What You Need Today is Endurance, Not Escape!

Endurance, not escape. We all need it.

“The saying is trustworthy, for: If we have died with him, we will also live with him; if we endure, we will also reign with him; if we deny him, he also will deny us; if we are faithless, he remains faithful⁠—for he cannot deny himself.” 2 Timothy 2:11-13 (ESV)

We are all called upon to endure in the same way as Paul has done. What is important is not so much the suffering as the attitude of mind towards it. Yet if endurance is the Christian’s constant duty, much more will partnership in the kingdom be his constant enjoyment. Rom. 8:17 says, “The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs⁠—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.”

The possibility of disowning Christ seems so counter Christian. It would not be a contradiction to say, “Jesus would not have made it to the cross if Simon had not helped him,” if we also say, “God infallibly planned for Simon to help him.” Now, I don’t know if that’s true, that Jesus would not have made it to the cross without Simon. I’m just saying that it would not be a contradiction to say, “He would not have made it without Simon,” if we also say, “God infallibly planned for Simon to help him make it.”

And the same is true for every help that we need from God to persevere to the end in faith. It’s not a contradiction to say, “We must persevere to the end in faith; we will not make it without the means that God has appointed to get us there,” if we also say, “God will see to it that those means show up and that we respond to them.” He will see to it. 2 Peter 2:9 says, “The Lord knows how to rescue the godly from trials.” Indeed, he does. And one of the ways that he does it is by warning us and exhorting us to trust the promises that he has give to us in His word and press on.

Paul gives an amazing encouragement in 2 Corinthians 9:8, “God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work.” In other words, every work of faith that God requires of us to make it to the end, he gives the grace to perform. He never leaves us to ourselves. Therefore, we must persevere, and we will persevere, because there will be the necessary means provided by God to help us bear the load.

The writer of Hebrews sums up endurance perfectly. Hebrews 12:1-2 says, “Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.”