Members of the blood-bought church of Jesus Christ have a holy calling to put up with one another. Revel for a moment in that “holy calling” part. In the eternal counsels of God, we were predestined to salvation (Eph. 1:3–14). Then, in time, we were grafted into a local body of believers to form a distinct outcropping of Christ’s body (1 Cor. 12:12). It’s in community that we labor for his eternal kingdom (Col. 3:1–4). Our life together is one of glorious mission.
Now consider that “put up with” bit. It’s so earthy you can almost smell the body odor. Bear with one another. Endure your brothers and sisters in Christ as you live together as God’s family. Does such a humdrum duty merit more than a passing nod? Bear with me.
Forbearance is more than a nicety we extend to fellow church members when convenient. It’s a moral responsibility: we are called to clothe ourselves with the virtue of “bearing with one another” in fidelity to Christ (Eph. 4:2; Col. 3:13; cf. Rom. 15:1). It’s also a moral skill: we must grow wise in putting up with, enduring, patiently abiding, and choosing to live at peace with one another in Christian
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