Mark 13:13

Wow, so I knew it had been a while but I didn't think it had been a whole month! Geez. I have never been good at the whole blogging thing, but since I am using it to keep myself reading and studying in The Word, I should post more often. Don't you hate it when life gets in the way? I don't know about others, but I tend to get really frustrated with myself when I am in a time of waning. But too much frustration doesn't do anyone any good, so it is just time to get back on the horse, so to speak.

Today I am looking at Mark 13:13. To be honest I knew I wanted to write, but I had no idea what to write about. I prayed for God to enlighten me and guide me in a study, but I had no idea what to study.

So, I opened up my trusty daily verse app on my phone (EVO not iPhone!) and what do you know it was actually something useful to write about (this app has a habit of giving random verses that when taken out of context don't make a whole lot of sense).

So, it gave me Mark 13:13 (NIV) "All men will hate you because of me, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved." This is a great verse to write about!

First off lets look at the setting. In Mark 13 Jesus is leaving the Temple. When the disciples point out how magnificent the Temple is, he tells them that eventually those buildings would be overturned. This leads the disciples to ask when this would happen. Now there is a lot of controversy about Mark 13. About what exactly Jesus is talking about, and whether it has already happened or if he is speaking of events yet to come. That is not what I am going to address here. Instead I am going skip to verse 13.

Now verse 13 is one of those verses in Scripture that can be applied to the people Jesus is talking to in that exact moment, and to us today as followers of Christ. Lets look at the verse and what I believe to be its two main implications.

First "All men will hate you because of me." First off, does the all here literally mean all? It can not or it would make a mockery of the greatest commandment. The All here, when taken with men, refers to all those who are not followers of Christ. Next, this is a statement of fact. Note the word "will" implying certainty. Hate is a very strong word, but think back to the last time you took a stand for the Truth in a group of non-believers (and not the watered down I don't want them to hate me truth, but the actual Truth of Scripture), I am willing to bet you were reacted to in a very strong negative fashion. Now, why do all men hate you? There is a direct reason. "because of me." Jesus knew that what he was teaching was not only not popular then, but would never be accepted by society at large. So then is this simply a warning to the disciples (and later Christians) that they would be hated by society? It is that, yes, but it is also more. Look deeper and you will see a way to measure your growth as a Christian.

N0w I know I am trampling some toes here, but it is often necessary to look at how we and those around us are growing as Christians. Not in order to condemn and judge, but in order to encourage and teach. For example I would feel more comfortable exploring the Trinity with a very mature believer than I would someone who is still on milk (so to speak). Well, how can I tell if this is something that should be explored? I can look for prof in their life of the level that they are on. In addition we must always be measuring ourselves. Not because we might backslide out of salvation, but rather to keep pushing ourselves further and further towards God. Well here Jesus gives you a measuring stick.

Are you hated by those who are not of Christ? And not hated because you are mean or judgmental or just annoying, but hated BECAUSE OF ME?

Now the second part of this verse "but he who stands firm to the end will be saved" has to be among the most misused verses in the Bible (probably in the top 10-20). What does this verse say? Well let me start with what it does not say. Hear this clearly. It does not say that we have to (in our own power) stand firm in our faith until the end to be saved. This is not a verse of judgment. You are not saved because you stand firm. So, if that is not the meaning here, then what is the meaning?

Well, we start with a but. So we have to look at the verses before. So, you are being hated, ridiculed, persecuted (because of him), now what? Do you give up? Give in? Change your tune? Or do you hold fast to His Word? Well lets see what you are supposed to do, then look at the implications.

"He" here doesn't tell us anything until we look at the modifiers. "He who stands firm". Now what is he standing firm in? Well, what are Christians commanded to stand firm in? Well 2Thess 2:15 says "So then, brothers, stand firm and hold to the teachings we passed on to you, whether by word of mouth or by letter." But I like 2Cor 1:21-22 "Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. He anointed us, set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come."

So "he who stands firm (in Christ) until the end" gives us the whole description. But how do we stand firm in Christ? Well, we can go right back to 2Cor 1:21-22 "Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. He anointed us, set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come."

Notice that in all those actions GOD IS DOING AND WE ARE RECEIVING. The ONLY way we can stand firm in Christ is because of God. Because of his salvation, because of his anointing, because of his guaranteeing! Praise to God for this. Because if it were up to me as John Piper often says, I would make a royal mess of it. But God will not. Once God has chosen us and God has saved us, HE guarantees it. And not for 60 days, but for all eternity.

Now finishing up the verse, we see that "he who stands firm until the end will be saved." We know this is not a command that we must (under our own power) stand firm until the end to be saved (thank God for that as well, or Heaven would be a very empty place). Then what is it? It is a promise. A promise that if you find yourself being hated, being persecuted, you can stand firm in the salvation that God has given you and speak his Truth boldly and honestly, and when you look at your life and you see the places where God allowed you the strength to proclaim his Truth that you will indeed be saved and can count on an eternity in the presence of the Living God.

Mike