Ladies Sunday School Class
The Fruit of the Spirit
= Longsuffering =
Galatians 5:22-23, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness,
goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.”
I. What is longsuffering?
A. Longsuffering is in the Old Testament 4 times and comes from a Greek word which
means “
to
”.
B. Longsuffering is in the New Testament 13 times and comes from a Hebrew word which
means “
, fortitude,
.”
1. Forbearance means
.
2. Fortitude means
.
3. Patience means
.
C. Longsuffering is
and
forgiveness. –
Matthew 18:21-22, “Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother
sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times? Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto
thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.”
Luke 17:3-4, “Take heed to yourselves: If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him;
and if he repent, forgive him. And if he trespass against thee seven times in a day, and
seven times in a day turn again to thee, saying, I repent; thou shalt forgive him.”
II. Lessons on longsuffering
A. The longsuffering of God proves his
us. – Romans 2:1-4, “Therefore
thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest: for wherein thou
judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest doest the same things.
But we are sure that the judgment of God is according to truth against them which
commit such things. And thinkest thou this, O man, that judgest them which do such
things, and doest the same, that thou shalt escape the judgment of God? Or despisest
thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that
the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?”
B. The longsuffering of God gives us no excuse not to
2 Titus 3:8-14, “Now as
Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt
minds, reprobate concerning the faith. But they shall proceed no further: for their folly
shall be manifest unto all men, as theirs also was. But thou hast fully known my
doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, charity, patience, Persecutions,
afflictions, which came unto me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra; what persecutions I
endured: but out of them all the Lord delivered me. Yea, and all that will live godly in
Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and
worse, deceiving, and being deceived. But continue thou in the things which thou hast
learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them;”
C. Our refusal to be longsuffering or to forgive leads to our own
Matthew 18:34, “And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he
should pay all that was due unto him.”
D. Longsuffering is motivated by
. – Ephesians 4:2, “With all lowliness and
meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love;”
E. Our strong stand for God should always be coupled with
.
– 2 Timothy 4:2, “Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove,
rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.”
F. We show ourselves to be
of God through our
longsuffering. – 2 Corinthians 6:4-6, “But in all things approving ourselves as the
ministers of God, in much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses, In stripes,
in imprisonments, in tumults, in labours, in watchings, in fastings; By pureness, by
knowledge, by longsuffering, by kindness, by the Holy Ghost, by love unfeigned,”
G. Longsuffering is a
decision that we make that would be
impossible without the filling of the Spirit. – Colossians 3:12-13, “Put on therefore, as
the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind,
meekness, longsuffering; Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any
man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.
H. God has displayed His longsuffering toward us, so that others will see His
in His relationship with His creation. – 1 Timothy 1:16, “Howbeit for this cause I
obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might shew forth all longsuffering, for a
pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting,”
I. God doesn’t delay because of
or indecisiveness, he delays for the
purpose of another’s
. – 2 Peter 3:9, “The Lord is not slack concerning
his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing
that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.”