Unveiling the Perseverance of the Saints

In Revelation 14, verses 12 and 13, and if you'll read along with me, here we go.

Revelation 14:12

It says, here is the perseverance of the saints who keep the commandments of

God and their faith in Jesus.

And I heard a voice from heaven saying, right, blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.

Yes, says the Spirit, so that they may rest from their labors for their deeds follow with them.

You know, the Bible has much to say about happiness, the familiar New Testament word, makarios.

It means blessing.

It refers to spiritual joy, bliss, fulfillment, satisfaction.

And it describes an inner joy that's the fulfillment of every longing that we have. It's a syrene.

It's untouchable. It's unsalable. It's contentment and peace inside,

right? In fact, the Old and New Testaments reveal to us a whole lot about that kind of blessedness.

Listen to this. These are going to be familiar passages. I'm just going to kind

of quote them and share them with you really quick. We're talking about being blessed.

It says, How blessed is a man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked,

nor stand in the path of sinners, nor sit in the seat of scoffers,

but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in his law he meditates day and

night. That's Psalm 1, 1 and 2.

And then how blessed are all who take refuge in God's Son. Psalm 2, verse 12 says,

Psalms 2:12

And then how blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.

How blessed is the man to whom the Lord does not impute iniquity and in whose

spirit there is no deceit.

That's Psalm 32, 1 and 2. Also Romans 4, 7 and 8.

And then this one, how blessed is the man who has made the Lord his trust and

has not turned to the proud nor to those who lapse into falsehood.

That's Psalm 40, verse 4. And then how blessed is he who considers the helpless.

Psalms 40:4

The Lord will deliver him in a day of trouble. Psalm 41.1.

And then how blessed is the one whom you choose to bring near to you to dwell in your courts.

Psalm 65 verse 4.

Psalms 65:4

How blessed are those who dwell in your house. They are ever praising you. Psalm 84.4.

How blessed is the man whose strength is in you. Psalm 84 verse 5.

Psalms 84:5

And how blessed are those who keep justice, who practice righteousness at all

times. Psalm 106 verse 3.

Psalms 106:3

And then how blessed is the man who fears the Lord, who greatly delights in

his commandments. That's Psalm 112 verse 1.

Psalms 112:1

Psalm 119 verse 2 says, how blessed are those who observe his testimonies,

Psalms 119:2

who seek him with all of their heart.

Now therefore, O sons, listen to me.

Wisdom, for blessed are they who keep my ways. Proverbs 8, verse 32.

Proverbs 8:32

Blessed is the man who listens to me. Wisdom, watching daily at my gates, waiting at my doorpost.

That's Proverbs 8, verse 34.

Proverbs 8:34

And this is a very familiar passage talking about being blessed,

right? Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.

Blessed are the general for they shall inherit the

earth blessed are those who hunger and thirst

for righteousness for they shall be satisfied blessed are the merciful for they

shall receive mercy and blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see god

blessed are the peacemakers for they shall be called the sons of god blessed

are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness.

For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you and falsely say all

kinds of evil against you because of me.

Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great, for in the same way

they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

That's Matthew 5, verses 3 through 12.

Matthew 5:3–12

And then John 20, 29, Jesus said to him, because you have seen me.

Have you believed? Blessed are they who did not see and yet believed.

Blessed is a man who perseveres under trial, for once he's been approved,

he will receive the crown of life, which the Lord has promised to those who love him.

That's James 1, verse 12.

James 1:12

But even if you should suffer for the sake of righteousness,

you are blessed. There's that word again.

If you are reviled for the name of Christ, you are blessed.

Because the spirit of glory and of God rest on you. That's 1 Peter 3, 14 and 1 Peter 4, 14.

But I want y'all to see tonight the most startling pronouncement of blessing

in all of scripture is found in verse 13 of Revelation 14 we read tonight.

Amazingly, y'all, the second of seven beatitudes in Revelation pronounces blessing on the dead.

And such a thought may be incomprehensible to most people to think about it

that way, but who view death as something to be avoided, right?

Nobody wants to die, right? We want to live. God's given us a will to live.

Blessed are the living, you would think that's what it would say. Blessed are the living.

It would seem more appropriate, a more appropriate motto for most of us, right?

But the obvious question that this text tonight really should stir up in us

tonight is, why are these dead blessed? Why are they blessed?

