Patience

Timothy Keller Sermons Podcast by Gospel in Life

Tim Keller

Religion & Spirituality, Religion, Religion & Spirituality:christianity, Christianity, Spirituality

4.8 • 15K Ratings

🗓️ 12 November 2025

⏱️ 37 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

If you’ve ever read a translation like the King James Version, you know when you get to the word “patience,” the older English translation will use the word “longsuffering.” This is because the Greek word for patience literally means to suffer a long time, which doesn’t sound very promising. What it’s saying is that patience is the trait by which you are able to bear up under difficulty without giving up or giving in to bitterness. There are two kinds of patience: there’s patience under difficult circumstances and there’s patience with people. And Romans 12 is a remarkable passage about how to be patient and gracious to people who are opposing you. This passage gives us 1) a principle of showing patience, 2) some ideas on how to practice it, and 3) how to get the power to do it. This sermon was preached by Dr. Timothy Keller at Redeemer Presbyterian Church on May 2, 2010. Series: The Real Signs of the Spirit. Scripture: Romans 12:9-21. Today's podcast is brought to you by Gospel in Life, the site for all sermons, books, study guides and resources from Timothy Keller and Redeemer Presbyterian Church. If you've enjoyed listening to this podcast and would like to support the ongoing efforts of this ministry, you can do so by visiting https://gospelinlife.com/give and making a one-time or recurring donation.

Transcript

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0:00.0	Welcome to Gospel in Life. Many of us try to change through sheer willpower, conquering bad habits or forcing better behavior, only to find ourselves snapping back to old patterns. In today's message, Tim Keller is exploring the fruit of the spirit, showing how real transformation isn't about moral restraint,
0:22.3	but a heart that through Christ is changed from the inside out.
0:32.5	The scripture reading comes from Romans chapter 12, verses through 21 be devoted to one another in brotherly love honor one another above yourselves never be lacking in zeal but keep your spiritual fervor serving the lord be in hope, patient and affliction, faithful in prayer. Share with
0:59.2	God's people who are in need. Practice hospitality. Bless those who persecute you. Bless and do not
1:07.8	curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice. Mourn with those who mourn. Live in harmony
1:14.8	with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not
1:21.5	be conceded. Do not repay anyone evil for evil, but be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody.
1:31.2	If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.
1:37.7	Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written.
1:43.6	It is mine to avenge, I will repay, says the Lord.
1:48.6	On the contrary, if your enemy is hungry, feed him.
1:53.0	If he is thirsty, give him something to drink.
1:56.4	In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.
2:04.8	Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. This is God's word.
2:10.4	In Galatians chapter 5, verse 22, the fruit of the spirit are listed. These are the marks of a supernaturally changed
2:20.9	heart. Love, joy, peace, patience, and so forth. And each week we're looking at one of these
2:28.3	traits so that we can experience more of a supernaturally changed heart ourselves.
2:35.1	And tonight we're going to look at the theme of patience.
2:39.0	Now, if you have ever read an old English translation like the King James Version,
2:44.3	you'll know that when you get to in the lists like Galatians 522,
2:54.1	it goes love, joy, peace, patience. But in the lists like Galatians 5, 22, it goes love, joy, peace, patience.
2:58.0	But in the older English translations, it'll say long-suffering.
	...

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