Today's Word with Brian

 

Looking at the rest of the characteristics of the fruit of the spirit, they are essentially outward-looking characteristics which also flow from a spirit-filled life. We shall consider them individually, and the next three relate to our behaviour towards others – “forbearance, kindness, goodness”.  

I have heard it said that there are 2 ‘bears’ in a successful personal relationship, particularly marriage, the first is to ‘bear’ difficulties silently and the second is to ‘forbear’, in other words to hold back from retaliation. Within the church even we all are still human beings, fallible and sometimes not receiving loving treatment from others because we and they are human. Our response to these situations is to essentially suffer silently and not to bear a grudge. That is forbearance as described in the fruit of the spirit. My mother always used to say, if you can’t say anything good to another person or about another person, don’t say anything at all!!!!

Is that a normal human reaction? My experience is that it is not! Jesus told us to forgive one another, and the Lord’s Prayer says, ‘Forgive us our trespasses as (in the same way) we forgive those that trespass against us.’ Does God hold a slate on which some of our sins are not forgiven? No, because Jesus bore the punishment for our sins in total and when we accept Him as our Saviour, when we put our faith in Him, our past, present, and future sins are completely forgiven, and the slate is wiped eternally clean!

When we look at our relationship with our brethren and sisters in Christ and our attitudes towards them, do we regard some of them less than others? Do we criticise too readily? As Paul says, these things ought not to be. We should love and respect each other equally and definitely NOT hold grudges, because that in itself is retaliation. 

More churches have failed because of failure to forgive and failure to forbear. Do not let ours or yours be one of them.

Article written by Brian Preston, Elder @SFGH Church