Hello All,

Another question from class was “Does God eventually lose patience with our failings?"

To answer this question, I need to present the biblical data first.

1.  Rather than jump right to a definition of patience, I think its important to note that in the OT, God is continuously described as “slow to anger but abounding in steadfast love.”  This phrase is found in Exo 34:6, Num 14:17, Neh 9:17, Psalm 86:15, Psalm 103:8, Psalm 145:8, Joel 2:13, Jonah 4:2.  The phrase “slow to anger” is found in Proverbs multiple times, Nahum, and also James (the only occurrence in the NT), but the application is different and mostly tied to the idea that human beings should be “slow to anger.”
 
2.  Next, is the issue of why is God slow to anger?  From here I quote Psalm 103: 

6  The Lord works righteousness and justice for all who are oppressed.

7  He made known his ways to Moses, his acts to the people of Israel.

8  The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.

9 He will not always chide, nor will he keep his anger forever.

10  He does not deal with us according to our sins, nor repay us according to our iniquities.

11  For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him;

12  as far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us.

13  As a father shows compassion to his children, so the Lord shows compassion to those who fear him.

14  For he knows our frame; he remembers that we are dust.

3.  Why is God “slow to anger?”  The reason has to do with his great wisdom.  He is slow to anger so that he can work salvation for those who love him.  He is not patient for patience sake.  He is patient because he is working His salvation.

4. So, does God lose patience?  The question is deceptive.  He does not lose patience, in the sense that humans do.  Humans lose patience when they “give up” on somebody, in other words, when they make a judgment (often an unjust one) that someone is no longer worth it.  God refrains His anger so that He can work His salvation.  At some point, however, God, in His wisdom, determines that someone is truly beyond salvation, at which time he administers His wrath, justly, unlike human beings, who usually lose patience unjustly. 

In short, the idea of patience is closely tied to the idea of withholding anger.  God does indeed become angry, but withholds His anger until an appointed time, an appointed time set by His great wisdom.  Thus, God demonstrates perfect patience: total self-control under the authority of great wisdom.  Likewise, we human beings should be patient, but within the bounds of the wisdom from above.  And, our patience should be toward advancing the mercy of God, so that we may win sinners to Christ.  Patience without great wisdom is folly.

In Christ, Marty