- Overcomer Literature Trust
- Swindon
- Wiltshire
ENDURANCE THROUGH CHRIST.
By J.C.Ryle.
Christ is able to save to the uttermost in spite of all the weakness of His believing people. There are many of God’s children who know their heart’s bitterness, who bewail their shortcomings, their unprofitableness and the scanty fruit they bring forth. But we may take comfort in the words of the apostle John, “If anybody does sin, we have One who speaks to the Father in our defence - ever present with the Father - Jesus Christ the Righteous One. He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins” (1 John 2 v1). Those weaknesses may well humble us. Those infirmities may well make us walk softly before God. But while the Lord Jesus Christ lives, those infirmities need not make us despair. We have an ever-living, ever-interceding Priest. Christ is not dead but alive.
Trials
Again, Jesus Christ is able to save to the uttermost in spite of all the trials that believers have to go through. The apostle Paul says to Timothy, “That is why I am suffering as I am. Yet I am not ashamed, because I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that He is able to guard what I have entrusted to Him for that day”(2 Tim. 1 v12). So long as Jesus Christ lives, the believer in Him may be assured that no affliction will be allowed to break off the union between him and his risen Head. He may suffer greatly and be sorely tried, but while Christ lives he shall never be forsaken. Neither poverty, nor sickness, nor bereavements, nor losses, will ever separate Jesus and His believing people. We have an ever-living, ever-interceding Priest. Christ is not dead but alive.
Persecutions
Christ is able to save to the uttermost in spite of all the persecutions that believers have to go through. See what is said of the apostle Paul when he met with much opposition at Corinth. We are told that the Lord stood by him in the night and said, “Do not be afraid; keep on speaking, do not be silent. For I am with you, and no-one is going to attack and harm you, because I have many people in this city” (Acts 18 v10). Remember what He said to Paul when He met him on the way to Damascus, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute Me?” (Acts 9 v4). Every injury done to the believer, is an injury done to the living Head in heaven, and every persecution showered down upon the head of the child of God here, is known, felt, and I may add with all reverence, resented by our great Elder Brother, who is ever living to make intercession for us. Christ lives, and believers, though persecuted, shall not be destroyed. “In all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us” (Romans 8 v37). We have an ever-living, ever-interceding Priest. Christ is not dead but alive.
Temptations
Christ is able to save to the uttermost in spite of all the temptation we may suffer. Remember that famous passage in Luke’s Gospel where our Lord, speaking to Peter says, “Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail” (Luke 22 v32). Prayer like that is still carried on. Those words were spoken to show what the Lord is doing on behalf of His believing people. Satan, the prince of this world, is going about as a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour, but Christ lives, and blessed be God, while Christ lives Satan will not be able to overcome the soul that believes on Him. We have an ever-living, ever-interceding Priest. Christ is not dead but alive.
For ever
Christ is able to save to the uttermost through all eternity. “I am the Living One" He says, “who was dead and came to life again” (Rev. 1 v18). The Root of the believer never dies, and the branches therefore shall never die. Christ being "raised from the dead, cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over Him” (Rom. 6 v9). He lives that all who trust in Him may receive honour and glory to all eternity, and because He lives His believing people shall never die. “Because I live,” He said, “you also will live” (John 14. 19). We have an ever-living, ever-interceding Priest. Christ is not dead but alive.
Why it is that Christ’s sheep will never perish and none shall ever pluck them out of His hand? It is the continual intercession of a mighty Friend at the right hand of God. A Friend who never slumbers nor sleeps, a Friend who cares for us morning, noon and night. The intercession of Christ is the secret of the perseverance of the Christian.
Much more
You would do well to study the words of the apostle in Romans 5, “Since we have been justified by His blood, how much more” he says, “shall we be saved from God’s wrath through Him. For if, when we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to Him through the death of His Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through His life.” Mark the connection, “Being already justified by His death we shall be saved by His life”, by His ever living to make intercession for us. Christ is not dead but alive.
Daily toil
Would you know the secret of daily comfort in all the toil, and business, and distractions we have to go through? At times we may feel, “How can I get through this day without a defiled conscience, without being sorely troubled and tempted to forget my God?” How shall we get through the day and do our duty in the position to which God has called us? Let us lay hold upon the intercession of Jesus Christ. Let us grasp the great fact that Christ not only died for us, but rose again and lives for us. Let us bear in mind that there is One living in heaven who intercedes for us while we may be absorbed in business and obliged to give all the powers of our poor weak minds to it, still there lives One who never forgets us. Christ is not dead but alive.
Journey’s end
I believe there are few children of God who do not sometimes feel anxious or troubled when they think quietly about the eternal dwelling towards which they are traveling. These thoughts will sometimes come across the believer’s mind, especially in times of sickness, filling him with heaviness and making his heart sink. I know of no remedy against these thoughts to be compared to the recollection of the continual intercession of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Christ is gone into heaven to be the forerunner of a people who are to follow Him. He has gone to prepare a place for us. When we arrive we will find everything ready through the intercession of our Lord and Saviour. Christ will be in the midst and will ever stand interceding. Where Christ is there His people will be. Where He lives, His perfect merit, His spotless righteousness and His intercession will make them perfect in the sight of God the Father. Christ is not dead but alive.
His return
Finally let me gladden your hearts by reminding you that Christ is coming again. The Great High Priest is yet to come from the Holy of Holies, to bless those who have believed on Him. One part of His work He did when He died upon the Cross, another part He is still doing as He intercedes for us at God’s right hand but the third part of the High Priest’s office remains yet to be done. He has yet to come, as the high-priest did on the day of atonement, from within the veil to bless the people. That part of Christ’s work is yet to be fulfilled. He has gone into heaven and is within the Holy of Holies, behind the veil, but our Great High Priest will come again. He will come in power and great glory. He will come to gather from the north and south, from the east and west all who have loved His name and confessed Him before others. All who have heard His voice and followed Him. There will be no more weakness, no more sorrow and parting, no more sickness and death. “He who testifies to these things says, ‘Yes, I am coming soon’. Amen. Come, Lord Jesus” (Revelation 22 v20).