Foundations of Truth

Dallas Reese: Welcome to Foundations of Truth, the biblical teaching ministry of Dr. Timothy Mann. Our mission is to help you build your life on the unshaken foundation of God's Word, rooted in scripture, anchored in the grace of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Today on Foundations of Truth, we continue our series, "Saved: Understanding God’s Work in Us." Here now with part two of "A Faith That Endures" is Dr. Timothy Mann.

Dr. Timothy Mann: The Holy Spirit, through the author of Hebrews, urges us: don't give up now. Don't walk away. Hold on to Christ. And this is the same word for us today. When the cost is high, when the trials are long, when the answers are slow, don't cast away your confidence. Why? The scripture says because it has great reward. There is eternal glory on the other side of present suffering. Let’s keep going. Verse 36: "For you have need of endurance." So, you need endurance. Endurance also in some of the English translations can be translated "patient perseverance." You need patient perseverance. You need endurance. And that's not a passive waiting; it is an active, faithful holding on to Christ in the face of pressure.

I know it’s an old cliché, but it’s true. I’ll go ahead and say it. Here's the old cliché: the Christian life is a marathon, not a sprint. It’s a marathon, not a sprint. I believe you'd agree with me this morning. You'd say, "Amen." I think we could all go around the room and testify. There are days of joy, but there are also seasons of deep testing. Isn't that true? There are. And what endurance does, enduring faith, persevering faith, endurance keeps believing when the healing hasn't come. Endurance keeps you obeying when your family and your coworkers mock your faith.

Endurance keeps showing up in worship when your heart feels heavy. Endurance keeps trusting Jesus even when you don't see how the situation resolves. Notice here, we need endurance not to earn salvation, but because we already have it, and we're walking toward the fulfillment of that promise. Verse 38: "Now the just shall live by faith." The word "just," a synonym for just, is righteous. "Now the righteous shall live by faith." We could say it this way: those in right standing with God shall live by faith. Those who have been made right in God's sight shall live by faith. The just shall live by faith.

This phrase in verse 38 echoes the prophet Habakkuk in Habakkuk chapter two, verse four, in the Old Testament. And it's actually quoted three times in the New Testament. It captures the heart of the Gospel, and that is this: that we are justified—that is to say, we're made right with God by faith in Jesus and nothing else. We're put in right standing with God through faith in Jesus, nothing else. We are justified by faith, and we live by faith. Listen, we don't live by explanations. We don't live by demanding answers. We live by faith.

Faith isn't just how we began the Christian life; it's how we continue every day. We walk by faith, trusting God. We obey by faith, trusting God. We endure by faith, trusting God. Now, true faith doesn't mean we never struggle, but it means we keep returning to Jesus as our only hope. We might fall, but we don't forsake. We might doubt, but we don't desert. And that's not the dessert you eat and enjoy. That's not what I'm talking about. That's military lingo, army lingo. You don't desert. You're not a deserter. You don't go AWOL. We might doubt, but you don't desert.

Verse 38, look at verse 38. This is tough right here. God is speaking. "But if anyone draws back, my soul has no pleasure in him." This is a sober warning. Those who abandon Christ—I'm talking about those who fully and finally walk away—prove that they were never truly His. This isn't talking about believers who stumble. This isn't talking about believers who doubt. This isn't talking about believers who struggle. It describes those who turn back permanently, rejecting the Gospel and renouncing Christ. And this is why perseverance matters. Not because we earn salvation by enduring, but because those who are truly saved will endure. We will endure.

Look at verse 39. "But we are not of those who draw back to perdition." Perdition is another word for destruction. We're not those who turn back to destruction. We're not those who turn back to damnation, condemnation. "But of those who believe to the saving of the soul." This is a declaration of confidence. This is a declaration of encouragement. In other words, true believers keep believing. True believers keep believing. True believers continue to believe. Their faith is real. Not perfect, but persevering. Not flawless, but enduring.

And so, if your faith this morning is in Jesus today—I'm talking about for real—if your faith is in Jesus today, and you continue trusting Him tomorrow, and you continue trusting Him the next day and on and on, then you are among those who believe, to use the words of the scripture, to the saving of the soul. The great British Baptist pastor of the 19th century, Charles Spurgeon, once said, "Faith is like a rope we cling to over a deep chasm. It's not the strength of our hands that keep us from falling, but the strength of the rope." And so, our endurance doesn't rest in our ability. It rests in the strength of our Savior. And we keep holding on because He is holding us.

So, endurance or perseverance—we can use that word—endurance, perseverance, it's not a work of the flesh. It's not just your willpower. Endurance, perseverance is a fruit of the Spirit who indwells you. It's evidence of a fruit of the Spirit. So, when you see—let me encourage you—when you see your faith enduring through trials, when you see your faith enduring through temptations, when you see your faith enduring over time, it's not a sign of your strength, but of God's sustaining power. It's a sign of the Holy Spirit who lives inside of you.

