II Peter part 6

II Peter 
part 6

6b) “And in your self-control (supply) perseverance / patience.” 

Lord, ... give me patience, ... But I need it right now !!!

Patience is a virtue that everyone wants, but unfortunately very few actually have it to the degree that they would desire to have it.
It is an attribute that we must cultivate, with the aid and instruction of the Spirit of God on an ongoing daily basis.
As Christians living in a hostile environment, particularly in these latter days, when we are surrounded by scoffers and false teachers, we have great need of perseverance.
This Greek word here is word hypomenēn. It means “staying under.” It is frequently used in the New Testament to refer to constancy or steadfast endurance under adversity, without giving in or giving up. We might say, “Hanging in there.”

As we look at our chart we see that the fifth step reflects this aspect of patience building. One of the tools that God uses to build perseverance into us is suffering.

Rom. 5:3–4 – And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance;
and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope.

Rom.15:4–5 – For whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction, so that through perseverance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.

II Cor.1:3-6 – Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction so that we will be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.
For just as the sufferings of Christ are ours in abundance, so also our comfort is abundant through Christ.
But if we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation; or if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which is effective in the patient enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer;

II Cor.6:3-5 – giving no cause for offense in anything, so that the ministry will not be discredited, but in everything commending ourselves as servants of God, in much endurance, in afflictions, in hardships, in distresses, in beatings, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labors, in sleeplessness, in hunger.

Col. 1:9-12 – For this reason also, since the day we heard of it, we have not ceased to pray for you and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding,
so that you will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God;
strengthened with all power, according to His glorious might, for the attaining of all steadfastness and patience; joyously giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in Light.

Through our trials God is developing Christ-like character in us. As we yield to Him and lean upon Him for strength we find we can endure and we gain the virtue of patience.
I Thes.1:2-6 – We give thanks to God always for all of you, making mention of you in our prayers;
constantly bearing in mind your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ in the presence of our God and Father, knowing, brethren beloved by God, His choice of you;
for our gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction;
just as you know what kind of men we proved to be among you for your sake.
You also became imitators of us and of the Lord, having received the word in much tribulation with the joy of the Holy Spirit,

II Thes. 1:3-12 – We ought always to give thanks to God for you, brethren, as is only fitting, because your faith is greatly enlarged, and the love of each one of you toward one another grows ever greater;
herefore, we ourselves speak proudly of you among the churches of God for your perseverance and faith in the midst of all your persecutions and afflictions which you endure.
This is a plain indication of God’s righteous judgment so that you will be considered worthy of the kingdom of God, for which indeed you are suffering.
For after all it is only just for God to repay with affliction those who afflict you, and to give relief to you who are afflicted and to us as well when the Lord Jesus will be revealed from heaven with His mighty angels in flaming fire, dealing out retribution to those who do not know God and to those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus.
These will pay the penalty of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power, when He comes to be glorified in His saints on that day, and to be marveled at among all who have believed—for our testimony to you was believed. To this end also we pray for you always, that our God will count you worthy of your calling, and fulfill every desire for goodness and the work of faith with power, so that the name of our Lord Jesus will be glorified in you, and you in Him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.

James 1:3 – Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance.
And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

II Tim.312 – Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.

Mat.5:10-12 – Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
“Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me.
Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

It is obvious that God has a purpose and a plan for allowing suffering into the lives of His children. We have need of patient endurance and perseverance in our trials and when, with God’s help and by His grace, we have come through; our faith will be strengthened and purified and we will have added the virtue of patience along with
self control, knowledge, and moral excellence to our faith.
Let’s consider the deeper meaning of the Greek word translated as patience here; it is a very important word in the New Testament and it conveys significant insight into this particular virtue from a biblical perspective that could be missed if we only consider the English dictionary definition.

patience: n. [L. pati, to suffer] the state, quality or fact of being patient; specif.,
a) the will or ability to wait or endure without complaint.
b) steadfastness, endurance or perseverance in the performance of a task.

patient: adj. 1 bearing or enduring pain, trouble, etc. without complaining or loosing self-control. 2 refusing to be provoked or angered, as by an insult; forbearing; tolerant.
3 calmly tolerating delay, confusion, inefficiency, etc. 4 able to wait calmly for something desired. Webster’s College Dictionary

While these attributes are certainly examples of what it means to have patience in the everyday use of the word, the biblical sense takes on a more specific and significant connotation for the Christian. While courage and brave resistance in the face of hostile forces and difficult circumstances are commendable, they lack a crucial component of biblical patience; the God aspect.

ὑπομονή - hupomonae: the emphasis in the context of the New Testament is to “wait upon God” to bring about resolution to trials, tribulations, suffering, injustice and any other evil or difficult circumstance or situation in ones life; to endure with the sure and certain hope that God is a God of justice; a God who keeps His covenants; One who honors His promises. He is a God who possesses all power and all wisdom; One who is merciful and loving; a God who cares for His own. There is an ultimate eschatological aspect to endurance from the Christian perspective. Our endurance is based upon a confident hope and trust in the Lord and that our God will make it right in the end.

I Pet.1:3-9 – Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you,
who are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials,
so that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ;
and though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and though you do not see Him now, but believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory,
obtaining as the outcome of your faith the salvation of your souls.

For me, this passage sums up the concept and definition of Christian endurance, perseverance and patience. We can endure through difficulties because we know that our God reigns; we persevere because we know that our heavenly Father has a plan and a purpose in all things that He allows to come into our lives; we add patience to our faith because in doing so we become more like our blessed Savior who patiently suffered for us.