It is often explained to young believers that the passage in Mark 13:13, " He that endureth to the end, the same shall be saved," belongs to a dispensation to follow the present one, and does not apply to believers now. It is true that it is spoken in our Lord's Olivet discourse, and directly applies to the remnant of Israel, converted in the midst of sore tribulation. But let us be careful that we do not miss its moral teaching and application to ourselves.

It is true that we are blessed with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ; blessings which are common to all the children of God. But because of this, has there not been a tendency to de ay to saints of other ages what comes from Christ to faith ? There have been trials and tests of faith, consequently, in all ages of human history, from the days of the first martyr and the first murderer. The eleventh chapter of Hebrews, especially the last part, should silence any thought that martyrdoms belong to this age alone, and that we are the great exemplars of suffering faith. In the great tribulation-the time of Jacob's trouble-the test of faith will be in identification with" Christ, and this is the test of faith to-day. They are not saved in a way differing from ourselves or saints of other ages, nor are they preserved and kept through their great trials in any different manner.

There are many scriptures that warn us directly, in the same terms really. For example:"To present you holy and unblameable and unreprovable in His sight, if ye continue in the faith, grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel " (Col. i :22, 23), " If we deny Him He will also deny us" (2 Tim. 2:12). "If a man abide not in Me, he is cast forth as a branch . . . and is burned" (John 15 :6). In all these warnings, the question is never raised of a believer losing eternal life, which makes him a child of God; but the question is solemnly raised whether one who may be careless in life and ways is a real believer.

And these warnings are most seriously needed to-day. They need emphasizing. There is much profession of Christianity now – a – days, and such scriptures as these are a standing warning, that the evidence of life, "eternal life " in the soul, is and must be by continuing in the faith-enduring to the end-by abiding in the Vine. That is, it is a warning voice from God to all, to see that they are living branches in the Vine – and in a very special way to those whose ways are faulty.

These scriptures, and many others, such as in Heb., chaps. 6 and 10, are intended to awaken the conscience of mere professors, and God, in His goodness and mercy, warns the worldly-minded, and calls to repentance.

It is good for us all to face these scriptures oftentimes, not omitting that in Mark 13 :13, letting their keen edge search us through and through. May our teaching never weaken the sharpness of such portions by giving them a dispensational explanation merely. I have long found saints avoiding its edge by saying it "does not apply to us." It is to be feared we have " dispensationalized" away a great many moral teachings of the Word, both for ourselves and the saints of other ages- truths whose moral application know no dispensation. W. B.