, from http://webstersdictionary1828.com/

Wiersbe, Warren B. The Wiersbe Bible Commentary: The Complete New Testament. [WBC] Published by David C. Cook, 2007, pages 575-576.

Note: Bible Scriptures were retrieved September 3, 2021 from https://www.biblegateway.com #bgbg2 #BibleGateway #BibleStudy