TODAY'S LESSON: PATIENCE
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,
Hebrew 12:1
Talk to anyone and they will tell you that patience is a virtue.
Well, I wanted to find out what the definition of virtue really was and this is what Webster's has to say.
VIRTUE-Moral goodness;rectitude;morality;chastity;merit;efficacy
I think all of us know what moral goodness, morality, chastity, and merit are.
The interesting part came when I looked up the meaning of rectitude and efficacy
RECTITUDE-INTEGRITY;PROBITY-UPRIGHTNESS;HONESTY
EFFICACY-POWER TO PRODUCE EFFECTS; PRODUCTION OF THE EFFECT INTENDED;VIRTUE;FORCE;ENERGY
There's that word again,VIRTUE
If when you look it up in the dictionary you stop there then you don't really get the full
meaning of the word, but if you look up some of the other descriptive words you see that it doesn't always mean what you thought it did when you first learned it.
So I got to thinking: If patience is supposed to be a virtue, and a virtue is basically a good thing then the lack of patience is a
VICE-A blemish;fault;moral falling
IN OTHER WORDS IT'S
SIN
Romans 3:23 says:
For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.
Now, hang on.!
If that's true then all of us are sinners;every last one of us?
Yes, but there's more!
Romans 6:23 says
For the wages of sin is death...
Now wait just a minute
You mean I'm gonna die!
Hang on, here's the rest of that verse.
...but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Romans 12:2 says this:
And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
Now how am I supposed to do that?
James 1:3
Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience...
II Peter 1:6b
...and to patience godliness.
