The Share of Longsuffering Given to Believers

Longsuffering

(Ephesians 4:2)

The words ‘longsuffering’ and ‘patience’ used in the New Testament are similar in meaning but have distinct differences. ‘Patience’ involves enduring difficult circumstances, whereas ‘longsuffering’ specifically refers to tolerating the evil deeds and faults of others without immediate retaliation.

1. The Burden Entrusted to Us
Through God, we have come to understand what longsuffering is. The fact that we were saved in Christ, rather than perishing in sin, was made possible by God’s longsuffering. God has entrusted the burden of longsuffering to those He chose and used, such as the prophets in the Old Testament and the apostles of the early church. And now, He desires that we, who are in Christ, also bear this burden together.

2. Preventing Repentance from Being Faltered
If we are able to endure someone’s shortcomings through longsuffering, we should not stop there; we should also tolerate them with love. Tolerance involves covering the faults of others, not to justify wrongful behavior but to prevent their sins from being unnecessarily exposed, thus giving them a chance for the person’s repentance not to falter.

3. Just as Loving Without Reason
If a saint practices longsuffering and tolerance in love, it signifies through their actions an acknowledgment that they were saved by God’s longsuffering. Our desire and ability to live this way are because God has loved us, and He is cultivating His unique love within us. Just as God has loved us unconditionally, let us love the Lord’s people without any reason. As God waits for our repentance with longsuffering, let us fulfill His work with longsuffering.

Overseer Sung-Hyun Kim