A Free Grace Interpretation of Matthew 24:13

“But he that shall persevere to the end, he shall be saved.” Matthew 24:13

Does Matthew 24:13 teach the Calvinistic doctrine known as “The Perseverance of the Saints”? Let’s take a closer look! In regards to the meaning of Matthew 24:13, I’d like to begin with an excellent quote by Dr. Thomas Ice of the Pre-Trib Research Center. The following statements by Dr. Ice are from his article titled “An Interpretation of Matthew 24-25.” The footnote citations (numbers 9, 10, and 11) are from the original article. Commenting on Matthew 24:13, Dr. Ice writes the following:

The exact meaning and implications of “the one who endures to the end, he shall be saved,” is a hotly debated passage. Some use this passage to teach a Christian doctrine known as “the perseverance of the saints.” While others believe that it refers to a physical deliverance. I hold to the latter position, primarily because it is the only view that makes sense in this specific context. 

The first issue that must be dealt with in this matter is the meaning of the term “saved.” Because the word “saved” is used in the New Testament to refer to the time when one becomes a Christian (the moment of justification as in), many just plug that meaning into this passage. The leading Greek lexicon of our days says that the basic meaning of this word is “save, keep from harm, preserve, rescue.”⁹ [William F. Arndt and F. W. Gingrich, A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1957), p. 805.] This word can be used in relation to the doctrine of salvation (Matthew 1:21; Acts 16:31; 1 Corinthians 1:18; Ephesians 2:8-9; Philippians 1:19; Titus 3:5; etc.), or it can simply refer to physical deliverance or rescue (Matthew 8:25; 14:30; 27:49; Acts 27:31; Hebrews 5:7; Jude 1:5; etc.). The exact nuance is determined by its context. “The problem begins with the superficial hermeneutic of giving ‘saved’ the same meaning in every context, which is not true of any word,” declares Glasscock. “Words have no specific meaning apart from context. Here, ‘saved’ (sōzō) means basically to ‘deliver’ or to ‘rescue’—from what and in what manner is dependent upon the context.”¹⁰ [Glasscock, Matthew, p. 466.]

Many commentaries on this passage fail to consider the contextual factors before they start sermonizing on endurance in the Christian life. They make this into a passage that teaches the Christian doctrine of endurance, even though it is not supported by the specific factors in the text.¹¹ [An example of one who turns this passage into a sermon on Christian endurance is found in John MacArthur, The New Testament Commentary: Matthew 24-28 (Chicago: Moody Press, 1989), pp. 28-29.] Truly, there is a Christian doctrine of endurance taught in the Epistles (Romans 12:12; 1 Corinthians 13:7; 2 Timothy 2:10, 12; Hebrews 12:3, 7; James 1:12; 5:11; 1 Peter 2:20). This doctrine teaches that one of the many character qualities that believer is to have is endurance. Why is this so? It is true because endurance under suffering produces character (Romans 5:3-4). Yet, none of those references to the Christian doctrine of endurance speak of “enduring to the end.” Instead, passages that speak of enduring to the end all occur within the same context—the tribulation (Matthew 10:22; 24:13; Mark 13:13; Luke 21:19; Revelation 13:10; 14:12).[1]

Contrary to what the Calvinists want us to believe, Matthew 24:13 does not support the doctrine of “The Perseverance of the Saints” and here’s why. First of all (as Dr. Ice pointed out), look at the context of Matthew chapter 24. It has to do with Israel (not the church) and Christ’s return to the earth after the Tribulation (see Matt. 24:20-21, 29-30). Matthew 24:1 says, “And Jesus came out from the temple and was going away when his disciples came up to point out the temple buildings to Him.” The Jewish temple was for the Jews under the Law, not for the church in the dispensation of grace! J. Vernon McGee has well said: “You see, back in the Old Testament [under the dispensation of Law], they brought a little lamb [to the temple]. And I’m sure you don’t take a little lamb to church to sacrifice. Today it would be sinful to do that [because it would be like trampling underfoot the Son of God and regarding as unclean His once-for-all sacrifice on the cross, Heb. 10:29]. But back then, before Christ came, it was required; the Law required it.”[2] In Matthew chapter 24, Jesus is answering the disciples’ question about the end of the age (v. 3), that is, the end of the Law age related to the nation of Israel. This has to do with the 70 “weeks” (or seventy units of seven years) spoken of through Daniel the prophet (Matt. 24:15; cf. Daniel 9:24-27): “Seventy weeks have been decreed for your people and your holy city, to finish the wrongdoing, to make an end of sin, to make atonement for guilt, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up vision and prophecy, and to anoint the Most Holy Place” (Dan. 9:24). Prophetically speaking, the first 69 “weeks” have already taken place; there is but one more “week” remaining: the coming seven-year Tribulation. This is the context of Matthew chapter 24. It is related to Israel's 70th “week,” the seven-year Tribulation period: “the time of Jacob's trouble” (Jer. 30:7). It is in this context that Jesus says in Matthew 24:13: “But the one who endures to the end, he shall be saved.” This statement is pertaining to those who are left behind after the Rapture of the church. Jesus is saying that those Israelites (notice the reference to the “Sabbath” in v. 20) who persevere to the end of the Great Tribulation will be saved, i.e. physically delivered. The word “saved” in verse 13 is in reference to physical deliverance. Jesus uses the word “saved” again in Matthew 24:22 in the same way, as meaning physical deliverance: “And unless those days had been cut short, no life would have been saved; but for the sake of the elect [i.e. Israel] those days shall be cut short.” John F. Walvoord, the second president of Dallas Theological Seminary, affirms this interpretation of Matthew 24:13. Walvoord writes: 

“those that endure to the end (Mt 24:13), that is, survive the tribulation and are still alive, will be saved, or delivered, by Christ at His second coming. This is not a reference to salvation from sin, but rather the deliverance of survivors at the end of the age as stated, for instance, in Romans 11:26, where the Deliverer will save the nation Israel from its persecutors. Many, of course, will not endure to the end, in the sense that they will be martyred, even though they are saved by faith in Christ, and the multitude of martyrs is mentioned in Revelation 7:9-17.”[3]

In conclusion, I agree with Dr. Charlie Bing of GraceLife Ministries when he says in regards to Matthew 24:13: “This passage should never be used to teach a doctrine of Perseverance of the Saints.”[4]

References:

[1] Thomas D. Ice, “An Interpretation of Matthew 24-25” (2009). Article Archives. 2.

https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/pretrib_arch/2 (accessed 1-25-2026). 

[2] J. Vernon McGee, Romans: Chapter 1-8 (Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1991), p. 72, comment on Romans 3:25-26. Note: Reprint. Originally published: Thru the Bible with J. Vernon McGee. 1975.

[3] John F. Walvoord, Matthew: Thy Kingdom Come (Chicago: Moody Press, 1974), p. 184. See the comment on Matthew 24:13. https://walvoord.com/article/218 (accessed 1-25-2026).

[4] Charlie Bing, “The Salvation of Those Who Endure to the End in Matthew 24:13” (GraceNotes, Number 61). www.gracelife.org/resources/gracenotes/pdf/gracenotes61.pdf