Reminding yourself of the Gospel takes practice. In fact, the Apostle Peter calls on followers of Christ to be diligent as we seek to live for God each day and warns us about forgetting the Gospel (2 Peter 1:2-11). When we forget, we suffer under the consequences of it. We do not produce the kinds of fruit God intends for us as Christians. For sure, patience is part of that fruit God intends.

Patience.

The third key characteristic of authentic Christianity is patience. Throughout the Bible, patience hails as a top Christian virtue. Based on its frequency, evidently the tendency toward anger, bitterness, and wrath must be a fairly common response among followers of Christ everywhere. No doubt every one of us at times have struggled, are struggling, or will struggle with patience.

In this mini-series, I explain the foundational challenge of living as a Christian and explore the five key attitudes that go along with it. In the first article, we discussed balance together. Not just any kind of balance, but a special balance: the responsibility we have as Christians to balance God’s call on us (as indicated through the three senses of the Gospel) and our walk or lifestyle. In subsequent articles, we look at each of these five key characteristics of a gospel-consistent lifestyle.

The challenge for each of us is to walk consistent with the wonderful realities of the Gospel. Yet, God enables us to do this, which is the blessing. Although God graciously gives us a challenge, He also provides the ability to live up to that challenge.

Living consistent with the Gospel requires five key attitudes in order to glorify God. Today is the third: patience.

Five Key Characteristics of Walking With Christ: Patience

As you consider each of these five key characteristics of walking with Christ, think in terms of a staircase. Unless you begin at the first step, it is impossible to get to the rest of the corresponding steps. The first step is humility, the second is gentleness, and the third is patience.

Paul wrote to the Ephesians:

1 I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, 2 with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love, 3 endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. 4 There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling; 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism; 6 one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all. (Ephesians 4:1-6)

Read More