Calling oneself a Christian should not be taken lightly. In fact, according to the Bible in Exodus 20:3, God Himself declares, “Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain; for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.” This is actually the third commandment of the Ten Commandments.
Becoming Christ-Like
Christians believe that sanctification does not happen immediately upon acceptance of the free gift of salvation, but requires effort on the part of each Christian. In Philippians 2: 12, Paul admonishes believers to strive for perfection in these words, “Work out your own salvation.”
Christ explains the reason that Christians must aim for perfection in these words as recorded in Matthew 5:48, “Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.”
Specific Help for Impatience
The Bible offers words of hope and encouragement to Christians who struggle with impatience. Here is what the Bible teaches about learning to be patient and why patience is an important virtue.
- Patience is one of the "fruits of the spirit" according to Galatians 5:22 where it says, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace long suffering (or patience), goodness, faith.”
- Patience and faith work together for the inheritance of the saints according to Hebrews 6:12 where it says, “That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises.”
- Patience is necessary in order for the Christian to finish the course, according to Hebrews 12:1 where it says, “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.”
- Religious individuals believe that patience gives the Christian an audience with the Lord as David confirms in Psalm 40:1 in these words, “I waited patiently for the Lord; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry.”
- Patience is a virtue of God according to Romans 15: 5 where it says, “Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be like-minded one toward another according to Christ Jesus.”
Assurance of Victory in Attaining Patience
Christians believe that believers may have assurance of victory over sin because the Bible confirms it in the following verses:
- “Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?” 1 John 5:5
- “Thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” 1 Corinthians 15:57
- “Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.” Romans 8:37
Patience is a Christian virtue which must be acquired through prayer and diligent effort. To those striving to learn patience, James offers these encouraging words in James 1:4, "But let pateince have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing." It is the Christian's privilege that through Christ, he or she may be "perfect and entire, wanting nothing."
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