What does those who endure to the end will be saved mean?

Perhaps the most common understanding of this passage is that we must endure in good works to the end of our physical lives to be saved from hell. This understanding contradicts Paul’s words in Eph 2:8a:

For by grace you have been saved through faith. (ESV)

Notice two differences between Eph 2:8a and Matt 24:13: First, the Matt 24:13 salvation is by enduring whereas the Eph 2:8a salvation is by grace through faith. Second, the Matt 24:13 salvation is future (“will be saved,” from the Greek future tense, sothesetai) whereas the Eph 2:8a salvation is past (“have been saved,” from the Greek perfect tense sesosmenoi). Salvation from hell was by grace through faith and has already happened to me, so what is the future salvation by endurance that Jesus is talking about in Matt 24:13? The answer is in the context.

Matthew 24:13 is part of an answer to the question that Jesus’ disciples asked earlier in the chapter:

As he sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?” (Matt 24:3 ESV)

It makes sense that the salvation in vs 13 should be in the future tense; after all, the disciples are asking about the future. Specifically, they were asking about the 7-year tribulation period. One reason we know that the Tribulation is in view is because Jesus says that the abomination of desolation (which Daniel talks about in Dan 9) will occur during this period. We also know that this is the tribulation because they asked immediately after Jesus said that not one stone of the temple would be left on another – surely a reference to the replacement of the 2nd temple with the temple that Ezekiel writes about in Ez 40-48.

We already know that the salvation in question is not salvation from hell, so what is it a salvation from? In verse 22, Jesus indicates that salvation from physical death is in mind:

And if those days had not been cut short, no human being would be saved. But for the sake of the elect those days will be cut short. (ESV)

When Jesus says, “He who endures to the end will be saved,” He does not mean that you must be good until you die to be saved from hell. He is talking about a specific group of people in the future who will need to endure to the end of the tribulation in order to be saved from physical death.

Understanding Matt 24:13 is good news for several reasons. It’s good news to know that we don’t need to endure to the end of the Tribulation because we aren’t in the Tribulation. It’s also good news to know that we won’t even be in the Tribulation, in fact, this is the doctrine that Paul points to for us to encourage each other with.1 Perhaps most of all, it’s a relief to know that we can take Jesus at His word to give eternal life to whomever believes in Him for it:

Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life. (John 5:24 ESV)

Jesus put his stamp of approval on the Old Testament in a striking way. This can give us tremendous confidence.

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Some may say that the Lord speaks here about the last days. And they will be right. But aren’t now the last days? And to avoid opening an eschatological discussion here, which in any case is not really the subject of this study, even if these days were not part of the last days, would this make his last statement less valid today? As He said: "the one who endures to the end will be saved". Exactly the same we saw previously in Hebrews: "For we have come to share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original confidence firm to the end" (Hebrews 3:14). Faith is a race and to run it we need endurance. Those who endure not a little, not till the middle, but to the end, will be saved. The others, the ones who fell away and who did not endure will not be there. That is why the writer of Hebrews encourages us:

Hebrews 10:35-39
"Therefore do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward. For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God you may receive what is promised. For, "Yet a little while, and the coming one will come and will not delay; but my righteous one shall live by faith, and if he shrinks back, my soul has no pleasure in him." But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who have faith and preserve their souls."

We have need of endurance, so that after we have done the will of God we may receive what is promised. And as 1 John 2:25 tells us:

"And this is the promise that he made to us—eternal life."

Eternal life is a promise, the chief promise, but to receive it we need to endure to the end. Those who abandoned the race, those who did not endure but shrank back will not receive the promise. And the writer of the Hebrews encourages us again:

Hebrews 12:1-2
"Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God."

We have a race to run and there is only one way to run it: with endurance and looking unto Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith. And running with endurance, having our eyes fixed on Jesus and on what is promised to us, we will bear the fruit which marks the true disciples of Christ, the fruit the people of the fourth category of the parable of the sower bore:

"As for that in the good soil, they are those who, hearing the word, hold it fast in an honest and good heart, and bear fruit with patience."

The word "patience" is exactly the same Greek word translated as "endurance" in Hebrews 10:36 and 12:1. The ones in the fourth category are those who endure, who keep on running having their eyes on the Lord and with patience, as they abide in the vine, in Christ, they bear fruit. May all of us be in that category and remain in that category and if any of us is not in it may he repent and "run with endurance the race that is set before us".

What does endure to the end mean in the Bible?

Enduring to the end is keeping those promises throughout our lives—no matter what. It means we don't quit because of life's difficulties or temptations. Conversely, failing to endure means backing away from what we've started—first promising loyalty to God and then withholding what we promised.

What does the Bible say about who will be saved?

For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved. As the Scripture says, "Anyone who trusts in him will never be put to shame." for, "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved."

What is the meaning of Hebrews 10 36?

Hebrews 10:36, NLT: Patient endurance is what you need now, so that you will continue to do God's will. Then you will receive all that he has promised.

What does God promise to those who persevere?

The Christian perseveres in faith to obtain God's promise of glory (Romans 8:18-21). Those who persevere will receive a resurrected body and will eternally inhabit the new heavens and new earth with God and His triumphant church.