It's a sign of the life of Christ in you. The Apostle Paul said, "The life I live, I do not live it in the flesh because I've been crucified with Christ. I live the life I live by the power of God because Christ lives in me." This is why it's God's sustaining power. This is why the biblical truth of the perseverance of believers matters. Not that Christians never struggle, but that true Christians never abandon Christ. Why? Because He never abandons them. He never abandons them. So, keep going. Keep going. Don't let weariness, don't let suffering, don't let depression, don't let discouragement rob you of the reward because your Savior is worth it. And He's with you every step. Every step.

You might be in this room this morning, and you're a relatively new believer. You might feel shaky. I want to tell you, if your faith is in Jesus—I mean really—if your faith is in Jesus, then your faith is genuine. Because it's not your hold on Christ that matters most; it's His hold on you. And listen, if you're not saved, if you're not a follower of Christ—and by the way, you know that, whether you are or not. Be honest with yourself. You know whether or not you are a follower of Jesus. And so, if you're not a follower of Jesus, there is only one way to endure to the end, and that is by being made new in Christ. Don't delay. Don't delay. Repent and trust Him today and begin a journey of faith that leads to eternal life. Not just your possession of it now, but ultimately and fully and completely in eternity.

Dallas Reese: You know, the world offers uncertainty at every turn, but God’s Word gives believers something solid to stand on. At Foundations of Truth Ministries, we’re committed to proclaiming biblical truth clearly, faithfully, and without compromise. And your prayers and financial support help make this radio and podcast ministry possible, allowing listeners across the country and the world to hear the life-changing message of God’s grace. If Foundations of Truth has encouraged your walk with Christ, would you consider partnering with us? You can learn more or give securely online right now at firm-foundations.org. Now, let’s return to today’s message, part two of "A Faith That Endures."

Dr. Timothy Mann: The third truth we need to consider this morning that helps us understand why true believers continue to believe is this, and it’s in 1 Peter 1. Turn there with me. 1 Peter 1. Why true believers continue to believe is this: because trials refine and prove our faith. Trials refine and prove our faith. So, we've seen so far, just to recap, we've seen that true believers endure and that God promises to finish what He started. But the question is, how does God strengthen and refine that enduring faith in our lives?

That's the focus of 1 Peter chapter one, verses three through nine. And these verses remind us that trials are not threats to our salvation; they're tools God uses to purify and prove our faith. Let's read it. 1 Peter 1:3-9. "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ."

Okay, let's stop right there for a moment. Let's touch on some important points here. First of all, we've been born again to a living hope, if you're saved. We've been born again to a living hope. Peter starts with worship. Why? Well, because salvation is the result of God's abundant mercy. That's what he says. He has, quote, "begotten us again," that is to say, made us new, born again through the resurrection of Jesus Christ. And this new birth leads to a living hope. Not a wishful dream, but a confident expectation rooted in Christ's victory over death. I am so glad this morning that we are not clinging to a dead religion. I'm so thankful for that. We're supported by a living Savior and Lord, and that makes all the difference.

Look at what it says: "to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you." So, what's ahead for the believer? An inheritance. Incorruptible: that means it can't decay. Undefiled: that means it cannot be stained by sin. Unfading: that means it will never diminish in beauty or worth. Reserved: it's kept in heaven for you, guarded by God Himself. So, hey, if your salvation is real, then your future is secure. Your name is written in the Lamb's Book of Life. Heaven is not a maybe; it's a promise. I don't know about you this morning, but I am so glad that heaven is real. I'm grateful for that.

It says, "who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed." I think this is one of the clearest statements of the preservation of believers in the Bible. We are kept. Kept. The Greek word gives the idea of guarded or shielded. Not by our discipline, certainly not by our goodness, but by the power of God. And how does that power work? What does the text say? What does the Bible say? By the way, that's the most important question you should ever ask yourself about anything: what does the Bible say?

Don't you take some kind of nonsense that somebody on the internet is pushing your way. Don't you take some kind of nonsense some jack-leg teacher on YouTube is telling you. Don't you even take what I say. The question is—and I mean that sincerely, trust me, Patty doesn't all the time and Lord knows Judy surely doesn't—so be like Patty and be like Judy. Ask yourself the question: what does the Bible say? And then go to work and find out what the Bible says. Because the Word of God is your authority. Not me, not some church, not some tradition. The Word of God is your authority. And I want to tell you this morning, it is authoritative and it is sufficient. It's enough. You don't need anything else except the Word of Almighty God.

So, what does the Bible say? The Bible says that we're kept by the power of God, but how does that work? This verse says "through faith." Through faith. Faith is the means by which we stay connected to Christ. And that faith, too, is sustained by His grace. It's not just up to you. And what we see next: "though now for a little while." So, here it is: trials are temporary but necessary. Trials are temporary but necessary. "Though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials." So, the Apostle Peter here doesn't minimize suffering. He acknowledges that trials, to use the language here, grieve us. Trials grieve us.

And but he also calls them temporary. He says "for a little while." And they're purposeful: "if need be." In God's perfect wisdom, sometimes trials are needed. In God's perfect wisdom, trials are sometimes needed. Now, you might say, "Well, I don't need no trial." Trust me, I've told the Lord that. "Lord, I don't need this." But God says "if need be." In God's perfect wisdom, sometimes they're needed. And they're not random. They're refining. How do we know that? Well, look at what it says. Look at the next part of it: "that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory."

