No Half-Measures: Endurance, Faithfulness, and the Death of Mediocrity

recently finished preaching through the book of 2 Timothy at 5 Bridges Church, and the final section of Paul’s final letter to his apostolic delegate is something I have been mulling over in my mind and contemplating on the relevancy of what he said then and what we need to understand now as it relates to the Christian life.

We live in a world obsessed with comfort, convenience, and playing it safe; the call to follow Christ has never been more countercultural. Too many in modern Christianity have embraced a domesticated faith, one that avoids discomfort, flees trials and confuses mediocrity with humility. But Scripture has no category for half-hearted discipleship. The Christian life is one of endurance, warfare, suffering, and unwavering loyalty to King Jesus.

And if the Apostle Paul could speak to us today, his voice would thunder across the ages: "Endure hardship as a good soldier of Christ Jesus" (2 Tim 2:3, LSB). Let me walk you through some critical truths the church desperately needs to recover and some points from my message this past Sunday.

1. Endure to the End—No Quits, No Halfsies

Paul didn’t flirt with faithfulness. He was chained in dungeons, beaten, stoned, shipwrecked, and finally beheaded by Nero for the sake of the gospel. He says, "If we endure, we will also reign with Him; if we deny Him, He also will deny us" (2 Tim 2:12, LSB), but he’s not playing games. Endurance is not optional; it’s the evidence of genuine faith. Paul is not merely “talking the talk” but actively " walking the walk.” He is not encouraging Timothy and us to do something he has not endured and is not going through personally. I believe he was dwelling on the teachings of Christ during His earthly ministry.

Jesus warned, “You will be hated by all because of My name, but the one who has endured to the end, he will be saved” (Matt 10:22, LSB). Christianity is not about how you start. It's about how you finish. Many may start strong; however, how is it that they finish? I reflect on my own life. Many of my friends who once professed Christ have not entirely deserted and abandoned the faith, making it evident they were never actually in the faith to begin with.

2. Kill the Idol of Safety and the Lie of Mediocrity

I believe the slow death of modern Christianity that we have been observing over the past few decades is its lust for mediocrity. We’ve been called with a great salvation, entrusted with a great mission, and indwelt with the Spirit of the Living God and we’re content with coasting?

Hebrews tells us to “lay aside every weight and the sin which so easily entangles us, and run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus” (Heb 12:1–2, LSB). Not on comfort. Not on success. On Christ. That means killing mediocrity daily and refusing to idolize safety. Why are we willing to invest a substantial amount of time in our hobbies and extracurricular activities, but we aren’t willing to put a fraction of that same level of effort into our study of God’s Word? I believe it is because many of us have become too comfortable, which has led us into a state of complacency.

3. Faithfulness Isn’t Flashy, but It’s Powerful

Demas started strong. He ran with Paul. Preached beside him and got mentioned in Scripture. But in the end, “Demas, having loved this present age, has deserted me” (2 Tim 4:10, LSB). He traded eternal reward for temporary comfort.

Contrast that with John Mark—once deemed unfaithful (Acts 13:13), later restored and called “useful to me for service”(2 Tim 4:11, LSB). His story reminds us failure isn’t final when there’s repentance. And Demas? It is a cautionary tale for every Christian who flirts with worldliness. Look at this cross-comparison between Demas and Mark regarding how they started vs. how they finished.

4. You’re Not “Just” Anything—You’re Called

I often hear, and I was once guilty of this myself, of individuals discounting themselves from doing something before stepping out and giving it a chance. Usually, many believe that studying, reading, and journaling are for the theologically elite. However, all Christians who are a part of the body of Christ have been given a specific item, task, gift, and calling in life. Sadly, many do not investigate or use it if they know what their gifting is. Instead of making excuses like, “I’m just a mom,” “just a student,” or “just an ordinary Christian.” We need to understand that Heaven doesn’t hand out participation trophies. You’re filled with the Spirit of God. You’ve been called, equipped, and sent. So, find out what your gift is and use it for the glory of God.

Reflect on Paul, his circumstances, and what he is facing. Just because he is in prison doesn’t hinder him from continuing to do what he knows God has called him to do. As Paul writes from a dungeon awaiting his execution, he still urges Timothy: “Preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and teaching” (2 Tim 4:2, LSB). That mantle is for all of us. Don’t justify inaction. Obey the prompting of the Lord.

5. Trials Confirm Your Salvation

Many of us will and have gone through difficult situations. The loss of a loved one, a medical problem, anxiety issues, financial issues, and we scratch our heads wondering why this happened to me. Instead, let us not ask the “why” behind our situation; let us look at what this has done to us in strengthening and solidifying our faith and trust in Christ. It is easy to reflect in hindsight after the trial or affliction; however, what do you do when you actively find yourself in such a trial? What is it that you pray for? Do you pray for the removal of the situation, which is not sinful; however, when you pray for it to be removed, and it isn’t, what then? Instead, when you find yourself in that situation, look at it with endurance and joy; God is using it to bring you closer to Him and to rely on Him in all aspects of your life.

Fiery trials don’t just test your faith—they prove it. Peter writes, “So that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable… may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ” (1 Pet 1:7, LSB).

Can you look back at the hardest moment of your life and say, “God is still good”? That’s not religious talk. That’s war-tested faith.

6. Community Is Not Optional—It’s a Shield

There are no lone wolves in the kingdom. Isolation is one of the enemy’s most effective strategies. You need a network of believers, pastors, elders, and churches that push you toward Christ, not toward comfort. We may find it difficult to “connect” with others; however, this perceived difficulty is often self-inflected because we have the wrong mindset when it relates to the church. I remember when my wife and I would change duty locations, we would walk into a new church, and I expected everyone to go out of their way to come and introduce themselves to me. However, the expectation goes both ways. Do I go out of my way in an attempt to talk with and get to know someone else? Do I sneak into the church during the service and rush out as soon as it is done?

When you reflect and recognize that the individuals in the church are your spiritual brothers and sisters and are all united with one faith, it helps you identify that you have much more in common with everyone than you think. However, if you project onto the church members the corporate definition of “having things in common,” you will undoubtedly become disappointed as the church is filled with many individuals from varying walks of life in which you may not have as many temporal things in common with them. However, the most critical item you have in common with them is your shared faith in Christ. Do not go through your spiritual walk as a lone wolf.

As Proverbs says, “Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another” (Prov 27:17, LSB). Lone wolves die. But those who stand shoulder to shoulder in gospel unity endure.

7. When All Desert You—The Lord Will Not

Remember and reflect on the life of the Apostle Paul and what Paul writes in his final hours: “At my first defense no one stood with me… but the Lord stood with me and strengthened me” (2 Tim 4:16–17, LSB). He had no lawyers. No crowd. But he had Christ. And that was enough. He relied on Christ despite all his friends being elsewhere; he relied on Christ.

That same Lord who strengthened Paul in the face of death will strengthen you in the face of trials, loss, betrayal, or persecution. You’re not alone, and you never were. Stop believing what the world is telling you; stop believing what your mind is telling you. Trusting your thoughts absent the Word of God will leave you washed up and stranded. Instead, trust on and rely on Christ.

We need boldness in our pulpits. Conviction in our homes. Courage in our hearts. The world doesn’t need more soft Christians apologizing for God’s Word. It needs saints who say, “To live is Christ and to die is gain” (Phil 1:21, LSB), and mean it.

Kill mediocrity. Embrace endurance. And fix your eyes on Jesus.