Page 83 - Pastoral Epistles I & 2 Timothy, Titus

Becoming a Christian is relatively easy: acknowledge to God that you are a sinner and
receive by faith the gift of eternal life that Christ provided by His shed blood. You
cannot work for salvation nor do anything to qualify for it. God gives it freely to all who
recognize their need and trust in Christ alone.

But then comes the hard part – staying strong as a Christian in a world that is hostile
towards God and His people. The world constantly dangles in front of us all that it has
to offer in opposition to the things of God. From within, the flesh tempts us to forsake
Christ and enjoy our sinful desires. The enemy hits us with one temptation after
another.

The real test of our faith is, will we endure? Will we remain faithful to the end?
Genuine faith in Christ perseveres to the end.

James 1:12. Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial
because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the
Lord has promised to those who love him.

Galatians 6:9. Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper
time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.

Hebrews 10:36. You need to persevere so that when you have done the will
of God, you will receive what he has promised.

The Christian life is a marathon, not a 100-yard dash. Since finishing a marathon well is not easy, when we see
someone who sprints across the finish line, we ought to try to find out their secret.
To finish well, keep in mind Paul’s view of the present, the past, and the future.

Paul was not a Lone Ranger. These verses are filled with the names of Paul’s fellow workers in the work of Christ.
He was committed to the cause of Christ with many others, and they labored together. All of us need to learn
from Paul’s example. We can face the bitter battles of “winter” better if we are working with others and not
alone.

I read a story about a pastor named Pastor Charles McCoy. He was a Baptist pastor whose
denomination insisted that he retire at age 72. He was a single man, tall (6’ 4”), with white
hair. He dreaded the thought of retirement, thinking that surely there was more that he
could do for Christ. About that time, a missionary from India invited him to come there and
preach. Pastor McCoy had never traveled, even in the U.S., let alone overseas. But the
missionary explained that in India, they would respect his age.

He tried to put the idea out of his mind, and he gave the Lord all of his excuses. He didn’t
have any money. But he felt that the Lord wanted him to go, so he decided to sell his car
and go. People in his church thought he was losing his mind. The church chairman asked,
“What if you should die there?” Pastor McCoy said, “It’s just as close to heaven from there as it is from here.”
So, he went. Along the way, he lost all his belongings, including his wallet and passport. His missionary friend who
invited him was not there, so he didn’t know anyone. But God opened door after door for him to share the
gospel with significant groups of people in the government and military. He started a Chinese church in Calcutta.
He ended up having a ministry that lasted for 16 years, until he was 88! He had preached that afternoon, and he
had another speaking engagement that evening, when the Lord called him home.
Pastor McCoy faced life’s winter well because he was committed to Jesus Christ and His cause with others. He
was committed to keep growing. If we do the same, we will also be able to face life’s winter well!

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