869.htm

869.

"BUT LET ENDURANCE HAVE ITS WORK COMPLETE,
THAT YOU MAY BE COMPLETE AND SOUND IN ALL
RESPECTS, NOT LACKING IN ANYTHING." (James 1:4).

Endurance: Bearing or surviving; patient suffering; lasting quality.

"LET ENDURANCE HAVE ITS WORK COMPLETE"? WHAT WORK?
Jesus gave an illustration to those who were not granted to understand the sacred secrets of God. (Luke 8:5-15). In verse 13 he says: "The seed sown on the rock stands for those who receive the word with joy when they hear it, but have no root; they are believers for a while, but in the time of testing they desert." (NEB).

But in verse 15 he says: "As for that on the fine soil, these are the ones that, after hearing the word with a fine and good heart, retain it and bear fruit with endurance." The Greek Interlinear Translation reads: "they are bearing fruit in endurance." To test whether one is sufficiently rooted in the true faith to survive the "time of testing" and still retain one's faith through such tribulation, the spiritual quality of endurance is essential. When one allows endurance to have its work complete, one has endured "various trials" until the quality of one's faith is brought to a perfected state. (James 1:2-4).

WHEN IS ENDURANCE COMPLETE?
Endurance is complete when all doubts one may have had concerning Jehovah God and His incoming Kingdom government are removed, that after "hearing the word with a fine and good heart" one retains it and bears good "fruit" with endurance, such that the Word of God (His Will for us) becomes part of our new and unchanging nature. (Luke 8:15). This is so that we instinctively identify with the Spirit of righteousness and the Will of God by the Word He gives, and by faith "act upon it." (Luke 8:21 NEB). By this means we separate ourselves from the deep destructive works of satan's invisible hordes. Just as a rotten fruit tree cannot bear good fruit, so with persons who merely appreciate physical things, they cannot bear fruitage of the spirit. (Gal 5:22,23) (Matt 7:17 20. Jude V.4 19). But what does it mean to be "complete and sound in all respects, not lacking in anything"? The answer is in Luke 8:15: One must "bear fruit with endurance."

In Galatians 5:22,23 there is listed the fruitage of the spirit: Love, joy, peace, long-suffering, kindness, goodness, faith, mildness, self-control. To be "complete and sound in all respects, not lacking in anything", one must endure under "various trials" and still retain these qualities. (James 1:2). It is in this way that one "bears fruit with endurance", rooted in the faith and bringing this "fruit" to perfection.

Conversely, those who are "being carried away by anxieties and riches and pleasures of this life, they are completely choked and bring nothing to perfection." (Luke 8:14). They do not bring fruitage of the spirit to perfection in their own natures because in the "time of testing" spiritual fruitage in endurance is not evident. Further, fruitage of the spirit must be understood.

Example 1:	Love "does not rejoice over unrighteousness". (1 Cor 13:6). Because Jesus himself was complete as a man of peace, it was imperative for him to overturn the tables of the moneychangers in the temple for the sake of peace. (John 2:13-17).
Example 2:	Persons may give the appearance of wisdom through forced piety and mock humility, while in their spirits prove to be "ravenous wolves". (Matt 7:15. Col 2:23).

Since because of fornication, indecency, lust, foul cravings, ruthless greed and idolatry the dreadful Judgement of God is coming, how should faithful sons of God anointed with a portion of His Holy Spirit be toward their spiritual work in Christ's congregations? Read 1 Corinthians 5:9 13 and Colossians 3:5-10 NEB).

17/4/80.