There are some themes in scripture that I didn’t pick up on until someone brings it to my attention.
So here’s your challenge. Consider the writings in the New Testament. Gospels, Acts, Paul letters, Peter letters, James letter, Hebrews, John letters and the letter of Jude. Find one writer who doesn’t mention perseverance. Go ahead. I’ll be right here.
It’s a bigger theme than I really gave credit for until someone brought it to my attention. It made sense too. The beauty of the gospel, the wonder of Jesus, the great works of our God, the marvel of the role of the Spirit in the individual and the community – all of that is written for us to hear, obey and stay in. It’s here for us to persevere in.
Perseverance is crucial because of that clinical word Jesus shared with those who would hear.
Another chilling word from Jesus is when He asks when the Son of Man returns to the earth will he find faith? That’s a word challenging whether those who start the race will stay in the race and be running it when He comes to finish it. That’s a word looking at whether we will persevere.
Even at the time of the early church, many of the writers were aware of how fragile the faith was for some and how in the light of inducements and persecution some were inclined to turn their back on the faith. So it’s no surprise that Peter joins the encouragement to the followers that truly be fruitful in knowing Jesus they would have to persevere. That would be something they would have to work at – be consciously aware of and deliberately invest life in practicing with their entire being.
In the Old Testament its tragic to witness how time and again great and godly men had great starts but did not persevere. Some of the better kings had good starts but then tripped up somewhere near the end. Not just Solomon, though he’s a great example.
To persevere today remains just as challenging as it’s ever been. The challenge to persevering can be so subtle. The point of persevering is not about persevering in church attendance or loyalty to a denomination. It’s not about persevering in religious rituals and routines. Quite a number of people can persevere in those things in the light of challenges but completely miss the point.
Peter’s desire has always been for believers to keep growing in knowing Jesus – the more we know and grow is the more we should grow and know. There’s no end to it. There’s no point in which we can afford to rest on our laurels and think we know. We keep on keeping on in the growing and knowing. Even as we are challenged every day as to whether we will keep on forgiving those who upset, betray and disappoint us. Even as we are challenged every day as to whether we will keep on believing and loving brother and sister even when they trip up and seem to be so far away from God.
I have had the benefit of watching perseverance in action on a number of occasions. One memorable one was when I was younger. The gathering featured a brother advanced in years, but despite that he was ever eager to learn, ever eager to explore more of the riches in Christ, ever desirous to see what God was saying and what it meant for his life. What made his example all the more remarkable was that he did this in the light of receiving some really poor treatment, not just in the world but particularly among some of the brothers and sisters in the gathering. There were times when he would humbly seek to highlight some area of wrongdoing and wrong-learning of scripture, but he would be shut down by louder and more dominant voices in the gathering.
Others would have become embittered and cynical, others would have soon left the gathering under such toxic circumstances. Yet this brother’s light for Jesus only burned brighter, his desire for God got deeper and his respect and love for those who were mistreating him was remarkable. These people clearly didn’t know the Word like he did, they patently didn’t know Jesus like he did and they obviously didn’t know the love of God like he did, but he was still willing to humble himself and submit to them out of love for Jesus.
To the best of my knowledge, he maintained this approach until the day he fell asleep. My heart’s desire is that he fell asleep awaiting the wake up call from the one who will find him faithful – and one who persevered in the faith. Just thinking about him now challenges my own faith about whether I will persevere under trying circumstances.
Perhaps he was able to say, as Paul did,
God has given us what we need to live this kind of life. There will be no excuse. There remains the challenge in this day and age against the temptations and the challenges:
Will we keep on keeping on?
For His Name’s Sake
Shalom
C. L. J. Dryden
Life With CD 