Topic: Endure to the End

Matthew 24:13 > 3 Nephi 15:9 > 3 Nephi 27:16-17 > John 6:27 > 2 Nephi 9:24 > James 1:12 > Matthew 10:22 > Mark 13:13 > Doctrine and Covenants 24:8 > Doctrine and Covenants 63:47 > Hebrews 6:15 > James 5:11 > Hebrews 12:7 > 2 Nephi 31:20 > Doctrine and Covenants 14:7

Hand-in-hand with our previous Scripture Train, the study of Faithfulness, is our need to endure, in faith, until the end of our lives. Both Matthew and Nephi record our Lord teaching this important principle; Matthew, in Matthew chapter 24 verse 13, and Nephi, in 3 Nephi chapter 15 verse 9. Christ's teaching is clear, salvation, or eternal life, will only be given to those who faithfully endure until the end of their lives. As we read further in 3 Nephi, chapter 27 verses 16 and 17, Nephi records the Lord teaching that repentance, baptism, reception of the Holy Ghost and faithful endurance are all requirements for salvation. He warns those who do not endure faithfully will be hewn down and cast into the fire, in other words they will be damned. Endurance is just as much a requirement for salvation as baptism, for the Lord is speaking to those who did repent, and to those who did receive baptism and who did receive the Holy Ghost. If they do not continue faithful, they cannot be saved. Exercising faith in Christ unto repentance and baptism is just the beginning of a faithful mortal journey. As we see, enduring in faithfulness unto the end of our lives is the only way we can demonstrate to God and Christ that we truly do love them and desire to be with them in the eternal kingdoms to come. In John chapter 6 verse 27, the Lord commands us to labor for that meat which will endure unto everlasting life, which means salvation or eternal life. We should not seek after the world, which will only last until death, but we should labor for spiritual rewards, which will last beyond death, which will endure forever. 2 Nephi chapter 9 verse 24 reconfirms these doctrines.

Examining the book of James chapter 1 verse 12, we begin to learn what it is that we must endure. We also learn that we are to be tried and we learn that those who faithfully endure are those who love God. First of all, we learn that temptation is something we will always have to endure. Temptation will be present until our dying breath, we are commanded to endure it, not to give into it. Temptation is one of those trials we are called upon to endure. Trials of all sorts will always be with us; physical trials, emotional, spiritual and so forth. We must learn to endure them. Thankfully, we have our Savior to help us through them. In Matthew chapter 10 verse 22 and Mark chapter 13 verse 13, we read the Lord’s warning that all of those who believe in Him, will be hated of all men, or men of the world. We know from scripture that this hatred is not passive, but active and real. Disciples in all ages have suffered terrible trials at the hands of the unbelievers. We are commanded to faithfully endure the hatred of such men. Those who do will be saved. Those who do not, but succumb to the hatred of the unbeliever cannot be saved. In order to faithfully endure the world, the Lord gives us counsel that will be of great worth. In the Doctrine and Covenants section 24 verse 8, the Lord commands us to be patient. Patience is a godly virtue, a Christ-like attribute; how can we expect to return to live with God if we have not learned patience? Trials teach us patience. This single virtue combined with a love of God and of our fellowmen will help us, more than any other, endure in faith to the end of our lives. We are commanded to be patient in affliction, in trials, in tribulation, in all things. In Doctrine and Covenants section 63 verse 47, we are promised that if we are faithful and endure, we will overcome the world. Patience is a vital attribute. Hebrews chapter 6 verse 15 is an additional testimony of this principle; if we patiently endure, we will obtain the promise, the promise of eternal life. 

In James chapter 5 verse 11, we learn of another wonderful Christ-like attribute that is a result of patiently enduring to the end, it is happiness. This does not mean that happiness is not possible before then, but rather a fullness of joy will only come when we obtain the kingdom of God, which can only come if we are faithful until the end of our lives, having patiently endured all trials, all tribulations and all persecution.

There is one more important circumstance that we need to consider when we speak of enduring patiently and that is the chastening that comes from God that comes as a result of our disobedience. Each one of us is imperfect, each one of us is a child of God; God loves us all. There are some of God's children who have no desire to turn to Him, but there are others who work very diligently in their desires to become like Him. In Hebrews chapter 12 verse 7, we learn that God will chasten those who are His sons when they are disobedient. (This includes women as well) We must know that since we are all disobedient at times, we will all be chastened, but we must know that He chastens us because He loves us. So when chastening comes, we need to patiently endure that chastening, learn from it, repent of our folly and become a better, more refined person for it. With this in mind, 2 Nephi chapter 31 verse 20 becomes so much more meaningful. Understanding what we have learned in this Scripture Train, we will be inspired to press forward with steadfastness in Christ, we will strive to have a perfect brightness of hope and love God and all men, even those who persecute us. We will feast upon the words of Christ and we will come away triumphant and will receive eternal life.

Doctrine and Covenants section 14 verse 7 states that eternal life is the greatest of all the gifts of God, but it will only come to those who faithfully endure until the end of their lives. 

