Be Faithful Until Death!

Be faithful until death and I will give you the crown of life. Revelation 2: 10c, NKJV

Dear God, help us to know that whatever our lot, You will be there with us.  In the name of Jesus Christ.  Amen.

This promise is the favorite Bible text of my youngest daughter Renee.  She would repeat it whenever we were having family worship and each one was asked to repeat their favorite verse.  It brings me fond memories of her childhood.  For the past few days we have been looking at promises that have to do with the “last days,” or “the end of time.”  One fact has stood out, and that is the reality that, “through it all,” Christ will be there.  When we read that “Michael will stand up” for us; that we will be delivered; and that all heaven is interested in saving us, we are greatly encouraged.  But today, this promise is slightly different.  It speaks about the blessing in remaining faithful until death!  Now, that is another story!  You may ask what place is there for death if we will be delivered?  If Michael is going to stand up for us?  I believe the issue here is not if we will be delivered, or if we may have to lay down our lives, as much as it is, whether or not we will be willing to do so.

Let us look at the introduction speech Jesus gave to those who were considering becoming His followers, “Then Jesus said to His disciples, ‘If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow Me.  For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.  For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?  Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul… (Mark 8: 24-26)?”  There is no talk about “deliverance,” or “standing up for.”  Instead, several requirements for discipleship are clearly set forth:

Self-denial.  A disciple of Christ must be willing to set self aside in order to follow Jesus.  “And everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things.  Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown…But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection” (1 Corinthians 9: 25, 27).

Take up your cross and follow Me.  A cross is a symbol of death.  One must be willing to die to self that we can live for Christ.  The apostle Paul said “I die daily” (1 Corinthians 15: 31).  He also spoke about being dead, but allowing Christ to live in him (Galatians 2: 20).  When we practice dying to self, taking up Christ’s cross, should become easier.

Those who hold on to their life will lose it, but those who are willing to lose their life for Christ’s sake will find it.  The apostle Paul was able to say, “For to me to live is Christ and to die is gain” (Philippians 1: 21).  Many of the followers of Christ perished for Christ’s sake, and did it with dignity.  By the grace of God, on that “great getting up morning,” at the sound of the Lifegiver’s voice, they will once again, “find” their lives.  Sacred history tells us that the apostle Peter, when he was being crucified asked to be crucified with his head down, because he did not consider himself worthy to be crucified in the same position as His Master (Ecclesiastial History 3: 1).  Stephen was able to forgive his enemies.  There was no remorse.  As he was being stoned to death, those who beheld him, “saw his face as the face of an angel” (Acts 6: 15).  Paul, as he waited to be beheaded could say, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith” (2 Timothy 4: 8).  They, and so many others, were willing to lose their lives, for Christ’s sake.  They had lived for Him, and when it was time to die, He stood by them.

“Some golden daybreak Jesus will come” back for His faithful people; many who were “faithful until death.”   My heart’s desire, is to be faithful until the end, not simply to receive a crown of life, but because I believe that Jesus Christ, my Lord and my Savior, deserves my faithfulness.  I love Him so!