Jesus was a minister of the circumcision (which is Israel). What Jesus said in this verse is true for Israel under the Kingdom gospel. They had to remain faithful to their Messiah and were taught to endure through the tribulation until Christ came again at His second advent. Jesus told them to pick up their cross and follow Him. He also told them that no man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God, Luke 9:62. It is Israel that has to endure to the end as this is the conditions of their salvation.
As for us, today, in this dispensation of grace, our salvation is not dependent on endurance. Yes, Paul encourages us to endure in our service to God and in the Body of Christ, because of our love for Him and the good works we are led to do for Christ, but as for our salvation, that is not based on works and enduring to the end. When we respond in faith to the grace gospel, we are saved and sealed eternally into Christ. The blood of Christ provides us the surety of salvation without works or performance. Paul writes in Ephesians 2:8-9, “by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.”
Consider this based on the above verse: if I endured to the end by my own strength and willpower, surely then I could boast when I come into glory! Right? ………. No! Not in our form of salvation! Our salvation is a gift given to us by the grace of God. God saved us because of the endurance of Christ even unto death on the cross. Through His endurance I am saved. Not my own. All glory to Christ alone, and all praise to God!
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