Enduring to The End

Enduring to the End

Context: Jesus Christ called together his twelve disciples. He sent them out to the lost sheep of Israel, but not to the Gentiles and not to the Samaritans at that time. And he instructed them to do much of what he did during his time of ministry on the earth, which was to heal the sick, to raise the dead, and to cast out demons, etc. And he told them that he was sending them out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so they were to be wise as serpents and innocent as doves. And he told them that they would be persecuted.

Matthew 10:21-22 ESV

“Brother will deliver brother over to death, and the father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death, and you will be hated by all for my name's sake. But the one who endures to the end will be saved.”

Later on down in this passage of Scripture (vv. 34-39) Jesus taught basically that he did not come to bring peace to the earth. He came to bring peace to the individual hearts of those who trust in him as Lord and as Savior, but his mission was not world peace. He came to bring a sword, and that sword truly is the sword of the Spirit, the word of God, the gospel, which does turn family members against one another. For when one believes in Jesus with genuine faith and another does not it, the nonbeliever may turn against the believer, in many different ways, including some things mentioned here.

And then with regard to this last sentence here in v. 22, what Jesus said in vv. 34-39 also fits, for he said that if we love our family members more, meaning that we give preference to them over our Lord Jesus, then we are not worthy of him. And if we don’t take up our cross and follow him in obedience, meaning if we don’t die daily to sin and to self and follow him in obedience (see Luke 9:23-26), we are not worthy of him. For if we hold on to our lives of sin, we will lose them for eternity. But if we die to sin and to self and follow Jesus in obedience, then we have life in Christ for eternity.

So, a mere profession of faith in Jesus Christ does not secure heaven for us when we die. We must die with Christ to sin and deny self and follow Jesus in obedience to him and to his commands (New Covenant). And we must walk according to the Spirit and no longer according to the flesh, in practice. Sin must not be our practice, for if it is, and if righteousness and the forsaking of our sins and walking in obedience to our Lord are not what we practice, then we do not have eternal life with God. And if we do not continue in Christ until the very end, we will not be saved in the end.

Matthew 10:26-28 ESV

“So have no fear of them, for nothing is covered that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known. What I tell you in the dark, say in the light, and what you hear whispered, proclaim on the housetops. And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell.”

Now, going back to the subject of persecution, those of us who are following the Lord in obedience and in walks of righteousness, and who are daily dying to sin and denying self, are going to be persecuted, especially if we are sharing the gospel of our salvation with others and if we are refuting Satan’s lies. And that persecution may come from family members, and it may come from others who profess faith in Jesus Christ, too, and from the world. But we are not to fear what others will do to us or say about us, but we are to honor God with our lives and keep on speaking the truth for all to hear.

[Matt 7:21-23; Matt 24:9-14; Lu 9:23-26; Rom 1:18-32; Rom 2:6-8; Rom 6:1-23; Rom 8:1-14,24; Rom 12:1-2; Rom 13:11; 1 Co 6:9-10,19-20; 2 Co 5:10,15,21; 1 Co 1:18; 1 Co 15:1-2; 2 Tim 1:8-9; Heb 9:28; 1 Pet 1:5; Gal 5:16-21; Gal 6:7-8; Eph 2:8-10; Eph 4:17-32; Eph 5:3-6; Col 1:21-23; Col 3:5-17; 1 Pet 2:24; Tit 2:11-14; 1 Jn 1:5-9; 1 Jn 2:3-6,24-25; 1 Jn 3:4-10; Heb 3:6,14-15; Heb 10:23-31; Heb 12:1-2; Rev 21:8,27; Rev 22:14-15]

Enduring to the End
Video Talk

February 16, 2023

https://youtu.be/Gei0vMsI8yA

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