A Good Beginning, Continuance and Ending. 3

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A Good Ending
February, 1949

In order to a good ending, it is required that we heed the injunction, "Let us not be weary in well doing" (Gal 6:9). There has ever been a pressing need for God's people to pay attention to that word, for they meet with so many discouraging setbacks in their best efforts to mortify their lusts and develop their graces — that they are very apt to become thoroughly discouraged, which produces a readiness to give ear unto that seductive whisper of Satan's, "What's the use?" But there is a special timeliness in this exhortation for our degenerate generation, when the vast majority of professing Christians are walking arm-in-arm with the world — and the true believer himself is tempted to follow their evil example. If he is not to share their doom — then he must not tread their path, for all who walk the broad road — no matter how orthodox their beliefs, or what their church connections — will most certainly find that it terminates in eternal and unbearable destruction!

"Well doing" consists of a sincere determination and endeavor to perform God's revealed will and a sincere effort to glorify Him. Unto those who continue so doing, the promise is given "for in due season we shall reap — if we faint not." The "if" is not to be ignored, explained away, nor glossed over — but taken just as it stands. To continue well is not only desirable — but imperative and indispensable. There are many who appear to make an excellent start in the Christian life — whose efforts are not sustained, and it has to be said of them, as of the Galatians in like case, "Who has bewitched you, that you should not obey the truth?" (Gal 3:1). And observe well that the apostle did not say, "peace, peace," and assure them that God would certainly recover them out of the snare of the devil. Instead, he told them plainly and faithfully, "I am afraid for you, lest I have bestowed upon you labor in vain" (Gal 4:11). So far was Paul from subscribing to the dangerous delusion which now prevails so widely — that if a person has once "accepted Christ as his personal Savior," then all is well with him forever — no matter to what extent he conforms to this world and indulges the lusts of the flesh. Paul declared, "But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway" (1 Corinthians 9:27).

Alas, that such a solemn warning should now be so criminally distorted, or disregarded. That verse has been woefully wrested by the "Dispensationalists," who make such a pretense of "rightly dividing the word of truth" (2 Timothy 2:15). They affirm that it merely relates to a being disqualified for and rejected from Christian "service." But the Greek word for "castaway" ("adokimos") is never used of anyone's being set aside from the ministry — but in every instance refers to "something" much more serious and fatal — namely to a being abandoned by God. It is translated "rejected" of the ground which bears "thorns and briers" (Heb 6:8), and "reprobate" in the other six passages, among which are Romans 1:28; 2 Timothy 3:8; Titus 1:16! In the context of 1 Corinthians 9:27, the apostle likens the Christian life and conflict, unto the running of a race and the engaging in a wrestling contest (verses 24 and 25), both of which call for strenuous effort, strict self-discipline and self-denial (verse 25). In verse 26, he changes the figure from running to boxing, and then applies the same to himself, making his body the antagonist (verse 27).

By a synecdoche (in which a part is made to comprehend the whole — the "body" represents his entire sinful nature: compare the "body of sin" (Rom 6:6), "the body of this death" (Rom 7:24), "mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth [namely, the lusts of]; sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry" (Col 3:5), where in each case, the allusion is to the totality of our inward corruptions.

Even so strong a Calvinist as Charles Hodge (1797-1878), in his commentary on 1 Corinthians, said upon 9:27, "It was not merely his sensual nature that Paul endeavored to bring into subjection — but all the propensities and passions of his heart…He made these strenuous exertions, lest, having preached the Gospel to others, he himself should become a reprobate, one rejected. What an argument and what a reproof is this! The reckless and listless Corinthians thought they could safely indulge themselves to the very verge of sin, while this devoted apostle considered himself as engaged in a lifelong struggle for his salvation. This same apostle, however, who evidently acted on the principle that the righteous scarcely are saved, and that the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, at other times breaks out in the most joyful assurance of salvation, and says that he was persuaded that nothing in heaven, earth, or hell, could ever separate him from the love of God (Rom 8:38-39). The one state of mind is the necessary condition of the other."

It is only those who heed God's solemn warnings, who recognize the perils which beset their souls, who assiduously employ the means of grace which He has provided for their preservation — who are entitled to appropriate the comfort found in the divine promises concerning the eternal security of the saints.

It was not that Paul expected to become a "castaway," but that he tells us in 1 Corinthians 9:27, what he did (and what we must do) in order toprevent such a catastrophe. He was not one who fondly dreamed of being "carried to heaven on flowery beds of ease," but rather was engaged in fighting the good fight of faith, seeking to overcome the world, the flesh, and the devil — knowing full well that unless he did so, he would be fatally overcome by them.

But it will be asked, Is not every regenerate soul "kept by the power of God" (1 Peter 1:5)? Certainly he is. But how, and where? Not by preserving him in the ways of utter worldliness, self-will, and self-pleasing — but rather by leading him into the paths of righteousness; and when he wanders, restoring him thereto; by moving him to resist temptation, avoid the perils which menace, and conduct himself soberly and circumspectly.

God's power does not keep us mechanically, without any concurrence on our part; but as 1 Peter 1:5 goes on to say, "through faith": that is, through working in us a spirit of dependence upon God and obedience to Him. Believers are kept by divine power — moving them to deny self, take heed to their ways, flee temptation, and by causing them to seek grace from above and to draw strength from Christ.

But does not Scripture expressly teach the final perseverance of all saints? Of saints yes — but not of graceless professors or white-washed worldlings! Of thousands of them it is written, "This man began to build, and was not able to finish" (Luke 14:30); and again, "For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome — thelatter end is worse with them than the beginning" (2 Peter 2:20).

The final perseverance of the saints taught in God's Word is not their preservation in a course of self-gratification and sin — but a perseverance in faith, obedience, and holiness. "He who endures to the end — shall be saved" (Mat 10:22), and no others will be saved! Thus, it is imperative to heed that word, "For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast unto the end" (Heb 3:14), which is very far from signifying a "presumptuous persuasion" that heaven is sure no matter what road I tread.

"Our confidence," as the context shows, is our "profession" (Heb 3:1); and to hold it "unto the end" is to continue supplying evidence of the genuineness of our profession, to "continue in the faith grounded and settled" (Col 1:23), to heed the exhortations in Hebrews 3:12 and 13, and the warnings in Hebrews 4:1, 11.

"Conversion is a turning into the right road; the next thing is to walk in it. The daily going on in the road — is as essential as the first starting, if we would reach the desired end. To strike the first blow is not all the battle; to him who overcomes, is the crown promised. To start in the race is nothing; many have done that, who have failed; but to hold out until you reach the winning-post is the great point of the matter. Perseverance is as essential to man's salvation — as conversion!" Charles H. Spurgeon (1834-1892).

We must not only begin well, but continue well — if we are to end well. Unless we can truly say, "For to me to live is Christ," we are but deceiving ourselves if we imagine that "to die is gain" (Phi 1:21). Alas, if the vast majority of professing Christians were honest, they would be obliged to aver, "For to me to live is — pleasure — money-making — or social prestige"; and for them to die is eternal loss, for they must not only leave behind their idols — but enter a hopeless eternity. Face the issue squarely, my reader: is it "For me to live is to gratify self" — OR "For me to live is Christ" — to seek to please and honor Him? Only if the latter is the case — will you end well.

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