Perseverance and Burning Ships
I recently spent some time studying the word “perseverance”. I was driven to the study as I’ve been teaching a class from II Peter 1:5-7, where Peter encourages the believer to “make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love.” He continues by saying “For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
Ineffective and unproductive; if that doesn’t describe so much of my faith walk, I don’t know what does. How often do I find myself stagnant and lukewarm? You?
The further we’ve pressed into this study as a fellowship, the more I’ve been impressed with the activeness asked of the faithful. God’s not looking for church-goers or for people who call themselves Christians. He’s looking for people who will live faithful lives for his glory.
I find it interesting that as believers, we’re encouraged to add to our self-control, perseverance. Let me explain…
Self-control paints a picture of your average Christian. They’re refraining from cussing or the abuse of alcohol or maybe even lusting in their hearts. They’ve held their temper when they were cut off at the intersection and refrained from laughing at the dirty jokes at work. They’ve become the epitomy of self-control. But, it doesn’t last long.
Have you ever spent very long with someone who is always asking people to stop cussing in their presence? It feels prude and to be totally honest, completely boring. I know that God wants us to have pure speech and for us to live holy lives, but what I’m seeing in the lives of so many of these “do-noters” is that they seem to have lost the zeal of Paul, Samson, Elijah, David, and so many others. I see their obedience, but where is the heart?
That’s what I think Peter is getting to here, when he asks us to add to self-control, perseverance. He says, “So you’ve gotten things under control and externally you’re not immersed in sin. Now let’s start really living. Let’s lay it all on the line.”
The word “perseverance” in the Greek has been translated into English as patience, endurance and many other things. But the real meaning can be lost in the term if we’re not careful. The more I study the word perseverance, the more I realize it’s patience, strength, movement forward, and complete selflessness, all in one. The word isn’t limited. It’s active.
The Hebrew writer alludes to this in chapter twelve, after he’s gone through that powerful “Hall of Fame of Faith” in chapter eleven. He talks about some being sawn in two, others dying by the sword and even others being saved from it. It’s a powerful chapter where amazing stories of perseverance play out in powerful ways. But what strikes me about it is that each of those champions of the faith lived selflessly before God. They didn’t care whether they died, were uprooted and moved, or whether they lived in physical prosperity. They wanted to live for Christ and as Christ himself said, “If the king suffers, you better believe his servants will as well.”
Peter says add to your self-control perseverance. I think he’s saying not to consume yourself with being a do-gooder and live with your heart. Fight. Endure.
So, how do you and I do that? I recently heard a story that I think paints the perfect picture necessary for us to learn perseverance:
Hernando Cortez had a plan. He wanted to lead an expedition into Mexico. So, he brought his strategy to the governor of Spain. While sharing his plan, the governor got so excited, that he offered up 11 ships and 700 men. But, he hadn’t heard the whole story…
In 1519, Cortez and crew landed in Veracruz, Mexico. And the plan that Spain’s governor never heard unfolded. Upon landing and unloading the ships, Cortez ordered the ships to be burned.
Now that’s what you call commitment. Cortez understood that for the men to remain committed to he and the mission, there could be no escape route. He needed for them to not be able to quit and so he removed their exit. They may not have liked him for it, but Cortez now had 700 men dedicated to sticking together.
Cortez understood the very fundamental idea that the Hebrew writer was talking about in Hebrews 12:1-3, when he encouraged the readers to lay aside anything that would trip them up. He reminded them to fix their eyes on Christ and persevere like he did.
What if we added to our holy lives a fight? What if we burned our ships and pressed on?
What does God want from you?
