The God of Patience
Romans 15:4-6
Introduction.
Last week we talked about self-control.
Several tips were given on how to increase your self-control.
But self-control is useless without perseverance.
You might be able to avoid a sin once, anyone can do that, but to persevere is the difficult part.
Perseverance defined.
Greek word (ὑπομονή) – steadfastness, constancy, endurance.
In fact, it is often translated as “patience” (even in 2 Pet. 1:6 in the KJV).
It is a patient endurance in the face of trials and suffering.
It is related to the word often translated as “longsuffering.”
Longsuffering (μακροθυμία) is putting up with people; perseverance is with situations.
What good is it if we avoid sin a few times, but lose in the end?
King Asa is an example of someone who did this (2 Chron. 16).
He was considered a righteous king, put away idols & trusting in God.
Then he makes a mistake—he trusts in his alliance with Syria rather than in God (16:1-6).
A prophet comes to speak against him, and Asa imprisons him (16:7-10).
In the last few years of his reign, he trusted in physicians, not in the Lord (16:12-13).
Of course, the two are not mutually exclusive, but Asa did not seek after God at all.
A righteous king who fails in the end—how tragic.
This shows the need for perseverance!
Some points to help us persevere: proof and benefits.
Body.
Proof of Perseverance.
There is an old joke that you should not pray for patience (James 1:2-3).
To pray for patience means you are praying for various trials and testing of your faith so patience can be produced.
Really, we are praying for the ability to put up with the situations we are in.
We are praying that we can weather the storms of life without falling away.
Paul also states that tribulation produces perseverance (Rom. 5:3-4).
There’s another saying: Whatever doesn’t kill us makes us stronger.
In a Christian context, whatever doesn’t cause us to fall away makes us stronger!
Because even if it does kill us – “to live is Christ, to die is gain” (Phil. 1:21).
Those trials will build up in us the perseverance we need to overcome.
We will then internalize that perseverance until it becomes a part of our character, a part of who we are.
And if it becomes a part of who we are, then we will have hope.
This is a hope that saves: “For we are saved in this hope” (Rom. 8:24).
We have a “reason for the hope that is in [us]” (1 Pet. 3:15) – it is not based on cunningly devised fables.
Our hope is “an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast” (Heb. 6:19) – it is not how we typically think of hope (something you want to be true), but something you know to be true—a reasonable expectation of something not seen.
Perseverance ultimately gives us this!
We already know this, since perseverance is one more step to heavenly assurance.
Job is an example of one who is tested (James 5:11).
If one endures the hardships of this life, he is blessed—as Job was.
Did Job endure? Did he persevere? Most certainly!
When he lost the means of his wealth and his children, what did Job do? (Job 1:20-22).
He mourned, but worshiped!
He recognized the Source of all things and His Sovereignty.
He did not do wrong in anything.
When his health failed him, his wife turned against him (Job 2:9-10).
She told Job to curse God and die.
His failed health meant he might not able to recoup his recent losses.
He retorts saying that we need to take the good with the bad.
Then three of his friends arrive to comfort him (Job 2:11-13).
It’s good to have friends, people to mourn with you and help you through rough times.
And while this started out as good, they ended up accusing him of wrongdoing.
At some point Job calls them miserable comforters (Job 16:2).
So even His friends do not truly support him, though they think they are.
Eventually, through all the pontificating, God speaks to Job.
After berating Job for his attitude, God asks: “Shall the one who contends with the Almighty correct Him? He who rebukes God, let him answer it” (Job 40:2).
Job then responds: “Behold, I am vile; what shall I answer You? I lay my hand over my mouth” (Job 40:4).
The lesson is that we are to put our trust in God come what may—Job had failed in doing this through the course of the book.
Then Job said, “Therefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes” (Job 42:6).
Through all that he suffered, he still needed to repent.
But then he was blessed! (Job 42:10).
As Job persevered, we are to persevere: mourn and worship; trust and repent.
Benefits of Perseverance.
We have already talked about:
Perseverance helps to bring on the hope that saves (Rom. 5:3-4; 8:24).
We will be blessed as Job was (James 5:11).
Our God is a God of perseverance (Rom. 15:4-6).
We turn to this passage to understand the purpose of the OT—written for our learning.
But there is so much more to gain from this passage.
The Scriptures that Paul writes about is the OT.
We might have hope through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures.
Patience here is the same word for perseverance (as in next verse).
The Scriptures will comfort us and help us to persevere!
Not only this, but God is a God of patience/perseverance and comfort!
Since perseverance is described as putting of with situations, God cannot be described as possessing perseverance—He doesn’t endure hardships as we do.
He is the author of perseverance, as He is the God of hope (Rom. 15:13), the God of peace (Heb. 13:20), and the God of all grace (1 Pet. 5:10) – He is the Source of these wonderful things!
This is a benefit because we serve a God like that!
Our labor is not in vain (1 Cor. 15:58).
Recall another word for perseverance is steadfastness.
We are to be steadfast, always doing what God wants.
In such cases, we know that our labor is not in vain.
It may seem like it, but it always counts for something!
We might knock on 20 doors and get no responses—is it in vain? No!
We are building our treasures in heaven.
The earliest Christians continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine, as should we (Acts 2:42).
A home in heaven.
Really, there are many things that are promised those who overcome/persevere.
In the letters to the seven churches of Asia in Revelation, we can see what would happen if they overcome.
Ephesus: eat of the tree of life in the Paradise of God (Rev. 2:7).
Smyrna: the crown of life, not hurt by the second death (Rev. 2:10-11).
Pergamos: given hidden manna to eat and a white stone with a new name (Rev. 2:17).
Thyatira: given the power over nations and the morning star (Rev. 2:26-28).
Sardis: clothed in white, name in the Book of Life, Christ will confess our name before the Father (Rev. 3:5).
Philadelphia: kept from hour of trial; made a pillar in the temple of God on which is written God’s name and the name of His city (Rev. 3:10, 12).
Laodicea: sit with Christ on His throne (Rev. 3:21).
These are all descriptions of what it will be like in heaven.
Conclusion.
Many in our society today love to start projects but rarely finish them.
God will not be pleased if you start Christianity and do not finish.
He wants you to overcome and to have a home with Him.
Jesus describes those who have good soil as “having heard the word with a noble and good heart, keep it and bear fruit with patience (perseverance)” (Luke 8:15).
If you want to have that good soil, perseverance is a big part of it.
Let’s keep on keeping on!
We also have an adversary that will get in our way: Satan (1 Pet. 5:8-9).
So let us be steadfast in the faith and persevere.
The knowledge we already possessed will help us recognize his schemes, and the self-control mixed with virtue will help us to fight against him.
At the same time, we are not alone in the fight!
And with perseverance, we can move on to godliness.
Let us glory when we suffer, knowing that it will lead to our salvation.
I know it’s counterintuitive, but Christianity often is.
We don’t like to suffer, but through suffering, we persevere, worshiping the God of perseverance and comfort, of peace, of grace, and of hope.
We are saved by grace, in which we place our hope, so that we can persevere and have peace and comfort in Him.
Follow the lesson of Job and fully trust in Him.
Do you trust (have faith in) Him this morning?
As I said, we are saved by grace, but that grace won’t save without faith.
Before you can persevere, you’ve got to have faith to build on.
And true faith will motivate us to obey His gospel.
Become a Christian this morning!