What is the goal of our faith?
Peter wrote by The Holy Spirit in 1st Peter chapter 1:
6 In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials,
7 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,
8 whom having not seen you Love. Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory,
9 receiving the end of your faith-the salvation of your souls.
In other Words:
For you are reaping the harvest of your faith—the full salvation promised you—your souls’ victory!
The goal of our faith is the salvation of our souls and this happens at the end of our faith, not the beginning. When FATHER talks about “saving our souls,” He’s not referring to the new birth. He’s talking about the sanctification process––the cleansing, renewing, and transforming––of those who already believe, which occurs at the end of our faith.
Paul wrote by The Holy Spirit in Hebrews chapter 10:
36-You need the strength of endurance to reveal the poetry of God’s Will and then you receive the promise in full.
37 For soon and very soon, “The One Who is appearing will come without delay!” 38 And he also says, “My Righteous ones will live by faith. But if fear holds them back, my soul is not content with them!”
39 But we are certainly not those who are held back by fear and perish; we are among those who have faith and experience true life!
Perseverance or endurance is one of the most important characteristics of faith. The words endure and persevere (Strong’s #5278, hupomeno) mean “to stay under, to undergo, to hold up under [suffering], to be patient, to tarry or to abide under.” Perseverance is “resigned submission to a situation that is out of our control.” It means not to be overtaken by it, but to overcome it. Perseverance is another word for patience and forbearance.
In the chapter of Agape Love, Paul wrote in 1st Corinthians chapter 13:
4 Love suffers long and is kind; Love does not envy; Love does not parade itself, is not puffed up;
5 does not behave rudely, does not seek Its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil;
6 does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the Truth;
7 bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
The purpose of our lives here on earth—including our trials—is to train us to rule and reign with Christ there in the Kingdom. He is constantly testing us to see if we are worthy of such a great responsibility. Endurance and perseverance are two major parts of this testing.
Jesus spoke in Revelation chapter 2:
26 To everyone who is victorious and continues to do My Works to the very end I will give you authority over the nations
27 to shepherd them with a Royal Scepter. And the rebellious will be shattered as clay pots—
28 even as I also received authority from the Presence of my Father. I will give the morning star to the one who experiences victory.
29 So the one whose heart is open let him listen carefully to what the Spirit is presently saying to all the churches.
It’s not enough to just enter the race, we must persevere to the very end of the race in order to win.
Paul also wrote in 2nd Timothy chapter 2:
11 This is a faithful saying: For if we died with Him, We shall also live with Him. 12 If we endure, We shall also reign with Him. If we deny Him, He also will deny us.
The Overcomers WILL cross the finish line.