By David Phillips
More Essentials
Well, it’s Monday and time for more alphabet soup. We’re starting out each week with an ongoing discussion of Essentials for Christ, letting the alphabet remind us of some essential attitudes and qualities that are absolute essentials to the Christian. We’ve made it through J, covering aim, brotherly love, confidence, dead, edification, faithfulness, growth, humility, intention, and joy. Let’s take 5 more:
Knock. I know, that’s a verb, not an attitude. But Jesus depicts the attitude of importunity or persistence in the child of God when He said, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened to you: (Matthew 7:7) A Christian is one who does not easily give up. So keep on asking, continue seeking and don’t ever stop knocking, insofar as your spiritual needs and desires from God are concerned.
Longsuffering. Difference translations render this word longsuffering, patience, endurance, forbearance. The point of the word is an attitude of patiently enduring lasting offense or hardship. Self-restraint in the face of provocation. Associated with mercy, longsuffering is also attributed to God, especially in His tolerance of humanity’s slowness to repent. Longsuffering is a the quality that does not surrender to circumstances or succumb under trial.
Meekness. The Greek word rendered meekness is difficult to express in English, as the English word meekness implies weakness. There is no weakness in Biblical meekness. In Matthew 11:29, Jesus described Himself as meek and lowly in heart… It is a fruit of the Spirit, Galatians 5:23; meekness helps us be receptive to the implanted word, which is able to save your souls, James 1:21; and Colossians 3:12 urges us to put it on along with kindness, humbleness of mind and longsuffering.
Newness. Two familiar passages use this concept to describe the Christian’s way of living compared to his or her old life before coming to Christ in obedience. Romans 6:4 states that if we have been baptized into Christ, we now walk in newness of life. A careful examination of the wording shows the definite connection between the baptism and the newness: We were buried therefore with Him by baptism into death, IN ORDER THAT, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. Also in 2 Corinthians 5:17, the newness is given double emphasis: Therefore, if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
Obedient. On this term, I like 1 Peter 1:14-15, which says As obedient children, do not be conformed to the former lusts which were yours in your ignorance, but like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves in all your behavior.
I realize that some of these terms are pretty elementary to many of us, but a review of even the familiar is often good for us.