14 We have come to share in Christ if we hold firmly till the end the confidence we had at first.
One of the marks of a Believer is their ability to continue believing even in the face of difficult circumstances. It is this ability to continue that is so important. Salvation starts at a moment in time in the Believer’s life. It is irrelevant whether or not we remember that moment. But after that moment we must continue to believe moment by moment. That is the sign of a Believer. A Believer continues in faith. That does not mean that there are never any struggles with our faith, that there are not times of doubt. But when those times of doubt arise are we bringing our doubts into God’s presence, wrestling with Him? Are we asking Him the hard questions? Are we shaking our fists in His direction? This is one of the important roles we have to play in each other’s lives. When we doubt, we need others to just stand by our side during those times. We don’t need anything said to us, we just need to know that we are not alone. When we share in the riches Christ has brought, we continue in faith. We can only tell if someone is a Believer by their continuing in the faith. All other outward indications of faith can be deceptive. Someone can pray like crazy and not be a Believer. They can memorize Scripture and be deceived. They can go on missions trips. They can give lots of money. The only thing that guarantees salvation is holding firmly to faith till the end. Perseverance. Are you showing perseverance? Are you sticking with faith in the tough times? Are you standing with those who are struggling?
The Arnold Journey 