Forbearance is a significant biblical concept that reflects the character of God and is a virtue encouraged among believers. It is often associated with patience, self-control, and restraint in the face of provocation or delay. The term is derived from the Greek word "anoche," which implies a holding back or a refraining from enforcing one's rights or desires.

Biblical References:

1. God's Forbearance:
God's forbearance is a demonstration of His mercy and grace towards humanity. In Romans 2:4 , the Apostle Paul writes, "Or do you disregard the riches of His kindness, tolerance, and patience, not realizing that God’s kindness leads you to repentance?" Here, forbearance is linked with God's kindness and patience, emphasizing His desire for sinners to come to repentance rather than facing immediate judgment.

2. Forbearance in Salvation History:
Throughout the Old Testament, God's forbearance is evident in His dealings with Israel. Despite their repeated disobedience and idolatry, God often withheld His full wrath, giving them opportunities to repent. This is seen in passages like Nehemiah 9:30 , "For many years You were patient with them. By Your Spirit You admonished them through Your prophets, yet they paid no attention, so You gave them into the hands of the neighboring peoples."

3. Forbearance in Christian Living:
Believers are called to emulate God's forbearance in their interactions with others. Ephesians 4:2 instructs, "Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love." This verse highlights the importance of patience and love in maintaining unity and peace within the body of Christ.

4. Forbearance and Forgiveness:
Forbearance is closely related to forgiveness. Colossians 3:13 states, "Bear with one another and forgive any complaint you may have against someone else. Forgive as the Lord forgave you." This passage underscores the necessity of forbearance in the process of forgiveness, encouraging believers to extend grace to others as they have received from Christ.

5. Forbearance as a Fruit of the Spirit:
Forbearance is also identified as a fruit of the Spirit in Galatians 5:22-23 , "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control." Here, patience, often translated as forbearance, is a manifestation of the Holy Spirit's work in a believer's life, enabling them to endure trials and offenses with a Christ-like attitude.

Theological Significance:

Forbearance is a reflection of God's character and an essential aspect of Christian maturity. It requires a deep trust in God's sovereignty and timing, recognizing that He is in control of all circumstances. By practicing forbearance, believers demonstrate their reliance on God's justice and mercy, rather than seeking immediate retribution or resolution.

Practical Application:

In practical terms, forbearance involves exercising patience in relationships, enduring hardships without complaint, and choosing to overlook minor offenses. It is a commitment to maintaining peace and unity within the church and society, even when faced with challenges or disagreements. By cultivating forbearance, Christians can witness to the transformative power of the gospel in their lives, reflecting the love and patience of Christ to a watching world.1. (n.) Toleration of an offense; patience.

2. (n.) The quality of being forbearing; indulgence toward offenders or enemies; long-suffering.

FORBEARANCE

for-bar'-ans (anoche):

"Forbearance" (anoche, "a holding back") is ascribed to God (Romans 2:4, "the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering"; 3:25 the Revised Version (British and American), "the passing over of the sins done aforetime, in the forbearance of God," the King James Version "remission" (margin "passing over") of sins, that are past, through the forbearance of God"); in Philippians 4:5, to epieikes is translated by the Revised Version (British and American) "forbearance," margin "gentleness"; it is a Christian grace in likeness to God. "Forbearing" (The King James Version, margin) is substituted by the Revised Version (British and American) for "patient" (anexikakos, "holding up under evil") in 2 Timothy 2:24.

W. L. Walker

463. anoche -- a delaying, forbearance
... a delaying, forbearance. Part of Speech: Noun, Feminine Transliteration: anoche
Phonetic Spelling: (an-okh-ay') Short Definition: forbearance Definition ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/463.htm - 7k

3116. makrothumos -- with forbearance, patiently
... with forbearance, patiently. Part of Speech: Adverb Transliteration: makrothumos
Phonetic Spelling: (mak-roth-oo-moce') Short Definition: patiently Definition ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/3116.htm - 7k

3115. makrothumia -- patience, long-suffering
... of Speech: Noun, Feminine Transliteration: makrothumia Phonetic Spelling:
(mak-roth-oo-mee'-ah) Short Definition: patience, forbearance Definition: patience ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/3115.htm - 8k

1932. epieikeia -- fairness, gentleness
... of Speech: Noun, Feminine Transliteration: epieikeia Phonetic Spelling:
(ep-ee-i'-ki-ah) Short Definition: considerateness, forbearance, fairness Definition ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/1932.htm - 7k

4266. proginomai -- to happen before
... This was to demonstrate His righteousness, because in the forbearance of God He
passed over the sins (4266 ); 26 for the demonstration, I say, of His ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/4266.htm - 7k

639. aph -- a nostril, nose, face, anger
... anger NASB Word Usage anger (205), angry (2), angry* (5), before (2), breath (1),
countenance (1), double (1), face (15), faces (4), forbearance* (1), ground (1 ...
/hebrew/639.htm - 6k

