Thoughts From Ephesians 4 - Part 2

  Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Eph. 4:2

      Are you ready for a word study? When I memorized Gal.5:22,23 as a kid, I learned it in KJV and the 4th fruit was "long-suffering" not "patience". The same Greek word is found in Eph.4:2 and we get a glimpse into what it means. Long-suffering means suffering a long time with people or bearing with them. People will let you down, they won't follow through on tasks they have been given, they will go back to sins they said they were done with and you might be tempted to give up on them, but if we are being changed by the Holy Spirit inside of us, we will suffer with them a little longer.

     Paul was a living testimony of long-suffering. He says in 1Tim.1:16,

    "But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his immense patience as an example for those who would believe in him and receive eternal life." (same Greek word)

     How many chances or how long do we have to put up with being let down?

   " To those who were disobedient long ago when God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ark was being built. In it only a few people, eight in all, were saved through water." 1Peter3:20 (same Greek word)

     Noah put up with rejection for 120 years. And God has been patient going on 2000 years,

   "The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead, he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.  Bear in mind that our Lord’s patience means salvation, just as our dear brother Paul also wrote you with the wisdom that God gave him." 2Peter 3:9,15 (same Greek word)

     Mr. Wonderful on Shark Tank has popularized the phrase, "You're dead to me." He usually uses it in a situation where he is negotiating with someone, and he finally gets tired of it and says that famous phrase. I've heard it recently with some acquaintances who had been offended one to many times by each other and the comment was made that that person was now dead to them. Paul would say that if we say, "You're dead to me", that is the opposite of the fruit of the Spirit, "long-suffering". What if God gave up on you? What if God gave up on me? He should have long ago but He didn't. Praise God! No go and do likewise in the power of the Spirit.