Perseverance is not just avoiding apostasy | Clip from Perseverance of the Saints

Another point he makes is that this is by a very deliberate choice that we will grow, and not, he says, just by kind of, you know, in a sense where he says, not by religion or custom or education or some good mood.

And I found that really convicting. You know, there are some changes that have occurred in my life in the last 20 years, you know, pastoring at Christ Church.

Some of those are because of religious custom or my occupation. So I've learned things by virtue of studying to help other people learn them.

But if you were to corner John Snyder and say, what aspects of your

Christian life are you seeing real growth in? How are you different in September than you were back in July?

Are you more Christ -like in any single area? Even a little bit more? Have you put to death new sins or put to death sins in a new way, you know?

Have you added anything to your life that wasn't there six months ago because of a yearning to be more like your

Lord? And you know, he says, and because I think, I felt it was very convicting because I think that a lot that I do as a

Christian is by my mood, you know? I hear a sermon and it's very stirring.

I read a passage, it's very stirring and, you know, and I'm caught up in a wave of maybe happy emotion, you know, that I belong to the

Lord and I want to walk closer than ever. But I wake up the next morning in a different mood.

And do I just go through the motions? I guess maybe one of the ways we could describe his main point in this sermon is not just earnestness and diligence in our persevering, but persevering in the faith is not merely a matter of not apostatizing and not walking away from Christ.

It's not just not quitting. It is really growing and progressing in ways that you might be able to see.

So when I think of progress in the Christian life, I have to ask myself, have I made plans to become more like Christ in the last months?

Have I changed my schedule to be more like Christ, you know, to grow?

Have I looked back over the last couple of months to see, to check myself, am I growing and not just assume

I'm growing? Have I memorized new passages? Have I shut off channels that old temptations want to come through?

Have I closed more doors and windows against sin? You know, I mean, are there any concrete changes that we could lay before someone who, you know, who wanted to examine our progress so that we could say, by the grace of God, I see myself walking in Christ and not just not turning away,

I am progressing. Yeah, so rather than just kind of accidentally wandering through the

Christian life and thinking that somehow you're going to mature, actually making plans for it and progressing because you are being intentional about following the

Lord. Yeah, so really convicting, but encouraging too because this is what we've been called to.

I mean, there is a finish line. Every Christian will reach the finish line. It's not effortless, but it will happen.

And so if you love Christ and you want to run well to the end, it's very encouraging to realize

I will be enabled to run well to the end. You know, there's no need to lay down like on the sidelines in a fit of despair, you know, in self -pity and say, oh,

I've done such a poor job. You know, why not look to Christ, repent, believe, run with Him.

In another part of the sermon, he comes to talk about some improvements or some applications.

And then so he has what he calls a couple of improvements, and then he has a number of directions. So two basic improvements, he said, that we will find walking with Christ, really walking with Christ in the way he's mentioned, so earnestly progressing, you know, being careful and intentional.

He said, you will find this to be the most joyful, comfortable Christian life.

And it will greatly honor Christ if you live this way. I mean, obviously, if the picture we give of God is that he is kind of a stingy taskmaster, you know, like the

Egyptians, make bricks without straw, I mean, is that what we present to the world? I'm a

Christian now. So in the future, there's this great thing, OK, heaven. But let's be honest.

Day to day, God makes me do a lot of things that are hard. I have to be holy and I have to deny myself and I can't do all the stuff

I really want to do. And then, well, how does he supply it? Well, I have, you know, a 2000 page book that was written a long time ago and I'm supposed to use it.

And it's like, is that Christianity or is Christianity a delightful privilege of living with the king, by the king, for the king?

And there is such happiness in his presence that it far surpasses any temporary happiness the world used to offer.

So that's one improvement. Another one, he says, is make sure scripture is your guide.

So, again, if we're talking about assurance of salvation or how do I move forward or what is it in Christ I'm to live on today, go to scripture again and again.