And the answer I think it presents is at least twofold tonight.

The dead that's in view here in this passage are blessed because of how they

lived and because of how they died.

Because of how they lived and because of how they died.

We're going to talk about, break it down just a little bit tonight.

First of all, how they lived. Look in verse 12 of Revelation 14.

Here is the perseverance of the saints who keep the commandments of God and their faith in Jesus.

You know, the phrase, the perseverance of the saints.

It really introduces one of the most important and most comforting doctrines in all of Scripture.

It expresses here the truth that all those whom God has elected or called and

justified will never, this is the true church,

will never lose their faith, but will persevere in it until the end.

And that reality, guess what? It provides assurance, right?

It provides hope. It provides joy to every true believer in Jesus Christ,

and it brings an end to fear and doubt.

And it also reveals that believers' deaths are blessed because death,

what, ushers them into the glories of heaven, right?

And some refer to this as the doctrine of eternal security, and others dub it

once saved, always saved, teaching.

But while those definitions are accurate, they don't express this truth,

I don't think, as clearly as the biblical phrase that we read tonight,

the perseverance of the saints.

That statement, Eastwood, emphasizes the reality, don't miss this tonight,

that God keeps his own saints by sustaining their faith to the very end, no matter what occurs.

You see, true saving faith in its very nature is eternal, Brother Ronnie.

It cannot be lost or destroyed.

In fact, the persevering character of saving faith is never more clearly and

powerfully seen, I don't believe, than in this passage tonight.

No group of believers ever has faced, think about it for a moment,

or ever will face stronger assaults on their faith than the tribulation saints.

This large group of believers we talked about them start with in chapter 7 verse

9 and verse 13 and 14 of chapter 7 will include who?

Both Gentiles and Jews.

They'll be saved through the ministries, remember, of the two witnesses and

the 144,000 who preach the gospel, right?

The tribulation believers will endure the most intense persecution in human history.

How do I know that? Well, in Matthew 24, verse 25, Jesus described this period

Matthew 24:25

as a time of great tribulation.

Such as has not occurred, he says, since the beginning of the world until now, nor ever will.

That's the words of Jesus. So terrible will the conditions be that he even says,

unless those days had been cut short, no life would have been saved,

but for the sake of the elect.

Those days will be cut short. That's in Matthew 24, verse 22.

Matthew 24:22

You see, God will set a limit on the tribulation so that the elect,

that's us, those who are called, who are chosen by God, will not suffer more than they can bear.

It talks about that in 1 Corinthians 10, 13. You probably know that verse.

There is no temptation taking you, right?

And there is no stronger evidence that saving faith perseveres than the reality

that the most tested believers in history that we see here recorded will maintain their saving faith.

This is important until the end.

In fact, the encouraging message of verses 12 and 13 that we read,

it almost is like just a little bit of respite and the revelation of God's judgment against unbelievers.

Because we saw back verses 9 through 11, that painted a terrifying picture,

as you remember, of these messengers, these angelic messengers.

Yes, one preached the gospel, but then you had the judgment and the damnation

of the unrepentant worshipers of Antichrist.

And that narrative of God's judgment here, it resumes in verse 14.

It continues through the rest of the chapter.

But in the midst, If you look at this in the midst of all that carnage, if you will.

The unprecedented, remember, unprecedented disasters taking place all around

them, the tribulation saints are going to remain faithful and loyal to Christ.

Even the prospect, y'all, of martyrdom will not persuade them to abandon their faith.

Their persevering loyalty to Jesus Christ, it forms the bright spot,

if you will, in the darkness of the tribulation period.

And it also answers the question of an unbelieving world.

The great day, it says in scripture, of our God, the father and Christ's wrath

has come and who is able to stand?

And ask that question in Revelation 6, verse 17. You know, who's able to stand?

Revelation 6:17

You probably guessed it. The tribulation believers will stand firm until the end.

You see, the biblical doctrine of the perseverance of the saints rests on,

I think, five solid, unshakable pillars, if you will, okay?

And the first proof, I believe, of the truthfulness of that doctrine,

the perseverance of the saints, is that God's promise establishes it.

God's promise establishes it. Let's take a look in Psalm 37,

Psalms 37:23–34

verses 23 through 34, because David expressed the truth that God holds on to his own.

