Well there is something to do—even though “by grace we’ve been saved,” even though we’re born again, even though we have been created anew, even though we have buried the old man and have been raised a new man, there is still an end and this is all a means to an end. He that “endures to the end,” the same “shall be saved.” And so it’s the finish that counts!

Why is it that some people don’t finish? How many people have given up? How many people have just “thrown in the towel”? What if Joseph of the Old Testament had quit? In Genesis 41:38, we read, “can we find such a one as this, a man in whom is the Spirit of God?” Joseph, one of the greatest characters of the Old Testament—what if he had quit? What if Daniel had thrown in the towel? What if Nehemiah had just given up? In Nehemiah 6:3, he said, “I am doing a great work, so that I cannot come down.” “I can’t stop”—“Got to keep on.” Hebrews 6:1, says, press “on to perfection.” Well, that’s why we were created!—that’s why we’re married to Christ!—to bear fruit! We have a work to do and the Lord’s going to hold us accountable for that work! So, it’s not an end, but a means to an end. It’s not a graduation—it’s a commencement!

So consider, “ created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them,” [Ephesians 2:10]. Let’s think about the passages that have to do with good works. This is important, because people say, “Well, it’s not of works. That means I’m not supposed to do anything or else I’d be earning salvation.” You can’t earn it! Well, “I deserve it!” You can’t deserve it! You can’t repay it! There’s no way! And, yet, the Bible said we should “be ready unto every good work,” Titus 3:1. We should be “examples of good works,” Titus 2:7. “Be careful to maintain good works,” Titus 3:8. Be “fruitful in every good work,” Colossians 1:10. Be “perfect in every good work,” Hebrews 13:21. Be “full of good works,” Acts 9:36. What about 1 Timothy 5:10? What if you “followed every good work”? Jesus said in Matthew 5:16, “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and” (not glorify you, but) “glorify your Father in heaven.”

The Bible is filled with passages that have to do with good works. That’s the work of a Christian! He’s not working for something—he’s just doing that purpose under which he’s been created. So the Lord wants us to be busy. He wants us to be active in His service.

Now, the three tests of discipleship are these: “If you abide in My Word”—are you doing that? And “If you love one another as I have loved you”—are you doing that? Are you “bearing fruit”? If not, then you don’t pass that test.

So, “Since by grace” (NOT “if by grace”), then why be steadfast? Because, that’s just where it all starts. When Paul put Christ on in baptism, as we’re told in Acts 9, when he was baptized, that’s when the work really began. It wasn’t when it ended—it’s when it started! And so there was a great work before him, and it’s the finish that counts.

What if some of these others we’ve mentioned had given up and quit? Well what causes people to quit? Sometimes they get tired. Sometimes people just get discouraged. We all know what discouragement is. There are times when maybe a criticism has crippled someone and sometimes our skin is pretty thin, and the least little thing just sort of throws us off. Some people don’t really have thick enough skin to take the criticisms, even though the criticisms are not valid. But criticism will come, and this sometimes throws a man off course. Sometimes it just causes him to give up and quit.

Well, another thing that causes people to quit is that many times people just don’t call upon the Lord. They try to go it alone. In John 15:5, he says “for without Me you can do nothing.” But in Philippians 4:13, he said, “through Him,” “I can do all things.” Without Him—nothing! Through Him—all things! So we need the Lord’s help. Regardless of what we are to accomplish with His help, it’s still by the grace of God that all of this works.

Many times people just give up and quit without realizing it would have been better had they never “known the Way of righteousness,” than after knowing it “turn from” it. He said it’s like “a dog returns to his own vomit” and “a sow that had washed, [returns] to her wallowing in the mire.”The last state is worst than the first, 2 Peter 2:20 to 22. You think of this wonderful body of people [sitting in the congregation listening to Brother Bailey]. It would be better that any one of you had never yet become a Christian—it would be better had you never known the way of righteousness, than to know it and give up. That last state is worse than the first.

Now that being the case, don’t you think we ought to get busy and help bring back those who have fallen by the wayside? It’s pretty serious business! We go all out to try to convert someone, but after that person has been convinced, convicted, and converted, we sometimes don’t realize that he needs to “grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ,” 2 Peter 3:18, so that “the Word” can work “effectively” “in you who believe,” 1 Thessalonians 2, verse 13.

Many times people who fall by the wayside don’t realize what a terrible state they are in. If in the Albuquerque area—however many hundred thousand people you have—if the truth were known, if you just took a census, it probably would be appalling how many people in Albuquerque or the Albuquerque area were at one time members of the Lord’s church, but now are not! Whose responsibility is it? It’s mine! It’s yours! It’s every Christians! Everybody on this side of Heaven ought to be interested in everybody on this side of hell. Evangelism will never be complete until the evangelized become evangelists. In Galatians 6:6, “Let him that is taught in the Word communicate unto him that teacheth in all good things.”