Matthew 10:22 … Enduring within the End (02/12/17)
“The one who endures to the end will be Saved.”
~ Jesus (Matthew 10:22)
The first question some might ask here is the one who endures what will be saved? Fortunately, Jesus answers this quite clearly throughout his ministry – repeatedly telling his disciples (indeed, even in this particular chapter) that they are to persevere in not only relaying his message of selfless LOVE but also in emulating the same (see Matthew 10:16-23 in general, and also specifically Matthew 10:25, where Jesus says that “it is enough for a disciple to be like the teacher” … Matthew 24:12-14 is also on point, where Jesus quite clearly tells his followers that “the one who endures [in LOVE] to the end will be saved”) …
Note as well that throughout Jesus’ ministry Salvation was mentioned as a state of Bliss one attained during his or her acts of Caring Kindness, not as some heavenly reward therefore thereafter (see John 13:15-17 & Matthew 7:21-24 et al) — a Truth that is made even more clear when we remember that (for Jesus at least) the “Kingdom of Heaven” was an internal Here&Now, not somewhere else or coming someday in the future (see Luke 17:20-21 & Matthew 10:7 et al) …
Finally, “to the end” in this verse does not mean consistently over the course of an entire lifetime, but rather “to the end” of whatever encounter is requiring the persistent LOVE being mentioned – i.e. persisting in Loving the enemy until he flees or becomes a Friend; persisting in Forgiving a betrayer until she either repents or disappears; persisting in Giving to the downtrodden until their need subsides &/or they start to Give to others themselves.
Amen … Let it be so.
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