Matthew 24:13 But the one who endures to the end will be saved.
This blog has touched on this famous passage two times, once in a posting describing a paradoxical passage (Paradoxical Passages – Matthew 24:9, 13) and once in a conditional security post called Conditional Security – Exodus 32:31-35.
To address this verse properly, I feel the need to focus on this passage directly in relation to this topic at hand.
Should we yank this verse out of context and consider the verse as a standalone message to be applied “willy nilly”? Maybe, if the Word speaks of this topic consistently, speaking of the priority of faithfulness in relationship to the Person of the New Covenant.
If we are to faithful in our Christian life, to refuse apostacy in our lives, in our decisions and in our actions, then this passage may be considered a key passage that warns against the absense of endurance. Endurance, or faithfulness is the key component of the Christian life, for we are saved by faith, walk be faith, fight for the faith and know the Lord through our faith.
Better yet, let’s consider the message Jesus was providing the original listeners, and by trying to understand His message, hopefully apply His message to our lives with confidence.
Chapter 24 starts with the disciples having questions. Questions about the temple, when the temple will be torn down, and some information about some sign of Jesus coming, (whatever that meant for them) and the end of the age, (whatever that meant for them).
Matthew 24:1 ESV – Jesus left the temple and was going away, when his disciples came to point out to him the buildings of the temple.
Matthew 24:2 ESV – But he answered them, “You see all these, do you not? Truly, I say to you, there will not be left here one stone upon another that will not be thrown down.”
Matthew 24:3 ESV – As he sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?”
As you can tell, I want to confess ignorance on the exact questions the disciples had at the time, especially regarding the sign of Jesus coming, and what the end of the age was referring to.
But when it comes to the question “When will these things be?”, I am confident the disciples were questioning about the destruction of the temple. After all, it is the very topic Jesus brought up in verse 2.
Though the first question is regarding the temple, Jesus seems to address His coming first, and speaks of the deception in the future, by many coming on the scene and speaking as though they were the Messiah.
Jesus speaks of deception, wars, famines and earthquakes in various places occurring prior to His coming. The disciples will be delivered up to tribulation, exposed to deceptions, hated by the nations, and experience an apostacy prior to Jesus coming. The disciples listening in on Jesus message will experience all these difficult trials, whether it be persecution, discouragements, or deceptions. The time before the Messiah comes will be difficult for the believer. Whatever time that may be.
Could Jesus have been referring to 70 AD? I think there is a lot to be said for considering that time to relate to this teaching for the disciples.
Could it be some other time in the past that Jesus may be referring to? Maybe. There are passages in the book of Revelation that speaks of His coming to individual churches. Could that be the reference that makes sense?
Might the coming Jesus refers to still be in the future? Definitely. There is a teaching in the church that speaks of all prophecy having been accomplished, even the second coming of the Lord. I absolutely consider that to be of no value, full of error, and detrimental to the hope filled life of the Christian.
No matter the timing of His coming to separate the sheep from the goats, to take His church away, to raise the dead out of the grave – no matter when that may occur, each of us will have a very specific time that we will meet with Him, that we will come before Him.
We might not see the global return of the Messiah, (hopefully I am wrong!) but no matter His timing, our time is approaching. Until then we are to endure to the end. We are to remain faithful, and looking at the context of this verse, we are to remain faithful in the most dire of situations.
We are to endure! We are to be faithful to Him. To the very end!
It really shouldn’t be a surprising requirement. The Christian life is a life of faith! Let us be faithful!
May His name be honored in our lives!
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