Real Faith Is Vital!
God’s Purpose for Christians
Back to 1The Bible’s Greatest Prophecies Unlocked!
Paul wrote that, “Without faith it is impossible to please [God]” (Heb. 11:6). Do not complicate this passage. Take it for exactly what it says. Then recognize that the Bible teaches in both the Old Testament and New that “The just shall live by his faith” (Hab. 2:4; Rom. 1:17).
While God’s establishing of His kingdom will be the most wonderful event the world has ever seen, what precedes it will be something very different. Humanity now hurtles toward untold catastrophe. Tumultuous events will soon engulf every society, every nation—affecting the lives of every human being of every race, culture and religion. Even for the strong, with events simultaneously overlapping and crescendoing, it will take immense trust—real FAITH!—in God’s power to avoid panic, and to hold steady, simply believing His promises. Surely, there is no time in human history when the need for true faith would be greater than when the worst prophecies begin to unfold.
Therefore, Jesus asks this all-important and wide open question about faith, directed to each person who will consider it in the time just prior to His Return: “When the Son of man comes, shall He find faith on the earth?” (Luke 18:8).
God wants you to rely on Him—to trust Him completely in everything. Remember. You really have no choice if you hope to please Him. In the near future, when others are gripped by fear, uncertainty and confusion, their whole world collapsing around them and having no idea where to turn for answers, God does not want His people to fret, worry or agonize over what will happen next—or to themselves.
Think of it this way. One of the greatest things you should worry about is if you do not overcome worry. God promises to provide your every need if you believe Him, obey Him, trust Him and wait on Him without doubting (Matt. 6:33-34). Having done this, you should expect Him to continually deliver you, no matter how impossible your personal circumstances may become—as long as you are truly one of His servants and part of the only Church Jesus Christ built!
The Crucial Role of Patience
In the context of closing events swirling around God’s people, Jesus instructs, “In your patience possess you your [lives]” (Luke 21:19). He knew that having and exercising great patience, in the face of swirling, confusing events, is an inseparable companion to real, believing faith.
In the middle of Revelation 13:1-18, which describes cataclysmic events happening in Europe and impacting the whole world, Rev 13:10 states, “Here is the patience and the faith of the saints.” The rise of the false system described there certainly requires enormous patience and faith to endure, because of the almost nonstop persecution it has brought to God’s people.
Further, in Revelation 3:10, recall how Christ commends His faithful people in the end time: “Because you have kept the word of My patience, I also will keep you from the hour of temptation…”
The New King James Version renders the italicized passage as “My command to persevere.” This helps to better convey Christ’s meaning. Scripture shows in numerous places how patience, endurance and perseverance are vital in a Christian’s life, especially in the end time, when the severity of world conditions will be without parallel in history.
Other scriptures stress the importance of having patience at the end of the age.
In Matthew 10:22, Jesus states, “And you shall be hated of all men for My name’s sake: but he that endures to the end shall be saved.” Now notice Matthew 24:13. When outlining all that will occur prior to His Return, Jesus repeats, “But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.”
If Christianity were compared to a track meet, it would be more like running a marathon than a sprint. It involves endurance, yet it also means running to win (I Cor. 9:24). But do not be fooled, with time now running out—with few years left in the 6,000 years allotted to man’s rule—we might say it is more today like a short middle-distance race or even closer to a long sprint.
Next, read Acts 14:22. It recounts part of Paul’s ministry: “Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we [all Christians] must through much tribulation[trial] enter into the kingdom of God.”
Now recall Revelation 14:12: “Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.”
We have already seen that Daniel 12:12 states, “Blessed is he that waits…” Ask: Why would there be a defined waiting period—until the 1,335 days begin—if extraordinary patience—and real patient endurance—were not necessary? As trends and conditions decline and become ever more serious, some, unresolved to hold steady in advance, will be unable to defeat panic.
Galatians 5:22 includes longsuffering as one of the nine fruits of God’s Holy Spirit to be evident in every Christian’s life. “Suffering long,” enduring through trials, requires a great degree of patience to always remember that God has promised a way of escape (I Cor. 10:13) for those praying and seeking His will, and watching world conditions.
A Life of Growing and Overcoming
Most people feel trapped, unable to overcome—unable to grow in areas of weakness, fault and sin. Instead of overcoming their problems, most are overcome by their problems. This should not be—this need not be! You can overcome in your life.
Through the years, I have pastored thousands who have been called to God’s Way. All people struggle against the pulls of the flesh and the temptations of Satan and his world. Some overcome. Others do not.
Jesus said, “Enter you in at the strait [difficult] gate: for wide is the gate, and broad [easy] is the way, that leads to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: because strait [again, difficult] is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leads unto life, and few there be that find it” (Matt. 7:13-14). Most seek the easy, “broad” path in life.
Overcoming is hard—difficult!—and it is a continuous struggle. But it is possible (Matt. 19:26). You can overcome (Phil. 4:13). And if one desires to be a Christian, you must!
Yet this world is drifting along, completely unaware of God’s great purpose for man, which is to build holy, righteous character in this life. God is preparing a team of those who will qualify to be part of restoring His government to Earth at Christ’s Return (Acts 3:19-21).