What does the Bible teach about perseverance?

WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY?

Perseverance is a crucial subject in the Bible, especially as it relates to faith and salvation—true faith perseveres (1 John 2:19).Genuine believers possess true, saving faith, but others masquerade as Christians (Matthew 7:2223). While it is possible to be a believer and fail like the apostle Peter did (Matthew 26:69-75; Luke 22:54-62 ), he, unlike Judas, returned to Jesus and even persevered until martyrdom (John 21:18-19). We know from John 10:28-30 that Peter’s salvation—as well as all true believers’ salvation—is secure. Perseverance, through the power of the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 6:13-18), is needed because taking up our cross (Luke 9:23), suffering persecution (2 Timothy 3:12), and rejoicing amidst trials (James 1:2-4; 1 Peter 4:12-14) is no small thing. Even when we are undergoing intense hardships, God can use it for good (Romans 8:28-30). The good work that He begins with His children will be completed (Philippians 1:6). Lastly, we may be encouraged to persevere under trial when we remember that our momentary afflictions cannot be compared with the “weight of glory beyond all comparison” that is yet to come (2 Corinthians 4:17)!

FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT

• God helps His children persevere through trials. David wrote, “The steps of a man are established by the Lord, when he delights in his way; though he fall, he shall not be cast headlong, for the Lord upholds his hand” (Psalm 37:23-24).

FROM THE NEW TESTAMENT

• The parable of the sower illustrates the difference between those who seem for a short time to have faith and those who have received true saving faith which produces a changed life (Matthew 13:18-23).
• Those who believe that the Christian life should be easy and carefree are mistaken. A cross is not a comfortable accessory (Luke 9:23) and it requires perseverance to push through the pain of carrying it.
• A true believer's faith can falter or fail, but that person will never fully or finally fall away because God will sustain their faith. The apostle Peter is a perfect example of this: He denied Jesus Christ but later returned to Him; Jesus prophesied of this yet "prayed for [Peter] that [his] faith may not fail" (Luke 22:31-34).
• Jesus promises eternal life to those who put their faith in Him and guarantees that no one can snatch us from His hand (John 10:28-30). As believers, we can know that even when we fail to persevere, God will not fail us.
• When Peter turned back to Christ and persevered, he suffered a martyr's death (John 21:18-19). Persevering in the faith comes at no small earthly cost.
• Thankfully, God has promised to use even fiery trials and tumultuous tribulations to strengthen our faith and make us more like Jesus (Romans 8:28-30).
• In the end, our perseverance is rewarded with “an eternal weight of glory” that will make our temporal suffering seem insignificant in comparison (2 Corinthians 4:17).
• We are commanded to persevere, not in our own might, but in the power of the Spirit. We are called to persevere in faith, in prayer, in fruitful service to Christ (Ephesians 6:13-18).
• As Philippians 1:6 states, "And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ." It is not our self-sufficient will or strength that causes us to persevere in the faith. It is nothing less than the power of God's Holy Spirit that causes us to persevere in the faith.
• The Scriptures tell us that “all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted” (2 Timothy 3:12).
• We do not carry our cross under our own strength. We are strengthened by the Holy Spirit, not only to persevere through suffering, but to rejoice in the midst of it (James 1:2-4).
• A big part of perseverance involves enduring trials and tribulations. As Christians, we are to be prepared for and not surprised by trials and suffering (1 Peter 4:12-14).
• Not persevering in faith indicates that someone may not have saving faith. Consider the following Scripture as proof: "They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us. But they went out, that it might become plain that they all are not of us" (1 John 2:19).

IMPLICATIONS FOR TODAY

Unfortunately, not all who profess faith are saved; some people are self-deceived (Matthew 7:21-23). Those who apostatize disprove the genuineness of their initial profession. Examples include Judas Iscariot and some of those who initially joined Paul in his missionary work (Matthew 27:5; 2 Timothy 1:15; 4:10). However, there are also plenty of genuine believers in the Bible that we can look to as examples of biblical perseverance. Christ is our perfect example. His faith was tested and yet He never faltered (Matthew 26:39; Hebrews 4:15). He suffered and yet did not retaliate (1 Peter 2:23). He endured the horrors of the crucifixion. He persevered when He was forsaken and betrayed by those closest to Him. He did all this for the joy that was set before Him (Hebrews 12:2). He did all this to save us (1 Peter 3:18). We should, therefore, be grateful to Christ and pray that God will grant us the strength to persevere under trial, fight the good fight, and finish the race (2 Timothy 4:7-8). For if we suffer with Him we will reign with Him (Romans 8:16-17)!

UNDERSTAND

• True believers persevere in the faith.
• God strengthens His children so they can persevere during trials.
• God uses believers’ trials to build their perseverance.

REFLECT

• What are some circumstances in your life that God has used to build your perseverance?
• How have you felt God’s presence during trials?
• What Bible figures inspire you because of their perseverance?

ENGAGE

• How can believers’ perseverance through trials be used in evangelism efforts?
• How can the message of Romans 8:28 be an effective testimony to unbelievers?
• How does the culture’s view of perseverance through our own efforts contrast with the biblical view of perseverance?