It is not easy to make our forbearance known to all men. This requires growth, in both our human life and our spiritual life. The more a person grows and matures, the more forbearance he has. Therefore, forbearance requires the growth of life. It demands maturity.
In 3:15 Paul says, “Let us therefore, as many as are full-grown, have this mind.” We have pointed out that to have this mind is to have the mind to live Christ and pursue Him. However, the very Christ whom we live and pursue should be expressed as forbearance. If we put together these verses from chapters three and four, we see that forbearance requires maturity. Without growth and maturity it will be extremely difficult to make known our forbearance.
We should not expect a new believer in Christ to be able to exercise much forbearance. Instead of requiring a new believer to exercise forbearance, we should be the ones to be forbearing. For example, in a family the parents must first be forbearing and thereby set up an example of forbearance for the children to follow. If a brother is not forbearing toward his wife and children, he should not expect his children to know what forbearance is. Instead of commanding others to be forbearing, he himself should establish a pattern of forbearance for his children to follow. As we have indicated, to have such forbearance requires maturity.
In 3:16 Paul says, “Only this, whereunto we have attained, by the same rule let us walk.” It is true that the rule here is the rule of pursuing Christ. But since in our practical daily life Christ is to be expressed as forbearance, we may say that to walk by the same rule is to walk by the rule of forbearance.
After speaking of forbearance in 4:5, Paul says, “I have learned, in whatever circumstances I am, to be content” (v. 11). Paul had learned the secret of contentment. By this we see that in order to be forbearing, we must be satisfied and content. If we are not content, we shall not be able to forbear.
From experience I can testify that whenever I am not satisfied, I am not able to exercise forbearance. But whenever I am satisfied and content, it is easy to be forbearing.
When a person is happy, he is not easily upset. But if he is unhappy, tired, hungry, and thirsty, he can be upset easily. A satisfied person, on the contrary, is pleasant and happy. When we are full of joy, it is difficult for us to become angry. Those who are parents know that if a child misbehaves when we are satisfied and happy, we shall deal with the child in one way, in a way full of forbearance. But if he behaves in exactly the same way when we are dissatisfied and unhappy, we shall deal with him differently, in a way that is short of forbearance. The difference is that on one occasion we are full of Christ and are happy and satisfied, whereas on the other occasion we are short of Christ and short of satisfaction in Him.
Paul could let his forbearance be known to all the saints because he was content. He did not lack anything, but was fully satisfied. No matter how he was treated by others, no matter whether the saints in Philippi cared for his need or not, Paul was satisfied. His life was full of contentment.
Now we can see that forbearance requires maturity of life and also satisfaction and contentment in Christ. Few of us are fully mature, but we can thank the Lord that we are mature at least to some extent. According to our degree of maturity, we enjoy the contentment of the Lord’s life. Knowing contentment and satisfaction, we can then exercise our forbearance.
The more the elders in a church become mature and content, the easier it will be for them to exercise forbearance in the house of God. In like manner, the more a father is mature and content, the easier it will be for him to exercise forbearance with the members of his family. No doubt, as the ancient One, our God is mature, satisfied, and content to the uttermost. Thus, He is able to exercise His forbearance in full. The Lord Jesus also had the growth in life, the satisfaction of life, and the contentment of life. Therefore, wherever He was, He was full of forbearance and could exercise His forbearance toward all.
When we live such a life full of forbearance, we shall not have any anxiety. In the following messages we shall see that when our living is full of forbearance, we shall be free from anxiety.