Dr. Mike Jones

Christian Character That Withstands The Test!

By: Dr. Mike Jones

The key word, when you hear about Christian character withstanding the test is ENDURANCE.

Normally when we read the King James Version of the Bible we see the word PATIENCE; but in today’s English we would use the word ENDURANCE.

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 perserverance, to perserverance 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 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 endtime, “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.

Jesus said through the writer of Hebrews 10:38-39, (Paraphased) “A righteous person will live by faith.  But I will have no pleasure in anyone who turns away.  But we are not like those who turn their backs on God and seal their fate.  We have faith that assures our salvation.

In Romans 5:3-4. The Apostle Paul says, “We glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance, character; and hope.”

Tribulation used here is not the normal pressures of living, but the everyday troubles that come to followers of Christ because of their relationship with Him.  Such difficulties produce rich spiritual benefits.  (But there are rewards; as outlined in Matthew 5:10-12, Jesus said, “Blessed are you when they insult you and persecute you and utter every kind of evil against you (fasely) because of me.  Rejoice and be glad, for your rewards will be great in heaven.  Thus they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”)

Keep in mind that scripture says tribulation produces perseverance; Perseverance is sometimes translated “patience” which refers to endurance, which is the ability to remain under tremendous weight and pressure without giving into it.

In verse 4 of Romans 5, the Bible says perseverance produces character, and character produces hope.  Scholars say a better translation of character [here] is “PROVEN character”.  This simply means that the things that are to come upon Christians in the end time, will be so severe in its testing, they will determine who’s a real Christian and whose not.  In these last days were living in, this will also be important because pressures will be so severe that you will need to talk to someone that has proven character that you can trust.  (Don’t ever forget that patience and endurance are marks of strength; they are not marks of weakness.)

Some well meaning saints will tell you that all you need to claim God’s promises is FAITH.  That’s not true!  We need faith and endurance.  We know this from Hebrews 10:35-36 which states, “Therefore do not cast away your confidence, which has great reward.  For you have need of patience (endurance), so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise.  That’s why saints miss out; they do the will of God; they claim the promise, but they don’t hold out: Then they say, it didn’t work!

We have to remember, the Christian race we’re in is a MARATHON as seen of these saints that ran before us in Hebrews 11.  The writer of Hebrews 11 drives home that point that the members of the Hall of Faith all endured and finished the race that was set before them, then he starts the first verse of Hebrews 12 with, “Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and sin which so easily beset (ensnares) us, and let us run with patience (endurance) the race that is set before us.

It’s said, this is not a SPRINT; it’s a long enduring race.  The problem is that many Christians start their walk with the Lord as a DASH; then a little while down the road, they slow down and have hardly started the race.  The Word of God declares in Ecclesiastes 9:11, “That the race is not for the swift, nor the battle to the strong.”  What is this passage telling us, “It isn’t speed or strength, but endurance that counts.”

The Apostle James in his Epistle (versus 2-4 of chapter 1) puts the icing on the cake when he stated, “My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various temptations (TRIALS), knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience; but let patience (or translated ENDURANCE) have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.”  Simply stated, God trusts us enough to let us be tried.

In Job 7:17-18, Job ask God an important question.  “What is man, that you shouldest magnify Him?  And that thou shouldest set thine heart upon Him?  And that thou shouldest visit Him every morning, and try Him every moment?”  This is an AWESOME verse saints!  God Himself visits us every morning and in the process, He builds Christian character in us through the various trials.  He wants to establish our value.

What’s the Purpose of Testing?

The definition of testing: is to ascertain the worth of a person by putting them to various test.

*    Abraham was severely tested because his destiny was to become the father of many nations.

*    Remember, God will not permit us to be tested beyond what we can bear.  His purpose for us in every test is to mold and shape our character into the image of Son, Jesus.

Scripture tells us in James 1:12, Blessed is the man who endures temptation (testing); for when he has been proved, he will receive the crown of life.”  “Crown of life is best translated “The crown which is Life”.  This is the believers ultimate reward, (eternal life), which God has promised to the true believer, and will grant in full at death or the appearing of His coming for His bride.

How are We to Respond to Testing?

Remember we’re not gonna sweep through the city, now that we’re become Christians: that’s because we live in a sin cursed world, that’s doomed to be destroyed.

So, how do we respond to testing?

*    First: we must distinguish between testing and chastisement that comes from being disobedience.

*    Second: we must understand that testing is purposeful-testing is not without meaning in spite of its mystery.  Its chief purpose is to develop the Christ-like character in us.

*    Third: testing provides opportunity for God’s glory to shine through in our transformation, our testimony, and work of the ministry.

*    Fourth: testing requires our cooperation – simply put, testing requires the right response, if it is to be successful in accomplishing God’s purpose in our lives.  We all want the final product, but we don’t wanna go through the molding process.

*    Fifth: testing is inevitable – the question we must each face is not, “if” we are going to have trials in our lives, but how will we respond to them?

(Adapted from my Teaching Christian Character that Withstands the Test: all Scripture references are taken from the KJV unless otherwise noted.)