Persistent Faith

Will the cynicism of secular society continue to perniciously erode Christianity until faith is merely a shadow of what the Bible says it is? Cultural influences threaten the very premise of faith in exchange for immediate gratification. Believers can become torn between the material possessions they can put their hands on and the spiritual promises of God they cannot see. Jim Elliot once said, “He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose.” This requires faith. Jesus declared, “When the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on the earth?” (Luke 18:8).

Throughout the last two thousand years there has been immense pressure against the Christian church. The continuous persecution of Christians combined with the suppression of biblical truth, moral degradation and cultural influences that undermine the integrity of Christian thought have placed an incredible weight on the shoulders of faith.

Let’s face it, there is very real pressure to take the path of least resistance for those who profess to be Christian. People want to blend in with the crowd, however the crowd lives in a framework of social illusion that believes in unbelief and fails to address true meaning, purpose and denies responsibility. Many people have abandoned their faith because the overwhelming ungodliness and wickedness in society has caused them to lose hope.

Jesus described this phenomenon in the Parable of the Sower in Mathew 13:1-9. “Some (seed) fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root.” (Verse 5). Jesus interpreted this to mean: “The seed falling on rocky ground refers to someone who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away.” (verses 20-21).

True faith has become a scarce commodity in a materialistic culture. Civilization has become callous and unforgiving just as Jesus predicted in Matthew 24:12-13: “Because of the increase in wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, but the one who stands firm until the end will be saved.”

DEEP CONVICTION AND PERSISTENT ENDURANCE

Biblical faith requires a deep conviction and persistent endurance. This is what Jesus was illustrating with the parable of the persistent widow in Luke 18. Paul writes in Colossians 2:6, “Therefore, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in Him,” which simply put means you received Christ through faith, therefore follow Him in that same faith. Walking in Christ doesn’t happen if you stand still. Throughout the Bible we are shown how those who persevere in faith are rewarded with righteousness.

The book of Job illustrates how persistent faith in the face of extreme trials is rewarded by the Lord. Job lost his material possessions, his children and even his health. To add insult to injury, his friends and his wife pressured him to curse God but he maintained his integrity and trust in the Lord. After enduring this hardship, “the Lord restored Job’s fortunes and gave him twice as much as he had before.” (Job 42:10). Job was a man of faith.

Noah walked faithfully with God (Genesis 6:9). He built an ark in faith-driven obedience to God despite the ungodliness around him. The writer of Hebrews states, “By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in holy fear built an ark to save his family. By his faith he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that is in keeping with faith.” (Hebrews 11:7). Keeping with faith implies ongoing faith.

Abraham had faith and he demonstrated that faith by packing up a donkey, taking his son Isaac and traveling to the region of Moriah, to the mountain the Lord directed him to. He then built an alter, arranged the wood on it and laid his one and only son on the wood. In doing so his faith was credited to him as righteousness. Our faith is often tested through trials and if we are to be called children of Abraham because of our faith I would respectfully submit that our faith be as authentic as Abraham’s. Genuine faith is not passive or inactive.   

The woman in Mark 5:34 didn’t just sit at home and believe Jesus could heal her. She demonstrated her faith by pushing through the crowd and touching the hem of Christ’s garment. And what did Jesus say to her? “Daughter, your faith has healed you.” Faith without works is dead (James 2:17-23). Fruitlessness equals faithlessness.

ENDURING FAITH

Not only is the apostle Paul’s testimony powerful evidence for the authenticity of the resurrection of Christ, his life is an extraordinary example of enduring faith in God. In 2 Corinthians 11:23-28 he articulates his personal trials:

“I have worked much harder, been in prison more frequently, been flogged more severely, and been exposed to death again and again. Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was pelted with stones, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day on the open sea, I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my fellow Jews, in danger from Gentiles, in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false believers. I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked. Besides everything else, I face daily the pressure of my concern for all the churches.”

Paul persevered despite a persistent affliction he described as “a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But He said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’” (2 Corinthians 12:7-9a). Paul endured immense difficulty, hardship and persecution because of his relentless faith. He was eventually executed because of it.

The early church was ruthlessly persecuted by both the Jews and the Romans yet Christianity prospered because of the tenacious and resilient faith of believers. Christians were crucified, burned alive and thrown to wild animals. Pliny the Younger’s letter to Emperor Trajan demonstrates the harsh reality that Christians were interrogated and if they did not renounce their faith, they were executed simply for being Christian. Despite such oppression the fledgling Christian church flourished because of a ferocious faith.

During the middle-ages the Catholic church-imposed inquisitions for heresy resulted in the deaths of a great many martyrs that refused to follow certain church doctrines. One such group was the Waldensians, who wanted direct access to the Bible and lay ministry, and rejected unbiblical teachings such as purgatory and indulgences. Their immovable faith persevered and the movement survived from its inception in 1173 and eventually joined the Protestant revolution in 1517.

The suffering of Protestants by the Catholic church erupted into all out persecution of faithful believers. Foxe’s Book of Martyrs documents the burning at the stake of many devout protestants such as John Rogers, Thomas Bilney, John Firth, Robert Testwood and Thomas Benet. Also included is William Tyndale who was executed for translating the Bible into English and the St. Bartholomew’s Day massacre where as many as 30,000 protestants were murdered over a period of several weeks in 1572. The ruthless oppression of the Catholic church was responsible for the deaths of countless faithful servants of Christ.

MORE CHRISTIANS BEING PERSECUTED TODAY

There are more Christians being persecuted today than at any time previously, including during the Roman Empire. The 2025 World Watch List shows that more than 380 million Christians suffer high levels of persecution and discrimination for their faith. The number of countries categorized at very high or extreme levels has risen from 23 in 2015 to 60 in 2024. One in seven Christians experience high levels of persecution and discrimination worldwide. Persistent faith and conviction are necessary to stand firm until the end.

4,476 Christians were killed for their faith in the last year. 209,771 Christians were forced to leave their homes, go into hiding, or leave their country due to persecution and 7,679 churches and Christian properties were attacked in the past year. The most recent of these was the shooting at a Minneapolis Catholic school where the gunman purposely punished Christians because he was angry at God.

In Paul’s second letter to Timothy, he warns, “But mark this: there will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God – having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people.” (2 timothy 3:1-5).

To be a Christian requires a deeply rooted faith that will outlast both persecution and subtle erosion over time. A persistent faith that will weather the storms of life and bear fruit for Christ. “For we live by faith, not by sight.” (2 Corinthians 5:7). Just as the faithful servants of God throughout history, today’s Christianity is not for the faint of heart or a reed swayed by the wind (Matthew 11:7; Luke 7:24). True faith must come with firm conviction and steadfast resolve.

Faith in Jesus and through Jesus is an eternal treasure. “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles’ And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of our faith. For the joy set before Him He endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” Amen!