GALATIANS 5:22-23 LONGSUFFERING, GENTLENESS, AND GOODNESS DEFINED

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.