Are you ready? Listen to this. The steps of a man are established by the Lord,

and he delights in his way.

When he falls, he shall not be hurled headlong, because the Lord is the one who holds his hand.

I have been young, and now I'm old, yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken

or his descendants begging bread. All day long, he is gracious and leads,

and his descendants are a blessing.

Depart from evil and do good, so you will abide forever. For the Lord loves

justice and does not forsake his godly ones.

They are preserved forever.

Did you hear that in Scripture? Those of us who know Jesus Christ,

who are believers, he says we are preserved forever.

I don't know about you, but we don't need to doubt the word of the Lord, do we?

He says we're preserved forever, but the descendants of the wicked will be cut off.

The righteous will inherit the land and dwell in it forever.

The mouth of the righteous utters wisdom and his tongue speaks justice.

The law of his God is in his heart.

His steps do not slip. The wicked spies upon the righteous and seeks to kill him.

The Lord will not leave him in his hand or let him be condemned when he is judged.

Wait for the Lord and keep his way, it says, and he will exalt you to inherit the land.

When the wicked are cut off, you will see it.

Isaiah, y'all, also celebrated this great truth. Listen to what he said.

But now, thus says the Lord, your creator, O Jacob, and he who formed you,

O Israel, Do not fear, for I have redeemed you. I have called you by name. You are mine.

When you pass through the waters, I'll be with you. And through the rivers,

they will not overflow you.

When you walk through the fire, you will not be scorched, nor will the flame burn you.

For I am the Lord, your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior.

I have given Egypt as your ransom, Cush and Seba in your place,

since you are precious in my sight, since you are honored and I love you.

I will give other men in your place and other peoples in exchange for your life.

Do not fear, for I am with you.

I will bring your offspring from the east and gather you from the west.

I will say to the north, give them up, and to the south, do not hold them back.

Bring my sons from afar and my daughters from the ends of the earth,

everyone who is called by my name and whom I've created for my glory,

whom I have formed, even whom I have made.

I don't know about you, you can't argue with God Almighty. I mean,

you could try, but it's a losing argument, right?

Israel has been saved by the Lord with an everlasting salvation,

it says in Isaiah 45, verse 17.

Isaiah 45:17

You will not be put to shame or humiliated to all eternity, right?

But Zion said, The Lord has forsaken me, and the Lord has forgotten me.

Can a woman forget her nursing child and have no compassion on the son of her womb?

Even these may forget, but I will not forget you. This is God talking, y'all.

But behold, I have inscribed you on the palms of my hands. Your walls are continually before me.

Isaiah 49, 14 through 16. Lift up your eyes to the sky, then look on the earth beneath.

For the sky will vanish like smoke, and the earth will wear out like a garment,

and its inhabitants will die in like manner.

But my salvation, listen to what God says again here, shall be forever,

and my righteousness shall not wane. Wow.

God also promises, by the way, in the New Testament that salvation is eternal.

Come on, for God so loved the world. Who doesn't know this verse?

For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whosoever

believes in him shall not perish, but have everlasting life,

eternal life, John 3, 16.

He who believes in the son has eternal life, John 3, 36.

Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears my words and believes him who sent

me has eternal life and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life, John 5, 24.

This is the promise which he himself made to us, eternal life, 1 John 2, 25.

And I also think a second truth, that second pillar upon which the doctrine

of the perseverance of the saints rest is that God's purpose assures it.

Not only does God promise, his promise establish it, but his purpose assures it.

In fact, Jesus declared this, and it should be very familiar passage,

all that the father gives me will come to me.

Jesus is saying, all that the father gives me will come to me.

And the one who comes to me, I will certainly not cast out for I've come down

I'm from heaven, not to do my own will, but the will of him who sent me.

This is the will of him who sent me, that of all that he has given me, I lose nothing.

Y'all, we don't pick and choose verses, do we?

We look at God's word and what he has revealed to us.

And the promise here is that us given to the son from the father as a love gift

here, that all the father gives, not one will be lost. He'll lose nothing but

raise it up on the last day.

For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who beholds the Son and believes in Him will have...

You got an eternal life. And I myself will raise him up on the last day.

John 6, 37 through 40. So God's promise rests upon his sovereignty,

his sovereign purpose or his plan.

