CONTINUING WITH OUR DEFINITIONS OF THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT:
LONGSUFFERING
Susie: Part
of the definition of longsuffering is a word we have looked up
before—longanimity. Since longanimity expresses this particular character trait
so well, we will provide the definition for right after the Strong’s definition for longsuffering.
3115
makrŏthumia – longanimity, i.e. (obj.) forbearance or (subj)
fortitude—longsuffering, patience
American
Dictionary of the English Language, Noah Webster, 1828.
longanimity
- Forbearance; patience; disposition to endure long under offenses.
Susan: I
would describe longsuffering as patience to an exponential power. I’m not sure
I’m there yet.
Susie: Or
patience to the maximum. Just as the entire orange tree is found in one seed
but must be planted and cultivated before one can pick oranges from its
branches, the Fruit of the Spirit is implanted in us when we surrender our
lives to Jesus. However, the Holy Spirit cultivates it over a life-time.
Longsuffering grows and develops every time we need to rely on the Lord to make
us patient.
2
Peter 1:3 (AMP) For His divine power has bestowed on us [absolutely] everything
necessary for [a dynamic spiritual] life and godliness, through true and
personal knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence.
Susan: It takes
a life-time of preparation and cultivation for the fruit to come to full
fruition. The Holy Spirit will continue to teach us and empower us to produce
His fruit.
Philippians
1:6 Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in
you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:
GENTLENESS
Susie: Gentleness
is more than the soft touch employed when holding a baby. Let’s look at the Strong’s definition for the specific
word Paul employed:
5544
chrēstŏtēs – usefulness, i.e. mor. excellence (in character or demeanor) —
gentleness, good (-ness),
kindness.
Susan: We
looked up the Greek words for gentle as well. You might want to check Strong’s 2261 and 1933. One of them used
“mild” as a synonym for gentle. Mild to me is even-tempered, steady and
unflappable.
Susie: “Excellence
in character or demeanor” says that the person is consistently characterized by
gentleness. This is not a person who flies off the handle easily.
Susan: Think
of Mr. Rogers or Mr. Peppermint. Both were kind, even-tempered, soft-spoken
men.
GOODNESS
Susie: “Goodness”
may not sound like a powerful trait to us. However, remember that Jesus said, “Why
callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God” (Matthew
19:17a). Of course, the man to whom Jesus was speaking did not fully realize
that Jesus IS God. However, the Holy Spirit indwelling us cultivates the trait
of goodness within us.
19
agathōsūne – goodness, i.e. virtue or beneficence.
Susan: By
committing and submitting ourselves to be instruments of God and having the
Holy Spirit flowing through us, we can be “good” i.e. virtuous.
Susie: Another
word for virtuous would be Christ-like since goodness is a trait that belongs
foremost to God.
Susan: We can
share the traits belonging to God because He created human beings in His image.
Susie: When
Adam, the first man, sinned, that image of God in us became tarnished. However,
when we are restored to right relationship with God through our faith in Jesus
Christ, the Holy Spirit begins the work of restoring us to be like Him:
Romans
8:29 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the
image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.
Susan: No
amount of Tarnex™ could polish us up. That could only be accomplished by the
cleansing blood of the spotless Lamb, Jesus, shed on the cross to cleanse us
from sin. His blood is the soap of His love.
1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is
faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all
unrighteousness.
Susie: The
last word in the Strong’s definition
is one that is not often used. Therefore, we looked it up in our favorite
dictionary:
American Dictionary of the English Language,
Noah
Webster, 1828.
BENEF'ICENCE,
noun [Latin beneficentia, from the participle of benefacio.] The practice of
doing good; active goodness, kindness, or charity.
Susie: What I noticed in this definition is the
word “active.” We do not just sit around thinking good thoughts toward people;
we get out of our comfort zone and do good deeds. Our good deeds do not earn us
salvation, but our salvation should result in good deeds.
Susan:
This made me think of
“random acts of kindness” that were so popular a few years ago. Our goodness
should be purposeful and intentional because of Whose we are, and who we are
becoming by His grace.
