Enduring Faith

ENDURING FAITH

This entry is a continuation from last week’s blog, entitled “Saving Faith.” A study of the New Testament reveals that there are two dimensions of faith: saving faith and enduring faith. Biblical faith is not a monolithic concept, something constituting a single meaning; rather, it includes two dimensions or complimentary component parts.

If you think about it, I believe it is easy to understand that the majority of times faith is found in the N.T., it is enduring faith not saving faith that is in view. While it is true that parts of the N.T. are evangelistic in nature (e.g., John 20:30-32), overwhelmingly the subject of the writers following the beginning of the church in Acts 2 is the daily faith of the Christian life, living faith, the faith that is to be built upon by obediently doing good works pleasing to God. Enduring faith is the faith we are called upon to exhibit in our Christians lives after we are saved.

As was discussed last week, saving faith is the faith that is first provided by God and then exercised by us in order for salvation to occur. As noted, perhaps the best and most familiar single example of saving faith is Ephesians 2:8:

NAS Ephesians 2:8 For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God;

If you have not studied this key verse, allow me to make these admittedly technical but hopefully helpful comments about the word “faith” from it, since our English translations can be a little misleading. When this verse is read in English, the first impression one is likely to get is that the pronoun “it” refers to “faith.” When the Greek text is considered, however, one sees that this cannot be, for “faith” is feminine and “it” is neuter. According to the rules of grammar, a pronoun and its antecedent must be of the same gender. Because a neuter pronoun is often used to refer to a concept, such as an idea expressed in a passage rather than a single word, it is probably best to understand the “it” as referring to salvation in its entirety and not just faith. Yes, I know that would still mean faith is a gift, but to focus on it as the primary meaning of the verse would, I believe, be misinterpreting Paul. Salvation is the gift; faith is a major part of salvation, of course, but still secondary in this verse.

Here are a few more of the verses where the faith mentioned is saving, not enduring, faith:

NAS Romans 3:21-22 But now apart from the Law the righteousness of God has been manifested, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, 22 even the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all those who believe; for there is no distinction;

NAS Romans 3:28 For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from works of the Law. By contrast, here are a few passages where enduring, not saving, faith is in view:

NAS Acts 14:21-22 And after they had preached the gospel to that city and had made many disciples, they returned to Lystra and to Iconium and to Antioch, 22  strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith, and saying, “Through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God.”

NAS Romans 4:20 yet, with respect to the promise of God, he did not waver in unbelief, but grew strong in faith, giving glory to God,

NAS  1 Corinthians 13:13 But now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.

NAS  2 Corinthians 5:7 for we walk by faith, not by sight—

NAS Galatians 2:20 “I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me, and delivered Himself up for me.

NAS 1 Peter 1:6-7 In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials, 7 that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ;

NKJ 2 Peter 1:5-7 But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, 6 to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, 7 to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love.

By far, most of the usages of the word “faith” in the N.T. are referring to enduring faith and not saving faith. As incomparable as saving faith is – without it, there would be no need for discussion of enduring faith – the letters of Paul, Peter, John and Jude, which comprise the body of instruction to believers today, are primarily concerned with enduring faith. They mostly focus on telling us how to build upon the faith that has saved us. Arguably the best place to study enduring faith is the book of Hebrews. Therefore, for the remainder of this study, we will look at enduring faith from that great book.

The very purpose of the book of Hebrews (as has often been humorously but correctly said, “Only God knows who wrote the book of Hebrews”) is to exhort believers to endure in their faith. Some think that its purpose is the “superiority of Christ,” but that is the theme, not the purpose. Theme and purpose are distinct. The writer was writing to an original audience made up mainly of Jewish Christians. These Jewish believers were wavering in their commitment to follow Christ; the writer was arguing in his sermon to stay the course, to “hold fast”:

NAS Hebrews 3:14 For we have become partakers of Christ, if we hold fast the beginning of our assurance firm until the end;

For the remainder of this study on enduring faith I will focus our attention on several verses from chapter 10. Let me encourage you to read the entire chapter – and for that matter the entire book – to fully appreciate the centrality of enduring faith.

NAS Hebrews 10:32 But remember the former days, when, after being enlightened, you endured a great conflict of sufferings,

In verses 32-34, the writer to the Hebrews encourages the people and calls them to remember their former and courageous faith. “Remember the former days” may very well be God’s Word for many today. Maybe you find your faith slipping away like the foundation of a hillside home in a hurricane rain. These Hebrew Christian readers had shown enduring faith before; the writer is exhorting them to remember those days. One of the best ways to build your faith is to remember all the many times God has brought you through difficulties.