And here in these passages, it's plainly stated that his will is that none of

those whom he gives to his son should be lost.

In John 6, 44, Jesus actually reinforced that truth. He said that no one can

come to me unless what? Do you remember?

Unless the Father who sent me draws him and I will raise him up on the last day.

All who come to saving faith in Jesus will be part of the resurrection of life, it says in John 5, 29.

None will be lost. Romans 8, 28 through 30, this should be very familiar.

It also teaches that there are no breaks in the process of salvation.

Listen to this. And we know that God causes all things to work together for

good to those who love God, to those who are called according to his purpose.

For those whom he foreknew, he also predestined to become conformed to the image

of his son so that he would be the firstborn among many brethren.

And these whom he predestined, he also called. And those whom he called, he also justified.

And those whom he justified, he also glorified.

All those whom God foreknew are predestined, called, justified, and glorified.

From its beginning in eternity past to its conclusion, as we see here in Revelation,

in eternity future, the salvation process is an uninterrupted continuity here.

There's no possibility of anyone dropping out along the way according to God's word.

For I am confident, Paul says, of this very thing that he who began a good work

in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.

You see, in Romans 11, 29, he actually added, the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.

What God purposes, he will carry out.

And then a third proof of the doctrine of the perseverance of the saints is

that God's power guarantees it, Brother Ronnie.

God's power that transforms believers into new creations.

You remember 2 Corinthians 5, 17? I think that's actually one of our verses

this week, and those of you that are participating in our scripture memory program

that we're looking at with the Navigators, 2 Corinthians 5, 17.

Therefore, if any man is in Christ, he's a new creation. Old things are passed

away and all things become new.

He'll sustain them so that they can never be lost.

And in John 10, verses 27 through 29, Jesus actually stated that God's power

John 10:27–29

keeps believers secure.

You'll remember this verse. He says, what?

My sheep hear my voice and I know them and they follow me and I give eternal

life to them and they will never perish and no one will snatch them out of my hand.

My father who has given them to me, there's that love gift again,

is greater than all and no one is able to snatch them out of the father's hand.

Neither Satan, I want y'all to get that tonight, or all the forces of hell can

take a true believer away from God.

Because why? Greater is he who is in you than he who is in the world, it says in 1 John 4.

And to the Thessalonians, Paul wrote this. He said, but the Lord is faithful

and will strengthen and protect you from the evil one.

You see, the author of Hebrews wrote this.

He says, therefore, he is able also to save, get this, forever those who draw

near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them. Hebrews 7, 25.

In fact, Jude, you probably remember the book of Jude. Hey, Jude.

His epistle closes with the benediction.

What does it say? It says, now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling

and to make you stand in the presence of his glory, blameless with great joy. That's Jude 24.

So along with his promise and his purpose, God has the power to keep believers

as you and me secure. Aren't you grateful tonight?

The saints will also persevere because salvation is holy by grace.

Come on, somebody say amen by grace right Ephesians 2 8 9 tells us that and

since we did nothing to earn it.

So we can do nothing to keep it, Brother Ronnie. And he concluded that first

epistle to the Thessalonians, Paul actually pronounced the following benediction.

If you remember, he said, Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you entirely,

and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved complete without blame at

the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Then also the apostle explained how the Thessalonians' safekeeping would be accomplished.

What did he say in verse 24 of that passage? Listen to this.

He says, faithful is he who calls you and he also will bring it to pass.

I just have to let y'all know tonight. I know that was a whirlwind scripture tour,

but let me just say to argue that saving faith can die or be lost contradicts

God's promise and contradicts God's purpose, his power, and his grace.

Believers have been born again, it says in scripture, to a living hope through

the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, right?

They are there to obtain an inheritance, it says, which is imperishable and

undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for them who are protected, what?

By the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed. What does it say?

In the last time, 1 Peter 1, 3-5.

Wow. God guarantees that believers will persevere.

The repeated biblical exhortations to perseverance, it makes it clear,

y'all, also that the believers have a responsibility to persevere.

God's going to keep us, and we have the responsibility to persevere.

What did he say? He said, you'll be hated by all because of my name, warned Jesus.

He said, but it is the one who has endured to the end who will be saved.

In Matthew 24, 13, he added this. He said, the one who endures to the end, he will be saved.

