“Let your forbearance be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand.”
Wow- what a message. Duck!
Goose! 
I’m so assured that the topic of forbearance is not interesting to anyone. 
Hi roofus,
I like forbearance. Will you ‘bear’ with me if I ask you to explain why you titled your post “Duck!”? 
j/k
I’m not quite sure what exactly you want to discuss–or if this post was intended as a rebuke/reminder of sorts to people who are arguing over whatever. Would you care to elaborate?
Sonia
We seem to, as a group (and, perhaps, a generation) have a PR problem. The verse that I opened with says that we are to be known by our “forbearance”. Do you think that we are (as as message board group and as a generation/) know for forbearance?
With much kindness,
Roofus
That’s my guess. I haven’t impatiently given up on A-37 - I intend to keep pounding away. Another big ‘F’ word (well, besides that one) is Fortitude. But hey, spinning virtues to match our propensities and personalities is quite human.
As a ‘generation’? No. We are not known for forbearance/gentleness/humility/courtesy. Tolerance, perhaps, in some circles, for certain issues, but that’s not the same.
As for this group in particular, compared to other online forums I’ve been involved with in the past, we do pretty well. But, I don’t think one ought to necessarily judge by comparison with others, but with the ideal.
Practically speaking, one cannot make everyone be courteous–each individual must, himself, hold to the teaching of Christ. One would think that universalists, of all Christians, would be the most patient, gentle and humble with people, but that doesn’t always prove to be the case. (Which is one reason why I believe that it’s not so much the doctrine but the practice that makes the true disciple of Christ.) And then, too, people are at different places in their spiritual development–and to judge them properly one needs to know where they started out and how far they’ve come. It’s not a neat and tidy deal–all the more reason for forbearance!
What are you thinking on this?
Sonia
I say that your thinking is in accord with my own. I would say that it is one thing to be generally forbearant and another to be “known for it”! We fall so far short. Let’s try harder! Help us, O Resurrected One!
Duck refers to the judgement that we may need to undergo! Forgive me if any of you are blameless!
Amen! We need more of His life in us!
Sonia
Sonia, how can one be a true disciple of Christ when they teach and preach wrong doctrine? Being a true disciple would be teaching the doctrines taught by the apostles with Jesus being the foundation. Sound biblical doctrine is so important to God he had Paul write about it in 1&2 Timothy; Titus; and throughout the NT. God will not promote anyone in his kingdom who entangles themselves with wrong doctrine.
Forbearance comes when we learn to live from our born again spirits and not live from the lusts of the flesh. Gal 5:16; 22-23.
Roofus, God does not judge his children…he disciplines them in the spirit…Heb 12:5-8. Discipline and judgement are not the same, my brother. Although, we will be judged in Christ for rewards on final judgement in Rev 20:11-15.
Here’s the problem. Sometimes Christ was in their face and anything but kind, sometimes patient, sometimes He would cut and run. But He was all man - and a man’s man. People want to paint Him as the meek, pale Galilean (like Coleridge) but He’s a king, I tell you!
Just be who you are as a Christian and let the chips fall where they may. Anything else is hypocrisy. Will God love you as you are? Damn straight He will! The thought-police may not.
He does loves you the way you are, but he does not want you to stay the way you are. He wants us to be conformed to the image of His Son. That means no cursing, Ran. 
God bless,
Aaron
LOL… I like that. But then do you just disregard the verse Roofus posted?
Sonia
Not at all. Forbearance is a virtue. But this might be as good as it gets for me. I suppose that leaves stoning by the perfected after they run out of forbearance. Duck, RanRan, Duck!
In that case, Aaron, pee-pee poo-poo. Deal with it.
Sorry, wasn’t sure what you meant by “duck,” wasn’t 100% I knew what forebearance means, and thought that the ultimate point of the topic was to talk about the Lord’s coming. hah.
I don’t think we should duck God’s judgment, though. Not that we can. But if we didn’t experience it, we’d never be changed.
And if that person demonstrated the fruits of the Spirit and was a bright shining example of treating one’s neighbor as oneself?
Yes! That’s the key issue - living from our born again spirits. Naturally, right doctrine will eventually come of that, but it’s not the primary issue in God’s judgment.
Also, Jesus and Paul didn’t seem to think cussing was a big deal, I’m not sure why you do.
Eph 4:29 " Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.
Col 3:8 “But now ye also put of all of these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth.”
Matthew 15:18 “But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man.”
Jesus and Paul had plenty to say what comes out of your mouth. There are many more, but I think these are sufficient. Are these verses in your bible? Are we reading the same bible, Justin? j/k. no, are we?
Read 2 Peter chapter 2 and Jude. False doctrine is the greatest threat to a Christian. God warns us throughout the NT the consequences of Christians teaching false doctrine to the point of making people shipwrecked in their faith. Right doctrine is essential with God. 
Do you think it is a coincidence that God warns us in the last few verses of Rev 22 of making the bible say what you want it to say is punished by removing your name from the book of life and out of the holy city? hmmm. I think doctrine is a primary issue with God.
God bless,
Aaron
Aaron, you do that yourself. You don’t believe that Christ is the Savior of all men. And then try and raise willful disbelief to the status of doctrine.