Be Patient With All

Idea: Since you belong to God, live at peace with one another, especially in those hard cases.

Intro: Having focused on peace with your leaders and with your peers, Paul next elaborates on being at peace with one another by looking at those hard cases. We might say today that this is where the rubber meets the road. It's all well and good to be at peace with those who are peace with you. But what about those in the congregation who irritate you because of their undisciplined personality. What about those who are discouraged and depressed? What about those who are oppressed? What about those who sin against you? The simple, yet profound answer is, Be at peace among yourselves, especially in those hard cases. God has transformed you by the power of the gospel so that you may and must live together as joint heirs of Jesus Christ.

1. Warn the unruly.
2. Comfort the fainthearted.
3. Uphold the weak.
4. Be patient with all.
5. Do not seek to get even but pursue what is good.