Mark 13:5-12 — 5 And Jesus began to say to them, “See to it that no one misleads you. 6 Many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am He!’ and will mislead many. 7 When you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be frightened; those things must take place; but that is not yet the end. 8 For nation will rise up against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; there will be earthquakes in various places; there will also be famines. These things are merely the beginning of birth pangs.
9 “But be on your guard; for they will deliver you to the courts, and you will be flogged in the synagogues, and you will stand before governors and kings for My sake, as a testimony to them. 10 The gospel must first be preached to all the nations. 11 When they arrest you and hand you over, do not worry beforehand about what you are to say, but say whatever is given you in that hour; for it is not you who speak, but it is the Holy Spirit. 12 Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; and children will rise up against parents and have them put to death.
Despite the false christs, despite the wars, despite the earthquakes and famines, despite the trials, beatings, betrayals and universal hatred in Mark 13:5-12, v.13 records that endurance is possible and endurance is rewarded by spiritual salvation. No one earns salvation by enduring, but Christians endure or in the words of Matthew, the elect will not be deceived or fall away. Christians, then, don’t have to conquer anything, but their own fears and unbelief.
So we need to take note that it’s not the one who predicts the end; not the one who escapes life to wait it out until the end; nor the one who fights flesh and blood until the bitter end. No, the one who endures doing what Christ has said to the end will be saved. The end here is either when Christ returns or one’s death since we know that those who are handed over by their family members to death aren’t going to make it to the 2nd coming of Christ; their death is the end for them and as they remain faithful, they will experience eternal salvation. For the Christian, suffering always eventually ends in the glory of salvation.