Will you continue in obedience? (Acts 6:7, 14:22; Rom 1:5, 16:26; Col 1:23)

First of all let me say that I am not a Theologian, a Greek or Hebrew scholar, nor do I have any 'qualifications' in anything related to those things. I am a Christian who studies the Bible alone (with God) and uses such good resources as 'Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible', 'A Critical Lexicon and Concordance to the English and Greek New Testament' and the excellent free downloadable Bible software program e-sword (see the links to the right).

Yesterday I posted several verses from the New Testament showing how the Apostles taught that Salvation is consummated upon the Return or Second Coming of Jesus Christ.

However, just because Jesus will appear again doesn't necessarily mean you will be Saved by Him - there are conditions to be met (I have a list of 47 things the New Testament says we are 'Saved by' courtesy of the writer of the blog, 'Pilgrim's Path Daily'.)

2 Thessalonians 1:7,8 says,

"7and to give you who are troubled rest with us when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with His mighty angels, 8in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ."

So you see, in order to escape the vengeance of God you must be getting to know Him and must be obeying the Gospel. But there is no sense in obeying the Gospel for a while and then stopping, there will be no reward for that, only shame and punishment.

That is why Jesus said,

"And you will be hated by all for My name’s sake. But he who endures to the end will be saved."
Matt 10:22

AND,

"By your patience possess your souls."
Luke 21:19

Obeying the Gospel (or, sometimes referred to as 'obeying the Faith') requires endurance/perseverance/patience (different Bible translations use different words).

So the connection between yesterday's blog on waiting long or enduring waiting for Jesus' Return and today's blog on obedience is ENDURANCE. Waiting for Him requires endurance because you must wait while applying yourself to obeying the Gospel - this means denying yourself and taking up your own Cross every day as Jesus says in Luke 9:23,

"Then He said to them all, If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me."

Hebrews 10:35-39 says we need endurance(or, patience) to last until His Coming and so be Saved.

35Therefore do not cast away your confidence, which has great reward. 36For you have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise:
37 “For yet a little while,
And He who is coming will come and will not tarry.
38 Now the just shall live by faith;
But if anyone draws back,
My soul has no pleasure in him.”
39But we are not of those who draw back to perdition, but of those who believe to the saving of the soul.