Endure to the End
In the Savior’s Olivet discourse He said this regarding
those of His generation: “But he that shall endure unto the end, the same
shall be saved” (Matt. 24:13). In the
Joseph Smith Matthew account the language is slightly different but with
basically the same meaning: “But he that remaineth steadfast and is
not overcome, the same shall be saved” (JS-M 1:11). This principle of enduring to the end was
taught by the Savior in His mortal ministry and was clearly an important
injunction for the Saints in those days.
Jesus told them, “If ye continue in
my word, then are ye my disciples indeed” (John 8:31). Those, on the other hand, who “endure but for
a time” are those who “have no root in themselves” (Mark 4:17). The apostle Paul also exhorted the
Colossians, “Continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away
from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard” (Colossians 1:23). James remarked in his own epistle, “Behold, we
count them happy which endure” (James 5:11). Staying faithful in the young church and in
the same culture that crucified the Savior must have been extremely
difficult. And yet, it’s interesting to
me that this principle is taught and repeated far more often in the scriptures
of the Restoration. If it was important
then, how much more critical it is in our world today that is so toxic towards
faith for us to endure the end.
The
Book of Mormon and Doctrine and Covenants are full of scriptures that exhort us
to stay true and faithful and endure to the end. Nephi invited us in these words, “Wherefore,
if ye shall be obedient to the commandments, and endure to the end, ye
shall be saved at the last day” (1 Nephi 22:31). He also said, “And now, my beloved brethren,
I know by this that unless a man shall endure to the end, in following the
example of the Son of the living God, he cannot be saved” (2 Nephi 31:16). Jacob said it this way in his very
straightforward declarations: “And if they will not repent and believe in his
name, and be baptized in his name, and endure to the end, they must be
damned” (2 Nephi 9:24). Amaleki invited
us, “Yea, come unto him, and offer your whole souls as an offering unto him,
and continue in fasting and praying, and endure to the end; and as the
Lord liveth ye will be saved” (Omni 1:26).
Later when the Savior came among the Nephites, He said it this way: “Look
unto me, and endure to the end, and ye shall live; for unto him that
endureth to the end will I give eternal life” (3 Nephi 15:9). The revelations in the Doctrine and Covenants
contain many invitations to endure as well.
The Lord said, “And, if you keep my commandments and endure to the
end you shall have eternal life, which gift is the greatest of all the
gifts of God” (D&C 14:7). On another
occasion He said of those who will be saved, “And as many as repent and are
baptized in my name, which is Jesus Christ, and endure to the end, the
same shall be saved” (D&C 18:22). He
also told Joseph, “But blessed are they who are faithful and endure, whether in
life or in death, for they shall inherit eternal life” (D&C 50:5). Again and again in the scriptures from this dispensation
we see the exhortation to endure to the end.
Christ
of course was the perfect example of enduring, for He “did not shrink” but
remained faithful to His mission and “endured the cross” (Hebrews 12:2). In our day in which the world puts so much
pressure on us to shrink and leave behind our faith for the philosophies of the
world, Christ stands as our exemplar of one who never gave in to pressure and
who always perfectly stayed true to the mission His Father had for Him.
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