So, here's the heart of it: genuine faith is proven in the fire. Genuine faith is not proven in your comfort. Genuine faith is not proven in convenience. Genuine faith is not proven when everything's going your way. Genuine faith is not proven when you've got no troubles, when you've got no problems, when there's no issues. Genuine faith is proven in the fire. Gold is purified by heat, and so is faith. And while gold will one day perish, faith in Christ endures forever. So, when trials come—and they will—when trials come, they reveal, are you listening to me? If you're listening, say, "I'm listening."

When trials come, and there might be one coming like a freight train right now down in your life, when trials come, they reveal whether our faith is surface-level and spurious, or it reveals whether our faith is Spirit-born and saving. Trials prove that. Because shallow faith withers. Think of the parable of the sower. It really ought to be more the parable of the soils. Think of the one soil who received—the Bible says received—the Word with gladness, with joy, because they could see apparently all the benefits of the Gospel. They liked what they heard, right? "Oh man, going to get my sin forgiven. Going to have heaven. You know, man, God's going to be my father. He's going to be my buddy. He's going to be my genie in a bottle when I'm in trouble. I can get out and he's my Santa Claus in the sky that when I need something, I can throw up a prayer because, after all, it really is all about me."

And then what happened? The Bible says trials come. So, the parable says it looks like some life's happening. Things are sprouting up, right? Looks like things are sprouting up. But when trials come, what does the Bible say? Withers away. Because shallow, superficial faith withers away when trials come. Saving faith withstands and bears fruit. That's the difference. Not perfectly, not without pain, but with perseverance because God is holding us in the fire and through the fire.

Let's keep going. Look at what it says, what Peter says, because enduring faith, by the way, leads to joy even in trials. Look at this: "whom having not seen," talking about Jesus, "whom having not seen, you love. Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, receiving the end of your faith, the result of your faith, the salvation of your souls." So, even in the fire, there is joy. Even in sorrow, there is hope. Why? Because our faith is not in circumstances; it's in Christ. If your faith is only when everything is great and wonderful in my life, if you can only truthfully say "God is good" because everything in your life, according to your standard, is good, then you don't have real faith. You've got an idol that you're calling faith.

We haven't seen Him with our eyes, but yet we love Him. We trust Him. And we know that on the other side of this refining journey is, according to the scriptures, the salvation of our souls, full, final, and forever. A silversmith was asked how he knew when the silver was fully refined. As he's refining the silver, it's in the silver pot, the cauldron, and he's stoking the fire and it's heating. And what happens is the cauldron has the vents all around the top where all the impurities and all the dross bubbles out as the fire gets hotter and hotter and hotter. And all of the dross and the impurities come out of the silver and go down the side. And the silversmith is asked, "How do you know when it's fully refined?" And he says, "When I can look down in the silver and see my reflection in it." That's when it's refined. And that's what God is doing through your trials. That's what He's doing in your life. He's purifying your faith until Christ is reflected in your life.

Can I get a witness? Enduring trials is not easy. It's not easy in our flesh, in and of itself. Enduring trials is not easy, but it's evidence that God is at work in you. It's evidence of that. So, if your faith remains alive, if you're still trusting, if you're still praying, if you're still holding on to Christ through your tears, that's proof that God's power is sustaining you. You are kept. You are being refined. You are on your way home. True believers keep believing. True believers keep believing. Did this side hear that? True believers keep believing. You continue to believe even in trials, even in trauma, even in tragedy, because your hope's not in this world.

So, let me suggest this to you, and I don't suggest it casually; I know it's hard. Allow your trials to deepen your worship of God. You are not forgotten. You're being refined. And so, rejoice in your secure inheritance. Now, if you're a new Christian, let me say this to you: don't be surprised when testing comes, because it's going to come. And it's not a sign that your faith is weak; it's God's way of making it stronger. And if you're here this morning and you're not a Christian—I'm talking about not truly saved—and you know it. If you're not a Christian, you need to know that there's no lasting hope in this world. There's no lasting hope in this world. But in Christ, you can be born again to a living hope, kept by God and promised a future that cannot fade.

Salvation is not a sprint; it's a lifelong journey. It's not a moment of emotion; it's a life of devotion. It's not just about how you start; it's about enduring to the end. And yet the great comfort of the Gospel is this: we endure because God preserves. We keep walking because He keeps working. We hold fast because He holds us fast. From beginning to end, our salvation rests not on our strength, but on His sustaining grace. True believers continue to believe. Philippians 1:6: "He who has begun a good work in you will complete it." Hebrews 10:39: "We are not of those who draw back, but of those who believe." 1 Peter 1:5: "You are kept by the power of God through faith."

Dallas Reese: If today’s message has encouraged you and you’d like to give a gift, you can do so at firm-foundations.org. You can also hear this series again and explore additional resources designed to strengthen your walk with Christ. For Dr. Timothy Mann, I’m Dallas Reese. Thank you for listening to Foundations of Truth, helping you build your life on the unshaken foundation of God’s Word.