Part 19: Patience - Produced by Tested Faith
Grows from
Galatians 5:22
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith.”
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faith.”
Key passages
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.”
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faith, gentleness, and self-control. Against such things there is no law.”
Note: the word here is “longsuffering”; it is “patience” in many other passages.
James 1:2-4
“My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.”
“Count it all joy, my brothers, when you fall into various temptations, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. Let endurance have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.”
James 5:7-8
“Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain. Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh.”
“Be patient therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. Behold, the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient over it, until it receives the early and late rain. You also be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand.”
Romans 5:3-4
“And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; And patience, experience; and experience, hope.”
“Not only this, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces perseverance; and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope.”
Note: some versions say “perseverance” here. It is the same Greek root as “patience” in James 1:3.
Romans 8:25
“But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it.”
“But if we hope for that which we don’t see, we wait for it with patience.”
Hebrews 10:36
“For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise.”
“For you need endurance so that, having done the will of God, you may receive the promise.”
Hebrews 12:1-2
“Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.”
“Therefore let’s also, seeing we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, lay aside every weight and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let’s run with perseverance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising its shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”
1 Corinthians 13:4
“Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up.”
“Love is patient and is kind. Love doesn’t envy. Love doesn’t brag, is not proud.”
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.”
“The Lord is not slow concerning his promise, as some count slowness; but he is patient with us, not wishing that anyone should perish, but that all should come to repentance.”
Colossians 1:11
“Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness.”
“Strengthened with all power, according to the might of his glory, for all endurance and perseverance with joy.”
What Scripture says
- Patience / longsuffering is fruit of the Spirit (Gal 5:22).
- Testing of faith produces patience (James 1:3).
- Patience must do its “perfect work” — leads to maturity (James 1:4).
- Patient waiting for the Lord’s coming (James 5:7-8).
- Tribulation → perseverance → character → hope (Rom 5:3-4).
- Hope linked with patient waiting (Rom 8:25).
- Need endurance to receive the promise (Heb 10:36).
- Run with endurance, looking unto Jesus (Heb 12:1-2).
- Love suffers long (1 Cor 13:4).
- God Himself is longsuffering toward us (2 Pet 3:9).
Connections
- To Holy Spirit — fruit (Gal 5:22)
- To Faith — testing of faith produces patience (James 1:3)
- To Hope — perseverance produces character, character produces hope (Rom 5:4); hope with patience (Rom 8:25)
- To Joy — count it joy in trials (James 1:2); patience with joy (Col 1:11)
- To Love — love suffers long (1 Cor 13:4)
- To God’s character — God is longsuffering (2 Pet 3:9)
Prayer
Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for Your patience with us. You are longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish.
When our faith is tested, let patience have its perfect work in us. Help us to run with endurance the race set before us, looking to Jesus, and to wait for what we do not yet see.
In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.