CHRISTIAN CHARACTER THAT WITHSTANDS THE TEST
When we talk about PATIENCE, the King James Version of the Bible uses the word LONGSUFFERING; which simply means your willingness to put up with irritating people, situations and circumstances without losing your temper – to remain composed as outlined in 2 Peter 1:5-6 “But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge (self control), to self-control temperance (perseverance), to perseverance godliness.”
In the first century, “SELF-CONTROL” was used of athletes who were to be self-restrained and self-disciplined. This parallel was used to insinuate that a Christian is to control the flesh, the passions, and the bodily desires, rather than allowing himself/herself to be controlled by them. So, when Peter says we’re to persevere, that’s patience or endurance in doing what is right, never giving in to temptation or trial. It is said that perseverance, “spiritual staying power that will die before it gives in.”
It is essential that we as Christians talk about Christian character because Jesus spoke about it in Matthew & Luke: that before His return, we will need it to get through the various trials/test that will come upon the Body of Christ.
In Matthew 24:12-12, Jesus said. “And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold. But he who endures to the end shall be saved.” The implication is, the ones who do fall away from Christ give conclusive proof that they were never truly believers to begin with as stated in I John 2:19 (“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 they might be made manifest, that none of them were of us.”)
Keep in mind that Jesus was saying, when people become lawless, they become loveless. The word for love in verse 12 is AGAPE, which refers to the love of Christians. Jesus is not talking about the love of the world growing cold, but the love of Christians growing cold.
In Mark 13:12-13, Jesus repeats what will happen in the end-time, “Now brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; and children will rise up against parents and cause them to be put to death. And you will be hated by all for My name’s sake. But he who endures to the end shall be saved.”
Here in America, we have so much religious freedom, but we never think strongly about our brothers and sisters who are being religiously persecuted overseas. Many prisoners in various countries around the world have been imprisoned for their beliefs; some have left messages on their cell walls. One believer left on his walls for those who would follow him: “Resist, don’t give in. Hold out. Endure!” As our Christian character is being challenged in this end-time, God is speaking these words to us.
(Adapted from the Teaching CHRISTIAN CHARACTER THAT WITHSTANDS THE TEST!: all Scripture references are taken from the KJV unless otherwise noted.)