Saving Faith is Enduring Faith

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Wednesday, March 28, 2007

Saving Faith is Enduring Faith

Discussion & Study

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John 10:27-30

Matthew 10:22, 24:13; Romans 8:34-39 

-A Christian’s career is always fighting, never ceasing; always ploughing the stormy sea, and never resting till he reaches the port of glory. If my God shall preserve you, as preserve you he must, or else you are not his; if he shall keep you, as keep you he will if you have committed your souls to his faithful guardianship, what an honor awaits you! –C.H. Spurgeon, Enduring to the End on Matt.10:22 

1)      Last Week’s Recap on “Saving Faith is Obedient Faith”: In John 10:25, what proof do we see from Jesus Christ Himself on why Saving Faith is Obedient Faith? 

2)      What does it mean to have faith that endures? 

3)       What three promises of endurance does Jesus give to His sheep? (John 10:28) 

4)      Why will His sheep receive these promises of endurance? (vs. 29-30) 

5)      What must be endured by faith when Jesus says: “But the one who endures to the end will be saved”? (Matthew 10:22, 24:13) 

6)      What will separate us from the love of Christ? 

7)      What do these promises of endurance imply for those who are not His sheep? 

*More good proof for saving faith is fruits of endurance.  Be faithfully obedient, even unto death! (Phil 2:8)

*The following taken from C.H. Spurgeon’s sermon on “Enduring to the End” 

I.                    First, then, PERSEVERANCE IS THE BADGE OF TRUE SAINTS. It is their Scriptural mark.   How am I to know a Christian? By his words? Well, to some degree, words betray the man; but a man’s speech is not always the copy of his heart, for with smooth language many are able to deceive. What doth our Lord say? “Ye shall know them by their fruits.” But how am I to know a man’s fruits? By watching him one day? I may, perhaps, form a guess of his character by being with him for a single hour, but I could not confidently pronounce upon a man’s true state even by being with him for a week. George Whitfield was asked what he thought of a certain person’s character. “I have never lived with him,” was his very proper answer. If we take the run of a man’s life, say for ten, twenty, or thirty years, and, if by carefully watching, we see that he brings forth the fruits of grace through the Holy Spirit, our conclusion may be drawn very safely. 

II.     Secondly, PERSEVERANCE IS THEREFORE, THE TARGET OF ALL OUR SPIRITUAL ENEMIES.We have many adversaries. Look at the world! The world does not object to our being Christians for a time; it will cheerfully overlook all misdemeanors in that way, if we will now shake hands and be as we used to be. Your old companions who used to call you such good fellows, when you were bad fellows, would they not very readily forgive you for having been Christians, if you would just go back and be as in days gone by? Oh! certainly, they would look upon your religion as a freak of folly, but they would very easily overlook it, if you would give it up for the future. “O!” saith the world, “come back; come back to my arms once more; be enamored of me, and though thou hast spoken some hard words against me, and done some cruel deeds against me, I will cheerfully forgive thee.”

III. Thirdly, brethren, PERSEVERANCE IS THE GLORY OF CHRIST.

That he makes all his people persevere to the end, is greatly to his honor. If they should fall away and perish, every office, and work, and attribute of Christ would be stained in the mire. If any one child of God should perish, where were Christ’s covenant engagements? What is he worth as a mediator of the covenant and the surety of it, if he hath not made the promises sure to all the seed? My brethren, Christ is made a leader and commander of the people, to bring many souls into glory; but if he doth not bring them into glory, where is the captain’s honor?

IV. I close, therefore, with but a hint on the last point, PERSEVERANCE SHOULD BE THE GREAT CARE OF EVERY CHRISTIAN—his daily and his nightly care. O beloved! I conjure you by the love of God, and by the love of your own souls, be faithful unto death.

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