Faith That Endures

     As one looks into the various aspects of faith, it is certain that none of them will matter if one does not endure in the faith. One could start on a solid foundation and grow in the faith for some time, but if he fails in the last leg it will all be for nothing. Paul made this analogy in 1 Corinthians 9:24-27,

“Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it. And everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown. Therefore I run thus: not with uncertainty. Thus I fight: not as one who beats the air. But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified.” 

     Paul’s point here is clear, provided one’s mind has not been distorted by the heresy of “once saved always saved.” The race Paul is speaking of here is the race of life. Even after he has preached to others he himself could become disqualified from the race. Our mindset must be that we are in a race for eternal life and “It ain’t over till it’s over.” If we are going to stay in the race until the end, we will have to have the mindset of endurance. This race is not a sprint; it is a cross country marathon.

WE ARE AT WAR

     It is essential for the Christian to realize that we are in a war. The reason why many churches are so riddled with problems over petty issues is because they have lost the big picture. As long as the church is seen solely as a social medium and the running of the church is seen as a business, Satan will deliver many casualties. Fellowship is a great thing, but it is not the purpose of the church. Fellowship is a valuable asset of the church in route to its true vision, which is gaining the souls of the lost and keeping them in Christ once they have entered Him. This is life and death. It is real, and it is serious. One of the passages that churches often love to use in Sunday school classes is out of Ephesians 6:10-18. In it Paul reminds Christians that we are in a war, not against flesh and blood,

“…but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places”. (Eph. 6:12)

     We are at war and the stakes are much higher than physical death. People are dying and going to hell in myriads, yet for the most part the church is oblivious, and may I add, willingly oblivious. Too much revelation of truth and the need for action brings conviction, and conviction requires sacrifice. Many people would rather bury their heads in the sand than bear the burden of conviction. I am privileged to work in Africa for half of the year, and then half of the year I return to the U.S. to work and to beg for help in the ministry. When I work in the churches in the villages many of them are without potable water, electric, medical supplies, schools and etc. These are the major issues of their lives. It is difficult to watch as many people die of easily curable diseases or as children are doomed to poverty due to no education. Then I return to the states where churches are often in a quandary over some of the most petty of issues. “Somebody else got picked for the committee over me.” “They don’t sing the songs I like to sing.” “They changed the service time and I am leaving the church.” “The preacher tells jokes and I don’t like it.” Well, you know the drill. I have no problem understanding Jesus taking a whip and driving the people out of the temple. If the focus of a Christian is about saving souls he will scoff at such trite stupidity. Such scenarios would be like hearing two people arguing while they were fleeing the twin towers as to what color the new office would be painted. This is serious business and the church needs pick up the weapons of battle and fight to the death.

KNOW YOUR ENEMY

     If you do not want to be a casualty of the war then you need to know your enemy. You cannot afford to be naïve. When Paul was instructing the church, in 2 Cor. 2:11, he said of Satan,

“…for we are not ignorant of his devices.”

     We do not have the luxury of ignorant bliss. Satan is relentless, ruthless, and deadly. He will use whatever means necessary to kill you. As Peter has said,

“Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.” (1 Peter 5:8)

     The strategy of Satan is not in direct attack, although he uses that tactic, it is not his weapon of choice. In fact a direct frontal assault through persecution creates a stronger more evangelistic church. Satan’s weapon of choice is subversion through deceit. In Revelation 12:9, John describes Satan as one who deceives the whole world. Direct persecution may divert a few cowards, but in the long run the church becomes inspired. Satan knows that it is best to leave sleeping dogs lay. In fact, he loves sleeping dogs. The most destructive force in the church is complacency. Solomon said,

“For the turning away of the simple will slay them, And the complacency of fools will destroy them” (Prov. 1:3).

     It is the lukewarm church that Christ will vomit out of Him mouth.

     Another tactic of Satan is to divert the Christian’s attention from the goal. One of the scriptures that meant a lot to me in my early years of Christianity was 1 Cor. 11:19. Paul had chastised the church for their division and factions but he added an enlightening thought,

“For there must also be factions among you, that those who are approved may be recognized among you.”

