Jesus stands firm to the end!

Reflecting on Mark 13:9-13

"The one who stands firm to the end will be saved." (Mark 13:13)

For the first centuries after Jesus, Christians were persecuted terribly.
It came in waves, and in some regions more than others.
But many Jesus followers were shamed, shunned, tortured or killed.
Many who rejected the Jesus Way of love were brutal and mean.
Some Jesus followers broke down under the pressure.
They recanted their faith, or they offered a sacrifice to Caesar.
It was not a sincere rejection of Jesus, but they couldn't stand firm.

When some later were sorry for their weakness, could they be restored?
The church struggled over those who recanted; they had denied Christ.
It sounds like Jesus would agree in the words quoted above.
If one does not stand firm to the end, will they not be saved?

I am not convinced of this, and Peter is my reason.
Peter denies Jesus, not once but three times.
The third time he calls curses down on himself.
'May God curse me if I am lying'... which he was.
Jesus in response welcomes Peter, not once but three times (Mark 14:55-72).
Peter is restored not only as a disciple, but as one of the leaders (John 21:15-19).
I find great encouragement in this, because I'm sure I couldn't handle torture.
My spirit is willing, but my flesh is weak - I know it and Jesus does too.

So then what does it mean to stand firm to the end?
We are called to more than just saying we believe.
We are called to reject hate and to choose love.
We are called to love our brother, our father and our children.
Jesus speaks of brothers , fathers and children betraying others.
When we choose hate over love, when we become brutal and cruel, we deny Jesus.
To stand firm to the end is to refuse to become brutal and cruel.
The Jesus Way is love, and this is what we are to stay true to.

Shusako Endo wrote 'Silence', about Christian missions in Japan.
A missionary is tortured to deny Jesus, but he does not.
The authorities then torture his converts, to break his faith.
They put an image of Jesus before him, and make him stomp on it.
Only then will they stop torturing the poor people they are torturing.
And this breaks him, and he prays to Jesus as he stomps on Jesus's image.
For the sake of love, he denies - stomps on - Jesus.
I totally get his decision, and would do the same.
Not because I hate Jesus, but because I love people.
I cannot be cruel and brutal, the thought makes me sick.

Jesus came to be stomped on, because God knows we couldn't do it.
Jesus willingly embraces our weakness, and stands firm to the end for us.
It is His strength, not ours, that is the basis of our salvation.
His strong love embraces our weak love, and carries us along.
He knows our heart, whether we are motivated by love or hate.

If someone forced you to hate a group of people, would you?
If someone compelled you to be mean and cruel to a minority, would you?
If your church leaders taught you to condemn others, would you?
If your denomination required you to sign an ungracious document, would you?
If your employer insisted you lie about a harmful product, would you?
If your government demanded that you stand against a certain race, would you?
There are many possible scenarios that we could face.
I don't know if I would pass all these tests.
But I know what I do not want to be: someone filled with hate and cruelty.
I desperately want love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, etc.
I want no one to suffer, I want everyone to know God's mercy.
This is what I desperately want to stand firm to the end.

I need the mercy and help of Jesus to get through this.
And if I stumble, or even fail, it is not because my spirit is unwilling.
It is because my flesh is weak (Matthew 26:41).
Therefore my hope is not in my own strength, my own ability to stand firm.
My hope is in His strength, and His standing firm for me to the end.
Like Peter, even if I call down curses on myself, Jesus will be gracious.
I stand firm in my need for, longing for grace, to the very end!

PRAYER
Lord Jesus, I am weak. I want to love like You, I hate hatred and cruelty. Yet in my weakness I do not love like I ought to. Though I do not stand firm in my obedience, I do stand firm in my longing to love, and my need for Your love. Thank You for standing firm to the end for me.