Y'all don't miss this truth. All true believers, all who have saving faith will

endure to the end, according to God's word, not even one of them will fall away.

We're going to talk about that a little bit more, but it's something we ought

to celebrate because, you know, arriving in Antioch, if you remember,

Barnabas actually began to encourage them all, it says in scripture,

with resolute heart to remain true to the Lord.

He was serious about his walk with God, wasn't he? He was serious about what God had called him to.

Later, Paul and Barnabas spent time, if you remember, at Lystra,

the Iconium in Antioch. What did it say they were doing?

Strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the

faith and saying, through many tribulations, we must enter the kingdom of God.

So y'all, you see, I hope you see this. God is the one who keeps us,

but we also have a responsibility to persevere, to continue to seek God,

to continue to keep our eye on the prize, right?

And it tells us that throughout scripture.

And it talks about that God will render to

each person according to his deeds to those

who by perseverance and doing good seek for glory and honor and immortality

eternal life but to those who are selfishly ambitious and do not obey the truth

but obey unrighteousness wrath and indignation and as we see clearly that those

who do not endure to the end never were really true believers.

Is what scripture teaches. They went out, if you remember, from us because they were not of us.

So clearly God revealed his part in salvation, right?

And man's responsibility to persevere as well.

Christians are redeemed, although they were formerly alienated and hostile in mind, it says,

engaged in evil deeds because God has now reconciled them in Christ,

his fleshly body through death in order to present them before him holy and

blameless and beyond reproach.

So we have a responsibility to persevere in the faith as well through the power

of the Holy Spirit, becoming more and more like Christ.

For we have become partakers of Christ, it says, if we hold fast,

the beginning of our assurance firm until the end.

So the apostle john actually described us

as christians as overcomers believers persevere

by faith fear love obedience

and by turning away from sin all those

all of those means are granted by god though aren't they he gives us the he

keeps us he gives us the strength through the power of his spirit he also exhorts

us that's you and me all believers to manifest them in their lives to seek out

to live a holy life in the power of the Spirit.

So the doctrine of perseverance, don't misconstrue this as teaching that believers

will be eternally saved regardless of their belief or behavior.

You know, sometimes I mentioned earlier, we hear that once saved,

always saved. And some people just kind of throw that around casually.

And it's like, well, once I've said the prayer, then I can just do anything I want to do.

And I'm all right. I'm going to heaven. Is that what the Bible teaches?

No, not at all. In fact, if we truly repented and put our faith and trust in

Christ, we've learned that the old things pass away. Behold, all things become new.

We're a brand new creation in Christ. there's a change that takes place a transformation

and so we don't just live any way we want to live in fact that's a sign that

we've never understood the gospel and on the day of judgment it'll be revealed

that we never were true followers of christ we may have gone to church our whole lives,

we may have sang in the choir we may have sang a praise team whatever you may

have come to sunday school all the time read your bible checked off the boxes

but if you've never truly repented and put your faith in Christ.

There's never been a change in your heart, but through the power of the Spirit, you are not saved.

True believers, according to Scripture, will continue in the faith. End of story.

Justification will be followed by sanctification, which is becoming more like

Christ's holy, right? We're sanctified.

We're becoming more holy and holy in Christ. and that'll be followed at the

end by glorification when we see him face to face, right?

We shall see him as he is. We shall be like him, right?

And that raises the question though about those who once professed faith in

Christ, but then fell away.

Let me ask you tonight, have you ever known somebody who professed faith in

Jesus, but they did fall away?

You ever seen people who walked the aisle and who maybe shed tears?

I mean, they really seem sincere, but something happened or maybe some of them

very quickly, maybe it was a few weeks or a few months, others it might've been

a year or two or whatever, maybe longer.

And they just fell away. They fell away. The Bible teaches us,

and I don't want y'all to miss this tonight, that such people were never saved

in the first place, according to scripture, because a true believer will persevere to the end.

And actually, remember we talked about, and I'm going to wrap up with this,

but we talked about the parable of the sower, right?

The soils, and how that is the key, Jesus said, to understanding all the parables.

And so Jesus said of the rocky soil, remember that they are the ones who the

seed was sown on the rocky places, who when they hear the word,

they immediately receive it with joy, but they have no firm root in themselves, but only temporary.

It's only temporary. And then when affliction or persecution arises because

of the word immediately, what happens? They fall away.

