A Strong Grip

He called you by our gospel, for the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, brethren, stand fast and hold the traditions which you were taught, whether by word or our epistle (2 Thessalonians 2:14-15).

How do we “stand fast [firm] and hold [tight]”? We should hold on to the truth of Christ’s teachings because our lives do depend on it.

To believe in Jesus and stand fast or firm will take perseverance because our faith will be challenged and opposed. Severe trials will sift true Christians from fair-weather believers. Enduring to the end does not earn salvation for us but marks us as already saved. The assurance of our salvation will keep us going through times of persecution.

Because Christ lives in us, we can remain courageous and hopeful to the end. Without this enduring faithfulness, we could easily be blown away by the winds of temptation, false teaching, or persecution.

Unless otherwise noted, Scripture taken from the New King James Version®, NKJV © 1982 by Thomas Nelson.
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