In Matthew 10:22 and 24:13, the Lord Jesus says to His disciples:
“But he that has endured to the end, he will be saved.”
From these words, the conclusion is drawn: He who does not persevere in faith until the end of his life will be lost forever. But that is not what this is about. Let us remember the principles of the interpretation of the Word of God mentioned at the beginning: Every Bible passage can only be understood correctly in its context. Chapters 24 and 25 of the Gospel of Matthew contain the Lord’s so-called “end-time discourse”, in which He speaks about the future of the Jewish people (ch. 24:4–44), of Christianity (ch. 24:45 – 25:30), and of the nations (ch. 25:31–46), in view of the imminent destruction of the temple in Jerusalem (70 AD).
Our verse is in the passage about the Jewish people in the time of tribulation after the rapture of believers. So this is not about Christians. In those days not only general trials will come, but also direct persecution of the Jews from outside and hatred of one another (v. 9–10). False prophets will appear and deceive many, and lawlessness will increase to such an extent that the love of a large part of the people will grow cold (v. 11–13). Here the Lord obviously speaks – albeit in very general terms – of the time of Antichrist, which falls during the last three and a half years of this period. However, those Jews who do not allow themselves to be influenced by all these horrors, but faithfully persevere in the tribulation until the end, will be recognized as His people at the appearance of the Lord (cf. Rom. 11:16; Rev. 14:1–5). Those who persevere, then, are the faithful Jews in contrast to the “many”, that is to say the unbelieving Jews, whose love is only an emotional one and will eventually grow cold, because they are not born again at all. The salvation of those who persevere takes place through their deliverance at the appearing of Christ on earth. The context is similar in chapter 10:22. Both passages cannot simply be generalized and transferred to Christians.
Endure to the end (Matt 10:22; 24:13)
In Matthew 10:22 and 24:13, the Lord Jesus says to His disciples:
“But he that has endured to the end, he will be saved.”
From these words, the conclusion is drawn: He who does not persevere in faith until the end of his life will be lost forever. But that is not what this is about. Let us remember the principles of the interpretation of the Word of God mentioned at the beginning: Every Bible passage can only be understood correctly in its context. Chapters 24 and 25 of the Gospel of Matthew contain the Lord’s so-called “end-time discourse”, in which He speaks about the future of the Jewish people (ch. 24:4–44), of Christianity (ch. 24:45 – 25:30), and of the nations (ch. 25:31–46), in view of the imminent destruction of the temple in Jerusalem (70 AD).
Our verse is in the passage about the Jewish people in the time of tribulation after the rapture of believers. So this is not about Christians. In those days not only general trials will come, but also direct persecution of the Jews from outside and hatred of one another (v. 9–10). False prophets will appear and deceive many, and lawlessness will increase to such an extent that the love of a large part of the people will grow cold (v. 11–13). Here the Lord obviously speaks – albeit in very general terms – of the time of Antichrist, which falls during the last three and a half years of this period. However, those Jews who do not allow themselves to be influenced by all these horrors, but faithfully persevere in the tribulation until the end, will be recognized as His people at the appearance of the Lord (cf. Rom. 11:16; Rev. 14:1–5). Those who persevere, then, are the faithful Jews in contrast to the “many”, that is to say the unbelieving Jews, whose love is only an emotional one and will eventually grow cold, because they are not born again at all. The salvation of those who persevere takes place through their deliverance at the appearing of Christ on earth. The context is similar in chapter 10:22. Both passages cannot simply be generalized and transferred to Christians.
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