Jesus warned in John 15, 6, that if anyone does not abide in me,

he's thrown away as a branch that dries up and

that they gather them he said and they cast them

into the fire and they're burned and the author of

hebrews we studied this book a good while back but it says in the case of those

who have once been enlightened it says in hebrews and have tasted of the heavenly

gift and have been made partakers of the holy spirit and have tasted the good

word of God and the powers of the age to come and then have fallen away,

it is impossible to renew them again to repentance since they again crucify

to themselves the Son of God and put him to open shame.

Also in Hebrews 10, 29, it asks rhetorically, how much severer punishment do

you think he will deserve who has trampled underfoot the son of God and has

regarded as unclean the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified and

has insulted the spirit of grace?

They went out from us. This is the passage I was talking about earlier,

declared the apostle John, because they were not really of us.

For if they had been of us, they would have remained with us,

but they went out so that it would be shown that they are all not of us.

They all are not of us. You know, I'm reminded of who's read John Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress.

Anybody ever read it? If you hadn't, I encourage you to read it.

But there's a story in there.

It kind of gives an illustration of the fact that true Christians persevere

under trials while false believers fall away from the faith.

If you remember, and I'll quote some from the book, but Christian was saying,

I saw that in my dream, he got to the borders of the shadow of death and met him at two men.

He said, children of them that brought up an evil report of the good land, making haste to go back.

To whom Christian spoke as follows, whither are you going?

And the two men replied, back, back.

And we would have you do it too if either life or peace is prized by you.

Why? What is the matter? said Christian. The men said, matter?

We were going that way as you were going, the way you were going,

and went as far as we durst.

And indeed, we were almost past coming back, for we had gone a little farther.

We had not been here to bring the good news to thee.

And then Christian says, but what have you met with?

And they said, why? We were almost in the valley of the shadow of death,

but that by good have we looked before us and saw the danger before we came to it.

But what have you seen, Christian asks? seen why

the valley itself the two men said which

is as dark as pitch we also saw

there the hobgoblins the satyrs and the

dragons of the pit we heard also in the valley a

continual howling and yelling as of people under utter

misery who there sat bound

in affliction and irons and over that valley hangs the

discouraging clouds and confusion death also doth

always spread his wings over it in a

word it's very wit dreadful being utterly

without order and then said christian listen

to this i perceive not yet by what

you have said but that this is my way to the desired heaven in other words he

knew that that was the way that he must travel right even though it was through

the valley of the shadow of death and they actually replied to christian those

two men and they said be it thy way,

we will not choose it for ours.

So they parted, and Christian went on his way, but still with his sword drawn

in hand, it says, for fear lest he should be assaulted.

You see, church, I want you to get this tonight. The perseverance of the tribulation

saints that we read about here in Revelation 14 will be evident.

Why? Look at the passage.

Because they will keep the commandments of God.

That genuine saving faith, y'all, will result in such obedience that it's the

clear teaching of scripture, y'all, clear teaching of scripture.

Jesus said, y'all, y'all think of these verses. If you abide in my word,

then you are truly disciples of mine.

He said, he who has my commandments and keeps them is the one who loves me.

And he who loves me will be loved by my father. And I will love him and will disclose myself to him.

You are my friends y'all remember this one

if you do what i command you why do

you call me lord lord and do not do

what i say the apostle john wrote this is the love of god that what that we

keep his commandments and i think a second way that the tribulation saints are

going to manifest that perseverance will be through their faith in jesus they'll

remain loyal y'all even under that,

tyrannical reign of Antichrist, think about how awful it will be.

Even the threat of execution will not cause them to abandon their faith in the Lord at all.

Like the heroes of faith, you remember Hebrews chapter 11, it lists out the heroes of faith.

Hebrews 11 · chapter mention

They're going to maintain their testimony until the end, even if that end is horrifying martyrdom.

So why are these faithful dead believers blessed. Why are they happy?

The work is done. They've lived pure, noble, purposeful, obedient,

rich, joyous, exemplary lives.

They live life to the fullest in faith and obedience to God.

Even if there were no heaven, y'all think about it, that would still be the best way to live.

But there is heaven to follow this life for God's people.

Therefore, the deaths of the tribulation saints that we see here in this passage

will also be eternally blessed.