The One Who Endures to the End…
Matthew 24:13 states, “But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.”
Many take this verse as a conditional warning, suggesting that salvation ultimately depends on our ability to persevere. However, such an interpretation not only disregards the immediate context but also undermines the biblical teaching on perseverance as a gracious gift from God.
The Context of Matthew 24:13
Matthew 24 is part of Jesus’ Olivet Discourse, where He addresses the impending destruction of the Jerusalem temple (Matt. 24:1-3). The trials described in this passage, including persecution and deception, are tied to the events leading up to A.D. 70. Jesus is not speaking broadly about every Christian’s spiritual journey but about the tribulation that His followers would face in that historical moment.
Historical accounts confirm that the early Christians heeded Christ’s warnings and were preserved from the destruction of Jerusalem. The church historian Eusebius (H.E. iii.. 5) records that before the siege of Jerusalem in A.D. 70, Christians fled to Pella, a city beyond the Jordan. This migration spared them from the horrors of the Roman onslaught. Jesus’ words were fulfilled in a literal sense—the ones who endured to the end of this tribulation were saved from death and destruction.
Understanding this passage in its historical context helps us see that it is not a universal statement about individual perseverance unto final salvation, but a promise of deliverance for those who remained faithful and heeded Christ’s warnings during that time.
Perseverance: A Promise, Not a Condition
The doctrine of perseverance is not a threat but a promise. It is not something we accomplish by sheer willpower, but something given to us in Christ. The consistent testimony of Scripture is that God preserves His people:
- “He which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.” (Phil. 1:6)
- “Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation.” (1 Pet. 1:5)
- “I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.” (John 10:28)
The 1689 London Baptist Confession affirms this beautifully in 5.5:
“The providence of God doth in general reach to all creatures; so after a more special manner it taketh care of His Church, and disposeth of all things to the good thereof.”
Believers may stumble, fall into grievous sin, and experience seasons of doubt. 2 Peter 1:9 warns that some may even forget that they have been cleansed from their sins. Yet, Scripture is clear that Christ will bring all who belong to Him safely home (John 6:39).
This is why Paul can write with confidence in Romans 8:30, “Whom he justified, them he also glorified.” There is no uncertainty in this statement—those whom God has justified will certainly be glorified. This golden chain of redemption ensures that perseverance is not left in our weak and failing hands but is secured by the power and faithfulness of God Himself.
Enduring by Grace
Matthew 24:13 is not a call to rely on our own strength to endure, but a reassurance that those who truly belong to Christ will persevere because He preserves them. Though trials will come, though love may grow cold in many, God’s elect will endure not because they are stronger, but because God is faithful.
This truth should bring deep comfort to the believer. The Christian life is not about maintaining a perfect track record of faithfulness but trusting in the One who remains faithful even when we falter. “If we believe not, yet he abideth faithful: he cannot deny himself.” (2 Tim. 2:13)
Let us not read this verse as a warning meant to instill fear, but as a reminder of the promise that bolsters our assurance. Our endurance is not the cause of our salvation but the evidence of it, and it is God Himself who ensures that we will remain in His grace until the very end. As Jude 24 declares, “Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy.”
This is our hope and our confidence in Christ.