Study of “Steadfastness” — 2 Peter 1

[Go back to the main study]

What Is Steadfastness?

hypomonē

• NASB: Perseverance
• “Steadfastness, consistency, endurance”
• “In the NT, the characteristic of a man who is not swerved from his deliberate purpose and his loyalty to faith and piety by even the greatest trials and sufferings.”
• Even in our definition of hypomone, the fact of trials and suffering is inherent and necessary. The only pinnacle example we need, though there are more, is in Jesus who “learned obedience from what He suffered.” (Heb 5:7–9).
• “The ability to persevere in pursuing a future goal over a long period of time and not giving up…it’s having stamina. It’s sticking with your future day-in and day-out, not just for the week, not just for the month, but for years, and working really hard to make that future a reality. Grit is living life like it’s a marathon, not a sprint.”
• Operating out of conviction (enslavement) if even through tears. Having no choice but sacrifice, by your own conscience. This is practiced and refined over many years and through many trials.

Some examples in Scripture:

• used in some cases for a “patient waiting” for Jesus (2 Thess 3:5, Rev 1:9, etc.) and in many cases for the overarching call for a believer to ‘endure’ (Rev 13:10, 14:12, etc.)
• hoping in the Lord in the Psalms, the king’s long life
• patiently waiting out suffering — 1 Cor 1:6
• Heb 10:36,39
• James 1:2–4 — trials and suffering produce steadfastness (Rom 5:3–4)
• James 5:11
• Job
• 2 Thess 1:4 — Paul boasts of this in others and calls them (and us) to it (2 Thess 3:5 — specifically as we look to Jesus’ example), as well as giving us his own examples of it (2 Tim 3:10)
• 1 Tim 6:11
• Jesus commends the Ephesians for steadfastness (Rev 2:2)
• The dominant form of suffering peculiar to God’s people in the Bible is discipline/chastisement. In Romans 5, such discipline is tied to both what it means to be a follower of Jesus and to the kind of character it produces. Our justification by grace is the cause for unbounded joy and the reconciliation to God as a sinner is cause for the peace that we seek and cherish above all else. When suffering comes in the midst of this, it produces perseverance. “The staying power of our faith is neither demonstrated nor developed until it is tested by suffering.” The very word ‘character’ suggests ‘provedness.’ (cf Ps. 34:19–20) In Heb 5:7–9, Jesus “learned obedience from what He suffered.” The fullness, the perfection of His identity with the human race and the perfection of His human, temporal obedience to the Father, could only be attained through the fires of suffering. And if Jesus learned obedience from what He suffered, what ghastly misapprehension — or arrogance — that assumes we should be exempt. Phil 3:8–11.
• This is part of the pure devotion to Jesus discussed in KNOWLEDGE; as we keep ourselves from loving the world, we pursue this (1 Tim 6:11, 2 Peter 1:4b) looking to Jesus who endured (Heb 12:1–2).

Summary & Relation To The Path:

What does it look like? On a heart level, on a practical level. Are we a bulldozer in zeal and VIRTUE and all good deeds? Several verses translate to “patient waiting” for Jesus (NLT says “Patient Endurance”) (2 Thess 3:5, Rev 1:9, Psalms, 2 Cor 1:6).

“Tribulation worketh patience, whereby we bear all calamities and crosses with silence & submission, without murmuring against God or complaining of Him, but justifying Him who lays all affliction upon us, owning that our sufferings are less than our sins deserve, and believing they are no more than we ourselves need.” — Matthew Henry

So yes, no less eager in VIRTUE, no less zealous in our pursuit of KNOWLEDGE, but embracing both of the resting aspects of those things as we do the work, moving forward but moving forward in patience, and especially patience in those inevitable moments where it seems our earthly circumstance has thwarted our pursuit of either VIRTUE or KNOWLEDGE, for we still have FAITH (assurance of eternity) and know that the trial might very well deepen our KNOWLEDGE and give us opportunity for VIRTUE such that nothing of our own initiative can. Thus, despite a very rough path (by design), and many seemingly better ways, we do not need to constantly bump into the barriers (SELF CONTROL) because STEADFASTNESS keeps us patiently on the path itself. STEADFASTNESS seems to be firmly rooted in, and inseparable with, the foundation of FAITH — that is, trust in Jesus’ promises which assure us of eternity. Indeed, steadfastness is about perspective. Hope. Being like Jesus and walking confidently toward death because of the joy set before us (Heb 12:1–2).

When our STEADFASTNESS comes out of a life of FAITH, VIRTUE, KNOWLEDGE, and SELF CONTROL, then our STEADFASTNESS is by its nature sacrificial. It chooses death because that’s what Jesus chose (2 Cor 4). (cf. Heb 11:15–16, Acts 20:24, 2 Thess 1, 2 Cor 6:1–10)

Work & Rest:

• I REST in patient confidence in God’s sovereignty through trials
• I WORK towards death so that others may live

Steadfastness In The Scriptures & In The Life of Jesus

• As I look to Jesus’ example, the two things (suffering & steadfastness) seem inherently linked, for how am I to know which times it was most difficult for Him (and others) to remain constant in VIRTUE, KNOWLEDGE, and FAITH besides that they were going through a hard time? Indeed, our natural inclination is to say, “As an example of steadfastness, look at so-and-so: even when ______, they remained steadfast.”
• Mt. 14:13–14,23 — mourning the loss of a friend, fighting for time alone with the Father, and yet KNOWLEDGABLE of His will such that even in that same day and perhaps that same hour of bad news, He acted in VIRTUE to do all the good He could do, all enabled by FAITH — confidence in eternity. Rest. Free to serve, to do what the Father was doing.
• John 11:1–44 —Even though a dear friend had passed, and He was deeply saddened, He had such FAITH and KNOWLEDGE of God’s VIRTUE and His own upcoming VIRTUOUS act that He was not the slightest bit worried. So STEADFASTNESS is not stoic and unfeeling.
• Luke 19:45–48 — STEADFASTNESS in zeal, for even though tension was high and death was near and the temptation would have been to not cause anymore issues, His KNOWLEDGE of God’s will, God’s holiness, and desire for His people to be holy was all consistent and stronger than the temptation. As a Son of the King, He went to battle for the excellence of His name (VIRTUE) knowing nothing could change His destiny (FAITH).
• Luke 22:39–46 — even in agony in the garden, He operates in VIRTUE out of KNOWLEDGE because of FAITH. And if nowhere else, but in fact this being the pinnacle moment of decision, here He displayed His obedience, perfected it, and had thus revealed it only through trials (Heb 5:7–9).
• John 13:3–4 — “knowing…that He had come from God and was going back to God” He remained STEADFAST to the very end, performing here in His last moments perhaps the second most humble act. His mind was on eternity (FAITH) and His humility and service increased as He got closer (or at least we can’t say that they waned). His LOVE (v.1) took action (VIRTUE) any chance He got.
• More examples through Mark