Believers are told many times and in many ways in Scripture of the need to persevere. Perseverance is “Steady persistence in a course of action, a purpose or state, especially in spite of difficulties, obstacles, or discouragement.” (Dictionary.com) Perseverance is the responsibility of both individual Christians and churches. We live in a world that will rarely settle for anything less than immediate results and instant gratification. God’s ways may seem slow to many people, but His ways are much more reliable than man’s ways. The Apostle Paul, commending believers to be patient and wait on the Lord, wrote “Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, continue steadfastly in prayer.” (Rom. 12:12) Above all else, God is calling his church to be faithful to His Word and the promises therein and persevere no matter what trials/tests/tribulations come its way. The New Testament church of Philadelphia, addressed in Revelation 3:7-13, was doing what the Lord expected of the church. They are lifted up as an example of faithfulness. The Lord had nothing negative to say about them, like He did the other 6 churches addressed in Revelation 2 and 3. He commends them for standing strong in the face of difficulties and persecution. This church had little strength, little power, and little influence but Jesus was pleased with them because they had not let the cares of the world and other external pressures affect them in a negative way. They were strong in the Lord. It is never easy to stand faithful to God in the face of persecution, but it is always the right thing to do. Former U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft wrote in his autobiography “Sometimes when you are doing the right thing, you have to stay strong, steely, and silent, even though you are getting beaten up by others for doing what is right. Often it takes a long time for the truth to emerge.”(John Ashcroft; Never Again; 229-30) Perseverance is about being in it for the long haul. The believers at Philadelphia had already passed many tests; therefore the Lord is promising to spare them from the ultimate test. The specific promise is to remove them from the period of unparalleled tribulation that was coming upon the world. Sadly, faithfulness is hard to find these days. Most churches have inflated membership rolls and many of the names are of people no one seems to be able to identify. Some are trusting in their church membership as their ticket to Heaven, but the Lord is not concerned with whose name is on an old ledger in the church office. He is concerned with who is actively serving Him and standing strong withthe church against the constant attacks of Satan and those working on his behalf. The true church is comprised of those who are actively serving as a part of the living organism identified as the church. People trust in many different things, but there is no substitute for the real thing. Just because spiritual placebos satisfy a person’s mind, does not mean they have any actual benefit. An old evangelist said it well “Any religion that does not affect the way you live your life will not save your soul or take you to Heaven when you die.” (Evangelist David Miller). All Christians today need to heed the example of the church at Philadelphia. Further, all claiming to be the followers of Christ also need to examine what is actually involved in being a New Testament Christian.
