Special Study 25/01/2010

AN ENDURANCE RACE TO THE END

Matthew 10:22; Mark 13:13; Luke 9:62; John 8:31; Revelation 2:25,26;
22:18

Repentance from sin is fundamental to being admitted into the

kingdom of God. God forgives and saves the sinner who repents from sin.
And, as the new believer consecrates his life and all that he has to the
Lord, he is sanctified and filled with the Holy Ghost. It is not enough to be
saved, sanctified and filled with the Holy Ghost, the believer must hold
fast to the faith until Christ returns or until he departs this world. Having
laid his hand on the plough, the Christian believer is expected to remain
faithful to the end. Looking back is dangerous. Continuing in the faith unto
the end is the secret of getting to heaven: “he that endureth to the
end, the same shall be saved.”
In these changing times, some people are no longer steadfast on
what they once believed in. They once believed repentance,
righteousness, restitution, sanctification and holiness and other sound
doctrines of Christ, but not any longer. What they now believe in and
celebrate are merriment, healing, deliverance, prosperity, etc. But the
Lord wants the believer to remain steadfast in upholding the sound
doctrines that He has given to the church until He returns. Humility,
submission and absolute surrender to the Lord and abhorrence of
worldliness must be upheld until He returns. The virtue of absolute faith
and total dependence on the Lord must be upheld to the end. Idols should
not be made out of any man or woman. Rather, Christ must remain our
Redeemer, Saviour, Lord, Deliverer, Sanctifier, Sufficiency, Supplier,
Shepherd, Sin-Bearer and Substitute.
In spite of the hatred resulting from his faith and lifestyle of
righteousness and holiness, the believer must remain steadfast. Whether
or not the present generation of people accepts or rejects his lifestyle and
message on God’s standard, he must never attempt at adding to or
subtracting from the word of God because of the inherent danger in doing
so. The Lord who will soon return for His people wants the believer to run
the endurance race to the end. Even when He tarries, He still wants the
believer to remain steadfast in the faith and hold on till He comes.

1. WARNING AND ENCOURAGEMENT FOR CHRISTIAN

PILGRIMS
1 Corinthians 10:11,12; Romans 15:4; Hebrews 10:35-39; 1
Corinthians 9:24-27; 1 Timothy 4:15,16.

Like Apostle Peter, some believers are over-confident, and it shows

in the aura around them. But the Scripture warns: “let him that
thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.” The past
experiences of the children of Israel also stand as warnings and
encouragement for the believer. While the consequences of unbelief
by the children of Israel are warnings to us, the manifestation of
 faith by Joshua and Caleb is an encouragement. As Joshua and Caleb
continued unto the end, you too can continue to the end. Believers
should be so determined like the duo so as not to cast away their
faith, confidence and tenacity. Whatever happens, the believer is to
hold on to the faith until the Lord comes. The Scripture affirms that
“the just shall live by faith”. Fear makes people unjust, insincere,
and hypocritical. The believer should make up his mind to “live by
faith” and to resist fear. The Lord wants the Christian pilgrim to set
his eyes on excellence, perfection and the last mile of the way so as
to be able to run the race courageously unto the end. A walk with
God that is not excellent, perfect and steadfast is not good enough.
Sometimes, the flesh can rebel against doing the will of God by
giving reasons why it should not be done. At other times, resistance
could come from people. It is at such times that the believer needs
to bring everything under subjection to the will of God. This means
watching against thoughts, ideas and proposals that prompt
adjustments that displace the will of God in the Christian’s life. A
firm and steadfast stand on God’s word is profitable, “for in doing
this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee.”

2. WILFULNESS AND EXCLUSION FOR CORRUPTED PEOPLE

1 Corinthians 10:1-5,7-11,6; Hebrews 3:12-19; 10:26-31; 12:25-29.

The wilfulness and hard-heartedness of the children of Israel and

their quest to exalt their opinions above the doctrines of the Bible
excluded them from the goodness of the Lord. They started well;
they all came out of Egypt. But as the journey continued, some
sinful desires, ideas and idolatry that were not in their lives hitherto
came in. As a result, they could not pull through the wilderness, for
“with many of them God was not well pleased: for they were
overthrown in the wilderness.” Idolatry, fornication, adultery,
tempting God, murmuring and complaining against church
leadership powered by unbelief usually bring God’s displeasure. But
God wants His people to learn from the danger that befell the
children of Israel: they could not get into the Promised Land. This
demands watchfulness against unbelief and wilful sins. Those who
have been taught and know that sin is not only cancerous and
poisonous but also makes God to withdraw His presence, yet,
plunge headlong into it usually bring damnation upon themselves.
“It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.”
Unfortunately, some Christians behave as if they have become so
familiar with God that they sin deliberately. But you can be
different, serving “God acceptably with reverence and godly
fear: For our God is a consuming fire.”

3. WATCHFULNESS AND ENDURANCE THROUGH CONSTANT

PERSEVERANCE
Matthew 24:24,25; Mark 13:33-37; Matthew 26:41; Luke 21:34-36;
Acts 20:28-32.
 Majority of the children of Israel who left Egypt but could not get to
the Promised Land failed because they were not watchful. As
believers, therefore, we need to watch over our life. We became
Christians because we wanted to get to heaven. All other privileges
that follow such a decision should not distract us from getting to
heaven. “Watch ye therefore: for ye know not when the
master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at
the cockcrowing, or in the morning: Lest coming suddenly
he find you sleeping.” The Lord instructed that watchfulness
should go hand in hand with prayer. Even prayer and fasting without
watchfulness will not do. The Christian pilgrim must be watchful
over his thoughts, speech, the places he goes, the books he reads,
the friends he keeps. He must be watchful in times of success and
failure, encouragement and discouragement, happiness and
sadness; in times of relaxation and in times of victory. Watching
over the flock is the responsibility of the leadership, and they must
be allowed to carry out the oversight function in all aspects of the
ministry. As the believer watches, endures and perseveres, he will
not be destroyed or plucked up; he will not be rooted out; nothing
will take him away from the place that God has given him in the
kingdom.

*******
Congregational Song:

O JESUS, I HAVE PROMISED

1. O Jesus, I have promised

To serve Thee to the end;
Be Thou for ever near me,
My Master and my Friend:
I shall not fear the battle
If Thou art by my side,
Nor wander from the pathway
If Thou wilt be my Guide.

2. O let me feel Thee near me;

The world is ever near;
I see the sights that dazzle,
The tempting sounds I hear;
My foes are ever near me,
Around me and within;
But, Jesus, draw Thou nearer,
And shield my soul from sin.

3. O let me hear Thee speaking

In accents clear and still,
Above the storms of passion,
 The murmurs of self-will;
O speak to reassure me,
To hasten or control;
O speak and make me listen,
Thou Guardian of my soul.
4. O Jesus, Thou hast promised
To all who follow Thee,
That where Thou art in glory
There shall Thy servant be;
And, Jesus, I have promised
To serve Thee to the end;
O give me grace to follow
My Master and my Friend.

HOLD THE FORT

1. Ho, my comrades! see the signal

Waving in the sky!
Reinforcements now appearing,
Victory is nigh.

“Hold the fort, for I am coming,”

Jesus signals still;
Wave the answer back to heaven,
“By Thy grace we will.”

2. See the mighty host advancing,

Satan leading on:
Mighty men around us falling,
Courage almost gone!

3. See the glorious banner waving!

Hear the trumpet blow!
In our Leader’s name we’ll triumph
Over every foe!

4. Fierce and long the battle rages,

But our help is near:
Onward comes our great Commander,
Cheer, my comrades, cheer!