Topic: Faithfulness

Luke 12:42-48 > Romans 8:16-17 > Galatians 3:29 > Luke 16:10-11> Matthew 25:21 > Doctrine and Covenants 52:13 > Revelation 2:10 > Doctrine and Covenants 58:2-4 > Mosiah 2:41 > Doctrine and Covenants 6:13 > Ether 4:19 > 1 Corinthians 4:1-2 > Galatians 6:7-9 > Doctrine and Covenants 51:19 > Revelation 17:14 > Doctrine and Covenants 138:12-19

In previous Scripture Trains, there has been much discussion over the subjects of faith, works, grace, sanctification and justification. This particular Scripture Train, addressing faithfulness, will fit right in.

Faithfulness is a subject that our Lord, during His earthly ministry, addressed on several occasions. Our first scripture is Luke chapter 12 verses 42 through 48, which came as a result of Peter’s inquiry after Christ gave several short parables addressing His second coming. In these verses of scripture, our Lord in His answer to Peter states, very plainly that only the faithful and the wise, those who are watching and thus prepared for His coming, will be blessed and made a ruler over all that He has. What does He mean when He says that the faithful and wise will be made a ruler over all that He has? Paul, in Romans chapter 8 verses 16 and 17 helps us understand. He teaches that we are heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ. So, literally we will receive all that God has. Notice how Christ places the faithful and wise in the same phrase. It teaches me that if I am wise, then I will strive to be faithful in all things the Lord commands. This brings to mind the passage of scripture taught by Paul in Galatians chapter 3 verse 29, teaching that the faithful will become heirs of all the promises given to Abraham and will become children of Christ.

In the gospel of Luke chapter 16 verses 10 and 11, Christ, addressing the topic of faithfulness in the parable of the Unjust Judge, asks the question, if you are not faithful in the things of man, who will commit to your trust the greater riches; in other words the rewards of God? In the parable of the talents found in Matthew chapter 25 verse 21, we read Christ’s final statement concerning faithfulness in regards to our spiritual gifts. He teaches that the faithful will be made ruler over many things and will be granted entrance into His kingdom. Finally, in Doctrine and Covenants section 52 verse 13, Christ reconfirms the doctrine that the faithful will be made ruler over many things.

Why does Christ place such an emphasis on faithfulness? The level of faithfulness is a key factor in Christ’s final judgment of us. Our Faithfulness coupled with Christ’s atonement will determine whether we will have a place with Him or not in the eternal worlds. But what we want to emphasize here is that our Faithfulness will be tried and tested, even to the point where we think we can be tried and tested no further. Revelation chapter 2 verse 10 and Doctrine and Covenants section 58 verses 2 through 4 touch upon this very condition teaching that Disciples of Christ will suffer; some will be cast into prison, some will pass through tribulation, some will be tested with much tribulation, even to the point of death, but with the promise that the faithful will be awarded the crown of life. King Benjamin teaches us something very important! He equates faithfulness with keeping the commandments. In Mosiah chapter 2 verse 41, he sums up, in a profound way, that the faithful, or those who keep the commandments, will be received up into heaven and dwell with God in a state of never ending happiness! This is the blessed and happy state of the faithful. So what do we learn? We cannot inherit the kingdom of God if we are not faithful unto the end of our lives. Christ was; so must we.

In this final paragraph, we will study further scriptural evidence of the need to be faithful to the end. In the Doctrine and Covenants section 6 verse 13, we read that we need to do good and be faithful to the end in order to be saved in the kingdom of God. Certainly, Christ’s teachings along with those of His apostles, Paul and others, teach that only the faithful will be saved in the kingdom of God; what else could it mean to be an heir of all things, or a child of Christ, but to be saved in the kingdom of God? We learn in this verse that there is no greater gift, than the gift of salvation and that it can only be claimed or awarded to those who are faithful to Christ to the end of their lives. In Ether chapter 4 verse 19, Christ teaches us that only the faithful will be lifted up at the last day and dwell in His kingdom, or the kingdom prepared for the faithful, which was prepared from the beginning. Could this lifting up have any reference to those living when Christ comes for the second time and are lifted up to meet Him? 1 Corinthians chapter 4 verses 1 and 2 give us further light and understanding on the important role of faithfulness. Each of us are stewards over the blessings and gifts we have received from God; we are stewards over the mysteries, or the knowledge of God we have gained during our mortal lives. As we are faithful during our lives, we are granted knowledge by the grace of God through the gift and power of the Holy Ghost. We will be held accountable for all the blessings, knowledge and gifts that He grants unto us. Paul teaches in the Galatians chapter 6 verses 7 through 9 that God will not be mocked. Therefore, if we faint as Paul words it or fail in our faithfulness towards God and Christ and through our actions mock the great knowledge, mysteries and gifts of God, then we will receive the greater condemnation. Doctrine and Covenants section 51 verse 19 confirms this, saying that whoso is a faithful, a just and a wise steward will enter into the joy of his Lord and will inherit eternal life. Revelation chapter 17 verse 14 teaches that those who are with the Lamb of God are those who are, “Called, and chosen and faithful”. To conclude, Doctrine and Covenants section 138 verses 12 through 19 give us understanding of what it means to be faithful and what life will be like in the life hereafter for those who remain faithful. We will dwell among: 1. The Just, 2. Those who have been faithful in their testimony of Jesus, 3. Those who suffered tribulation for Jesus’ sake, 4. Those who were firm in their hope of a glorious resurrection through the grace of God, 5. Those who are filled with joy and gladness and rejoice together in their deliverance from death and hell. These are the faithful!