Many apostolic greetings contain precious
truths of the doctrine of Christ. One of them is addressed to the Church of
Philippi, which reads: "Knowing this very thing, that he who began a good
work in you will continue until the day of Jesus Christ" (Philippians 1:
6). From it, we can arrive at conclusive conclusions in the light of the
Scriptures to justify aspects of paramount importance for the Christian walk.
Separating
the central object from the text, in this case, "the good work", we
should look for the meaning of it, since there are many things that can be
listed as such. In order to do so, we perceive that the verb "to
begin" and the verb "to perfect" have an excellent function in
order to identify the meaning to which they were applied to the "good
work", since both characterize, respectively, the initial mark (past fact)
and idea of perpetuation (continuous future). When Jesus referred to the
term, it was expressed in the following definition: "... the work of God
is this: that ye believe on him whom he hath sent" (John 6:29), exhausting
any other interpretation. Therefore, we find that work is the action of God
upon one whose intentions have turned completely to God. Thus begins the process
of the Christian walk through the gift of salvation received by the regenerate.
According to Rienecker and Rogers, who explained the meaning of the verb to
perfect in the future, the continuity of this salvation will come to the end,
fulfilling its full purpose, as it is also deduced from the text, since it
speaks of perfection until the day of Christ.
The
process of perfection in the Christian, however, does not constitute a
unilateral action, but requires both an action of God and a reaction of the
disciple, allowing the flow of divine grace to follow to the end. Nevertheless,
various adversities will arise against those who have confessed Christ,
allowing them to fight against them in order to achieve success over all
opposition. Paul, the apostle, taught us in these terms and also on
perseverance in faith by saying: "Brethren, as for me, I do not think that
I have attained; but one thing I do, and forgetting the things that are behind,
and advancing unto them that are before me, I press toward the mark for the
prize of the most holy calling of God in Christ Jesus "(Philippians 3: 13-
14). Using a coherent language about the Christian vocation, the same apostle
demonstrates the need for abstinence rather than corruptible so that the
Christian does not waste time in embarrassment or be harmed in the Christian
battle. To the Corinthians he said: "And everyone who fights for
everything abstains; they (those who run in vain) do so to achieve a
corruptible crown; but we are an incorruptible. For so I run, not as the
uncertain thing; so I fight, not as beating in the air "(1 Corinthians 9:
25-26). The perseverance of the saints is, therefore, an insignia inherited
from the primitive Church which boldly never gave up on Christian service, but
rather inspired its heirs in the same perspective.
The
Anabaptism of the sixteenth century had the same doctrinal conviction. They
were convinced to serve Christ to the end, even though this end came in the
form of persecution, violence, or martyrdom. In these situations, the firmness
with which they peacefully faced their persecutors and executioners
demonstrated the spiritual level of each Anabaptist man and woman. They rested
on the certainty of reaching the Eternal Kingdom and cultivated the awareness
that they would not be lost in the way, for they would persevere and overcome
any obstacle. Some brief instructions from Hans Schlaffer reveal this character
among the brothers:
As
Paul said, these are Christians who think just like Christ: they arm themselves
for suffering, they do not get entangled in the things of the world, they do
not engage in the works of darkness, but they do the works of light, they are
not ashamed of their master Jesus nor of his words, but follow the same words
(according to the measure of the grace of each one). Therefore, he will not be
ashamed of them before God his heavenly Father and his angels, as he himself
said ... If any man will follow me, saith the Lord, let him deny himself, and
take up his cross daily, me. In short, a Christian is a follower of Christ.
This can not be changed, even if the world ends in ruins ... So Christians lift
their heads and await their redemption with joy. This redemption will come when
Christ returns to judge the living and the dead.
In
Schlaffer's instruction, there was encouragement for all his Anabaptist readers
to attempt perseverance to the end, since preserving faith and biblical
instruction in prescribed form enabled the follower to live in the certainty of
eternal life for the facing the hard walk. There is, however, no possibility of
breaking the bond with God to the point of losing everything achieved. Above
all, the faithful would take their profession of faith to the uttermost, not
subjecting themselves to political authorities, often contrary to the Word, or
to religious whose power was exercised with coercion and force against those
who did not conform to religious dogmatism or state subservience. This would be
a characteristic of the disciple of Christ who observed the biblical precept
unconditionally, as well as the disentangling of the profane life. The
ex-Catholic priest and Anabaptist confessed knew how to propose with mastery
the objective teaching or with all simplicity that the preaching of Christ
demands. He also proved, through his death, the persevering convictions alluded
to, not denying his precious faith or portraying criticism of Catholic infant
baptism. Hans Schlaffer died burned at the stake in 1528.
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