The Church would look much different today if all of God’s people had endured to the end. Unfortunately there have many who began their race with Christ well enough, but when hardships and opposition came, they yielded to the pressure and dropped out of the race. Just imagine what the world would look like today, if every person who was called into Christian ministry was still serving; if every person who felt led to plant a church or begin a Christian ministry was still working to that end; if every Christian who knew God’s will was still faithfully following it. Imagine.
The truth is, that the Christian highway is littered with lives that failed to endure till the end. If they had, they would be enjoying enormous spiritual influence today. Instead, when they ceased to associate themselves with the cause of Christ, Christ no longer associated Himself with them.
We ought never to treat finishing to the end, lightly. It isn’t easy. Many obstacles will arise. Friends may disappoint us. Crises will inevitably come. Christ never promised that following Him would be problem-free! But of course, as in most cases, the best things in life often come at a price. But, to those willing to meet the requirements, there is enormous reward.