Maybe someone reading this saying, “I thought it wasn’t a good thing to dwell on the past”… Generally, it is not a good thing to dwell on the past. Dwelling on the past for most people is usually negative and self-pitying. For various wrong reasons, many yearn to return to the past.  Others morbidly recount past disappointments, wishing “if only this or that would have happened.” That’s not good.  But the writer to the Hebrews is not talking about that self-defeating, self-centered remembrance. He is talking about a positive, God-honoring remembrance that focuses on the good things God has done for us.

Enduring faith leads to reward. That fact should continuously inspire us to consistently exercise enduring faith:

NAS Hebrews 10:35 Therefore, do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward.

What exactly is the reward of enduring faith? The Greek word for “reward” is μισθαποδοσία (miss- thap-a-dos-e-a). It means literally payment of wages, for good or bad performance. God has promised us a reward for our obedient Christian lives. When we endure in such a way that it brings glory to God, we are entitled to a reward. We don’t work just for rewards. We work in order to please God and bring glory to Him. Nevertheless, the Bible teaches that believers will be rewarded. This fact should influence us positively as we live our lives and face our difficulties. The rewards are spiritual blessings that we receive at the future Judgment Seat of Christ.

ESV 2 Corinthians 5:10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.

Hebrews 10:35 says that endurance is a prerequisite for receiving the promise of God. Think of that, what that says about the importance of enduring faith. Seen from this key perspective, v. 35 could legitimately be considered the main exhortation of the entire book of Hebrews. “You have need of endurance”: Christianity is all about enduring, obeying, and looking forward to what God has promised us in Christ.

Whatever you’re going through, how long or dark the night – endure. Stay under the load of it; God will bless you if you endure.

NAS Hebrews 10:36 For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God, you may receive what was promised.

“You have need of endurance”: could God’s Word be any clearer? We need to be strong in dealing with difficulties, and we can do this when we are surrendered to the indwelling Holy Spirit. That supernatural strength results from faith. “Endurance” is the Greek word ὑπομονή (hoop-a-ma-nay), which means literally to remain under, to remain under the load, the affliction, the difficulty. Every believer has “need of endurance.” Every believer must develop an enduring faith. Enduring faith is developed by enduring by faith. Even the most feeble among us has the power through the Holy Spirit to endure.

Note the next clause, “so that when you have done the will of God.” That means enduring faith entails obedience. If we personally are having problems with enduring difficulties, we must ask ourselves individually, “Am I walking in obedience to God’s commands in the Bible?” The next clause in v. 36 emphasizes this thought: “So that you may receive what was promised.” As I study this, I think it is saying that you won’t receive if you don’t obey. Why should anyone expect to receive anything from God unless he or she is obeying God?

NAS Luke 6:46 “And why do you call Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say?

NAS Hebrews 10:37-38 For yet in a very little while, He who is coming will come, and will not delay.

38  But My righteous one shall live by faith; And if he shrinks back, My soul has no pleasure in him.

“He who is coming” is the reason for our enduring faith. “He who is coming” is the light of the world and the light of our dark night.

It should be noted that here again we have a clear example of how intimately connected is the N.T. to the O.T., and how dependent it is on it for clarity. Verses 37-38 take us back into the O.T. The writer to the Hebrews, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, combines two O.T. passages to make his point. He is applying these powerful words directly to his readers’ situation. The concept of waiting for a future time of reward (for the righteous) and punishment (for the unrighteous) fits the tension of the readers’ circumstances exactly. I think it fits our circumstances today perfectly as well. The two O.T. passages in view are Isaiah 26:20-21 and Habakkuk 2:3-4. The author to the Hebrews has taken parts from each.

When the context is studied and meditated upon, it is clear especially from v. 38 that God wants us to patiently endure in faith, and when we obediently do this, He is pleased with us. Enduring faith may be seen as the center around which all of our Christian lives revolve. Shrinking back throws our faith into question and displeases God.

NAS Hebrews 11:6 And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him.

Our main concern should always be pleasing God, living like He wants for us to live, enduring trials and tribulations by faith.

The writer of the book of Hebrews (maybe Apollos [cf. Acts 18:24]) concludes chapter 10 and sets the stage for the great faith chapter to follow, with these encouraging words:

NAS Hebrews 10:39 But we are not of those who shrink back to destruction, but of those who have faith to the preserving of the soul.

That’s enduring faith. No matter how dark our night or deep our valley, we can take heart knowing that God has given us the power through the Holy Spirit to endure. Praise His blessed name!

– Professor Thomas A. Rohm