1950 This Means Everlasting Life - A2Z.org

CHAPTER XVIII
PUTTING UP A HARD FIGHT
FOR THE FAITH
ACCEPTING the message of salvation and
devoting ourselves to God through Christ
and being baptized in water is only the beginning
of our exercise of faith . It is only the beginning
of our obedience to God. It sets us on the
way to everlasting life, but it does not mean our
final salvation . Both when sending forth his apostles
on missionary work and when giving his
prophecy on the end of the world Jesus said : "He
that has endured to the finish is the one that will
be saved." Matthew 10 :22 and 24 :13, NW To
hold firm to the true faith in this opposing world
means to put up a hard fight for it .
2
The popular religious expression, "Once saved,
always saved!" is false and dangerous . Jehovah
God delivered the Israelites out of the land of
Egypt, did he not? But did all those millions prove
worthy of entering victoriously into the Promised
Land of "milk and honey"? The angels who behold
his face God created holy and perfect ; but
did even these heavenly creatures who originally
had such a privileged position all keep in their
proper dwelling-place where they could enjoy
1 . What sets us on the way to everlasting life? What
is required of us to make our final salvation certain?
2 . How did the Israelites and angels furnish us warning
examples?
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