753. orek -- length
... Word Origin from arak Definition length NASB Word Usage base (1), forbearance*
(1), forever* (1), forevermore* (1), high (1), length (59), long (29), so long ...
/hebrew/753.htm - 6k

His Forbearance with Unreasonable Men.
... The Life of the blessed emperor constantine, by eusebius pamphilus. Book
I. Chapter XLV."His Forbearance with Unreasonable Men. ...
/.../the life of constantine/chapter xlv his forbearance with unreasonable.htm

Of God, his Care and Anger.
... who represent God as immoveable, [1745] if any one had property, a house, a household
[1746] of slaves, and his slaves, despising the forbearance of their ...
/.../chap xvii of god his care.htm

A Certain Degree of Intemperance is to be Tolerated in the Case of ...
... [2117] [The Latin word for "permission" is venia, which also means "indulgence,"
"forbearance," "forgiveness;" and so the sins that may be forgiven are called ...
/.../augustine/anti-pelagian writings/chapter 16 xiv a certain degree.htm

The Sermon of the Seasons
... summer and winter, and day and night, are to succeed each other in their perpetually
unchanging change, so long as the present reign of forbearance shall last. ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 32 1886/the sermon of the seasons.htm

Philippians iv. 7-Apr
... Philippians iv. 4-7. Philippians iv.4-7 "Rejoice in the Lord alway: again I will
say, Rejoice. Let your forbearance be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand. ...
/.../homily xiv philippians iv 7-apr.htm

Whether an Infusion of Grace is Required for the Remission of ...
... 2. Again, remission of guilt consists in divine forbearance to impute it, according
to Ps.32:2: "Blessed is the man unto whom the Lord imputeth not iniquity ...
/.../aquinas/nature and grace/article two whether an infusion.htm

Of the Punishment of Faults, that it Cannot Take Place Without ...
... bailiff, said, "Wretch, I would have beaten you to death if I had not been angry."
They consider this to be a singular example of forbearance; but influenced ...
/.../chap xviii of the punishment of.htm

Attributes of Love.
... retaliation. It is properly and strictly forbearance under injurious treatment. ...
us. Forbearance is a sweet and amiable attribute. ...
/.../finney/systematic theology/lecture xv attributes of love.htm

Whether the Parts of Fortitude are Suitably Assigned?
... i) reckons seven parts of fortitude, namely "magnanimity, confidence, security,
magnificence, constancy, forbearance, stability." Andronicus also reckons seven ...
/.../aquinas/summa theologica/whether the parts of fortitude.htm

Christ's Lament Over Our Faithlessness
... And then again, here we get a glimpse into the depth of Christ's patient forbearance. ...
that endless forbearance is the only refuge and ground of hope we have. ...
/.../expositions of holy scripture d/christs lament over our faithlessness.htm

Forbearance (9 Occurrences)
... 2. (n.) The quality of being forbearing; indulgence toward offenders or enemies;
long-suffering. Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia. FORBEARANCE. ...
/f/forbearance.htm - 10k

Moderately (1 Occurrence)
... The Lord is at hand," the Revised Version (British and American) "forbearance,"
margin "or gentleness"; compare 2 Corinthians 10:1. The proper meaning of this ...
/m/moderately.htm - 10k

Gentleness (17 Occurrences)
... the meekness and gentleness of Christ" (2 Maccabees 2:22 "favour," the Revised Version
(British and American) "forbearance"); chrestotes, "kindness ...
/g/gentleness.htm - 13k

Tolerance (2 Occurrences)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary 1. (n.) The capacity of enduring; forbearance
of the differences of others. 2. (n.) The endurance of the ...
/t/tolerance.htm - 7k

Patience (59 Occurrences)
... 2. (n.) The act or power of calmly or contentedly waiting for something due or hoped
for; forbearance. 3. (n.) Constancy in labor or application; perseverance. ...
/p/patience.htm - 27k

Mercy (467 Occurrences)
... 1. (n.) Forbearance to inflict harm under circumstances of provocation, when one
has the power to inflict it; compassionate treatment of an offender or ...
/m/mercy.htm - 43k

David (1052 Occurrences)
... Here Saul, who still pursued him with his army, narrowly escaped, through the generous
forbearance of David, and was greatly affected by what David had done ...
/d/david.htm - 93k

Forbear (24 Occurrences)

/f/forbear.htm - 16k

Vigilance (1 Occurrence)
... 1. (n.) Watchfulness in respect of danger; care; caution; circumspection. 2. (n.)
The quality or state of being vigilant; forbearance of sleep; wakefulness. ...
/v/vigilance.htm - 6k

Unpunished (24 Occurrences)
... atoning sacrifice, through faith in his blood, for a demonstration of his righteousness
through the passing over of prior sins, in God's forbearance; (See NIV). ...
/u/unpunished.htm - 13k

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