Finishing Well in the Christian Journey

By Greg Gordon, Op-Ed Contributor Tuesday, June 06, 2017

"We must pay the most careful attention, therefore, to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away." — Hebrews 2:1

Greg Gordon is the founder of SermonIndex.net.

The other day we were driving on a back country road when all of a sudden a huge orange sign appeared with the ominious words, "Attention!" written on it. Right away all of our senses were more alert, our eyes were looking around trying to find the problem of why the sign was there. Danger possibly loomed and we wanted to avoid the problem.

We see this exact same warning in the Holy Scriptures when it says that we must "pay the most careful attention." This is a large sign warning us as believers that if we do not heed it we could fall into great danger.

An ancient Christian writing called, "The Ladder of Divine Ascent" speaks of the Christian journey as climbing a ladder to heaven, it is full of godly examples of how Christ is formed in us and how we grow in fruitfulness during our Christian walks. Some have made a picture to illustrate this book, it shows believers walking up the ladder and certain demons luring or pulling believers off the ladder. Perhaps some falling so far they will never return to the ladder itself.

The Ladder of Divine Ascent or The Ladder of Paradise. A 12th-century icon described by John Climacus. Monastery of St Catherine, Mount Sinai. St John Climacus described the Christian life as a ladder with thirty rungs. The monks are tempted by demons and encouraged by angels, while Christ welcomes them at the summit. | (Photo: Public Domain)

George Whitefield stated in one of his sermons that we can lose years of spiritual maturity in a matter of minutes in a fall from grace. He pictured this to a climbing of a mountain and falling many feet down.

The Scriptures clearly teach it is possible to drift away (Hebrews 2:1), falling short of the rest (Hebrews 4:1) Turning away from the Living God (Hebrews 3:12). Many other warnings are given in the Scriptures.

The doctrine of Perserverance is that those who have started well, will finish well in the end. Perserving to the end is the mark of true faith in a believers heart.

Robertson McQuilkin wrote a poem about finishing well, here is part of his writing: "It's sundown, Lord. The shadows of my life stretch back into the dimness of years long spent. I fear not death, for the grim foe betrays himself at last, thrusting me forever into life: Life with You, unsoiled and free. But I do fear I fear that dark spectre may come too soon, or do I mean too late? That I should end before I finish or finish but not too well. That I should stain Your honour, shame Your Name, Grieve Your loving heart. Few, they tell me ... finish well, Lord, let me get home before dark."

"So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don't fall!" (1 Corinthians 10:12).

That Scripture has been a continual warning and encouragement to me, though we are greatly secure in Christ we are still warned not to fall. So how do we finish well? What are some things we can do to ensure we end our Christian walk well.

1. Knowing God. "They have not known my ways" (Hebrews 3:10). We are prone to know many things about God but do we intimately know Him? Do we know "his ways" in our life, do we hear "his voice" (Hebrews 3:15).

2. Belief. "Unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God" (Hebrews 3:12). This is a heart that starts to distrust God. The deception of sin is that we can trust ourselves and not what God says. We must say "no" to this and revere God's Word constantly as our rule and to be obeyed.

3. Hold Firmly to Hope. "If we hold firmly to our ... hope" (Hebrews 3:6). Our hope in the resurrection from the dead, is a sure hope in Christ. This hope when firmly held will help us to not cling to this present world. We will say "no" to ungodliness and worldly lusts (Titus 2:12).

4. Not Drift Away. "... careful attention to what we have heard" (Hebrews 2:1). Heresies, false teachers abound. We must hold firmly to the faith once delivered to the saints. Many deny the incarnation of the Son of God, the resurrection, and the trinity. We must hold fast to what the original Apostles recieved from the Lord. Such beliefs are codified in the Nicene and Apostles creed and other early statements of faith of the Church.

Lord, it has been some time in this walk with you. I have made my stumbles and falls but I am still climbing closer to You. Please let me not drift again or fall from the place I am. Let me daily grow closer to you, Knowing your ways and Yourself. Keep me from staining your Name. Let me get home before dark. Amen.

Greg Gordon is the founder of SermonIndex.net, which was established in 2002. He is also the author of "The Following of Christ" and other books.