Living the gospel of Jesus Christ blesses us in many ways. Although we will face trials and persecution, through faith in Jesus Christ, we can remain valiant to the end. After decades of striving to follow the Savior, Paul knew he would soon be killed. In his final letter to Timothy, he expressed why remaining faithful was worth it to him and to all who choose to endure in faith. This lesson is intended to help you become or remain committed to lifelong discipleship to Jesus Christ.
Enduring faithfully
Imagine what it would be like to know that you are about to pass away.
What would you hope to be able to say about your life when that day comes?
What will be important to you at that time? What will not be important?
How do you think your efforts to follow the Savior throughout your life will affect you at that time?
After decades of valiant service as a disciple of Jesus Christ, Paul wrote to Timothy from a Roman prison knowing that he would soon be executed. This is likely the last letter Paul wrote that is included in the New Testament. We are blessed to be able to read some of the last thoughts of this great man as he reflected on his life and his approaching death.
Paul compared his efforts to remain faithful to two different actions. Read 2 Timothy 4:6–7, and look for Paul’s comparisons.
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Two men in a park boxing in a boxing ring with a man acting as Referee.
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Two young men are outside. They are running on a track. This is in Lisbon, Portugal.
Why might fighting a good fight and finishing a race be effective comparisons to keeping our faith in Jesus Christ throughout our lives?
Ponder for a minute how you are doing at this point in your life in your race or your fight to remain faithful to Christ. Have you ever felt tired, beaten, or wounded? Have you ever been tempted to give up? How has the Savior helped you in these situations? As you study today, think about why it will be worth it for you to continue running the race or fighting the fight of discipleship.
What the Savior offers to the faithful
Read 2 Timothy 4:8, looking for the blessings the Savior prepared for Paul and all who endure faithfully.
This crown is a symbol for eternal life with Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ, also known as exaltation.
Why do you think Paul would describe this blessing Jesus Christ offers us as “a crown of righteousness”?
One truth we can learn from this passage is this: Because of Jesus Christ, all who faithfully endure to the end will receive eternal life.
1. Answer at least two of the following questions in your study journal:
What does the phrase “enduring to the end” mean to you? In what ways do you have to endure now? What makes enduring to the end challenging?
How did the Savior’s enduring to the end affect us?
Take some time to think about who might be affected by your choice to endure to the end.
Our hope lies in Jesus Christ
Elder L. Tom Perry (1922–2015) of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles explained that because of how challenging enduring to the end is, we cannot succeed alone. He taught:
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Final official portrait of Elder L. Tom Perry of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, 2004. Passed away 30 May 2015.
Enduring to the end is definitely not a do-it-yourself project. … It requires the Savior’s redemptive power.
Like Paul, many others have endured to the end with the help of the Savior. Read at least two of the following Book of Mormon passages. Look for how a relationship with the Savior influenced each of these prophets as they faithfully endured and approached their deaths.
How did these disciples describe their relationship with Jesus Christ?
How did that relationship affect how they felt about their death?
What advice would you give?
2. Answer the following questions in your study journal:
What advice would you give to a faithful person who is worried they aren’t strong enough to endure?
What might you say to someone who has already stopped following the Savior and now feels like it’s too late to start again? How might you use the example of Paul’s life to help them see that the Savior can help us to change and start over?
What steps could they take to turn to the Savior for help?
What is the message for you?
Go back to 2 Timothy 4 and read verses 6–8, 18. Imagine yourself in the future, being able to say what Paul said as you approach the end of your life. Then answer the following questions:
What do you feel is Heavenly Father’s message to you?
How has what you have learned and felt today helped you better understand your need for Jesus Christ?
What do you feel prompted to do?
Optional: Want to Learn More?
How do we endure to the end?
Elder L. Tom Perry (1922–2015) of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles explained:
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Final official portrait of Elder L. Tom Perry of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, 2004. Passed away 30 May 2015.
Enduring to the end requires faithfulness to the end, as in the case of Paul, who told Timothy, “I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith” (2 Timothy 4:7). Obviously, this is not an easy task. It is intended to be difficult, challenging, and, ultimately, refining as we prepare to return to live with our Father in Heaven and receive eternal blessings.
Watch the video “Endure to the End” (2:04), available at ChurchofJesusChrist.org, looking for how President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, formerly of the First Presidency, helped answer this question.
What if it’s hard at times to see the blessings of remaining faithful?
Elder Jeffrey R. Holland of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles said:
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Official Portrait of Elder Jeffrey R. Holland. Photographed January 2018.
Don’t you quit. You keep walking. You keep trying. There is help and happiness ahead. … It will be all right in the end. Trust God and believe in good things to come.
… Some blessings come soon, some come late, and some don’t come until heaven; but for those who embrace the gospel of Jesus Christ, they come.