Christ-exalting Endurance in an Age of Desertion

September 12, 2008

Revelation 14:12: “Here is a call for the endurance of the saints, those who keep the commandments of God and their faith in Jesus.”

In every age of Church History we have witness to Saint’s who’s faith endured to the end. It is also true that many, down through the Church Age, have deserted the faith.

The state of the Church is no different today. We are blessed with many examples of those who have spent the majority of their lives running with Jesus. Presumably all true Christians desire to preserve to the end. Given that fact, it behooves all Christians to learn from those who have modeled Christ-exalting endurance.

At the Desiring God 2007 National Conference (A Call for the Endurance of the Saints), the church was called to endurance in the face of anything and everything that would deplete her zeal for the glory of Christ. As members of the Church, Christ’s body, that call goes out to each one of us.

The Desiring God 2007 National Conference invited speakers who have stood firm in their trials for a long time. We would do good to listen and to read the stories of these Saints.

One of those Saints, Jerry Bridges, spoke on the topic “Four Essentials for Finishing Well”.

Jerry Bridges says there are four foundational, fundamental actions that will enable us to fight the good fight of faith and to finish well:

a daily time of focused personal communion with God
a daily appropriation of the gospel
a daily commitment to be a living sacrifice to God
a firm belief in the sovereignty and love of God.

Bridges reminds us that our aim is not only to persevere but to endure—not only to stand firm but to move forward toward the finish line and the presence of God in glory.

A tremendous resource coming out of the Desiring God 2007 National Conference is the book Stand: A Call for the Endurance of the Saints. Read it and be blessed.

Finally, speaking of Perseverance, theologian John Murray proposed a definition to take account of the full biblical witness on this theme:

“Perseverance means the engagement of our persons in the most intense and concentrated devotion to those means which God has ordained for the achievement of his saving purpose.” — Redemption: Accomplished and Applied

This blog wholeheartedly recommends the resources published by Crossway Books and we encourage you to consider their many titles, old and new alike. One of Crossway’s crowning achievements is their publishing of the English Standard Version Bible.