     Did you catch that? Divisive people are a necessary part of the church because God needs to see who is going to step up. It always gets me when some preacher leaves the ministry because people were mean to him, or when a Christian leaves the church because someone offended them. It is akin to a soldier running to his platoon leader in his initial battle and saying, “Hey, their shooting at me!” Of course people are being mean to you. Satan’s work is to kill you, and he has planted moles in the church to do it. Even more is that God has allowed it in order to see who is going to stand. When Satan shots that fiery dart, throw up that shield of faith and run his mole through with the sword of the spirit. Even if it is just a one liner from the Master like,

“Get behind me Satan” (Matt.16:23)

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     Winning wars takes some backbone, and that is what you will need to win this war.

Since Satan’s strategy is deceit his workers are deceptive also. Jesus described them as “…wolves in sheep’s clothing.” When Paul was writing to the church at Corinth concerning their being duped by false teachers he said,

“For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ. And no wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light” (2 Cor 11:13-14).

     Satan’s greatest soldiers are those who appear to be righteous on the outside but they are full of deceit. It is the nice preacher with the nice smile and the friendly greeting who is going to fool people, and that is who Satan uses. Satan uses people whom we want to believe in to destroy us. He uses those who are attractive to us. Delilah was not some ugly old hag. He sent someone who was attractive and convincing to bring down Samson. In the same way Satan sends false teachers who are attractive. Jesus said,

"Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, 'Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?' And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!'” (Matt. 7:21-23)

     The one’s who look like the good guys are the best bad guys.

     Satan will even use your friends and family to kill you. When Jesus made the previously aforementioned statement, “Get behind me Satan,” who was He speaking to? It was Peter. One of the chosen ones, one of the twelve. Peter was telling Jesus not to go to the cross. Certainly that seems like good advice. The cross was hazardous to His health. Peter was not knowingly being used by Satan, but nonetheless he was being used by Satan. His concern was of a personal and carnally motivated rather than spiritually motivated. Many people who are trying to trip you up are not being purposely malicious, just naively manipulated. They have been duped by the devil and they are his pawns. KNOW YOUR ENEMY. It is Satan and he is working through the weak to bring down the strong.

KEEP YOUR EYES ON THE GOAL

     If you are going to endure you must keep your eyes on the goal. Paul said,

“For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory” (2 Cor. 4:17).

     We are fighting for an eternal goal. Everything in this life is expendable for that goal. When I think of endurance, I always think of Noah. Can you imagine what he went through? For 120 years he is building a huge water craft on dry land and preaching of the impending doom. Can you imagine what his family went through? His children grew up during the time he was building the boat. Can you imagine the ridicule they endured being the sons of Nutty Noah out there building his boat in the desert. One of the things that always intrigued me was the fact that God sent Noah and his family into the boat seven days before the rain came. I can only imagine what Mrs. Noah, the boys, and their wives were saying by day six. Can you imagine the pressure upon Noah? God tested Noah to the limit and he endured to the end. Preachers get discouraged when they see little growth in the church, and justifiably so, but can you imagine preaching for 120 years without a convert other than your own family? How did he do it? He kept his eyes on the goal, and he won.

“By faith Noah, being divinely warned of things not yet seen, moved with godly fear, prepared an ark for the saving of his household, by which he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith.” (Heb 11:7)

     It was the faith of Noah that saved himself and his family. It is always good to remember that the stakes of this war are not only ourselves but those whom we love. Consider well the words of Paul to Timothy,

“Take heed to yourself and to the doctrine. Continue in them, for in doing this you will save both yourself and those who hear you” (1 Tim 4:16).

     My goal is not simply to win salvation for myself, it is to bring my family, those I have preached to and all of you with me. Those who are yet carnal minded see the great rewards of the new earth in a physical picture. They are expecting to see literal streets of gold, gates of earthly pearls, and gold crowns. Those who are spiritual minded see no value in those things at all. Those descriptions are only metaphors for the real reward of heaven and the new earth. Paul told the Thessalonians,

“For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Is it not even you in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at His coming? For you are our glory and joy” (1 Thess. 2:19-20).

     No amount of gold, pearls, gems, or any other physical reward will compare to seeing my loved ones there at the wedding feast of our Lord Jesus Christ. That will be my golden moment, my crowning achievement. KEEP YOUR EYES ON THE GOAL.

“..let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God” (Heb. 12:1-2).

     What was the goal set before Jesus? Was it to save Himself? No! It was to save His loved ones.

“For God so LOVED THE WORLD, that He gave His only begotten son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (Jn. 3:16).

     I will leave you with the words of Paul,

“Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord” (I Cor. 15:58).