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.