Certainly the church at Corinth was hardly a picture of believers experiencing ultimate victory over sin in their lives (cf. (2) The world, a system and arrangement of the affairs of men and government under the control of the evil one and opposed to God and His purposes for man: John 16:33; 1 John 5:4; Eph. (1) Satan, our chief adversary, the devil: 1 Pet. There are five Greek words that should be considered: “Overcomer” and “conquer” are translations of nikaw, “to overcome, to conquer, prevail, come through victoriously.” “Victory” is nikh, the noun form of nikaw. As Hodges points out, “a command that everyone keeps is superfluous, and a reward that everyone receives is nonsense.”19. The Word of God is great treasure. Furthermore, they are not statements affirming the preservation of the saints. The promise of 3:5 is directly connected to the concept of faithfulness described in 3:4. Rom. James 1:12 - Blessed [is] the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the … I … Eating of the tree of life is a reward that shall be given to the overcomer in addition to his salvation. Overcoming and the promises of these passages find their root in the Lord’s statement in John 16:33, “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. “But you have a few people in Sardis who have not soiled their garments; and they will walk with Me in white; for they are worthy. In 1 John the apostle affirms that through believing in Jesus Christ there is a permanent victory over the world in one sense. 4:3, 4; Eph. In other words, do the overcomer promises apply to all believers regardless of the kind of lives they live? “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the … The very act of believing overcomes the world: “Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?” (1 John 5:5). For instance, J. Sidlow Baxter writes: But the promise is to “the overcomer.” Are all believers “overcomers”? 1:3-10 [applying all diligence]; Gal. 2:20; 5:5; Eph. The word for conqueror is the same word for overcomer. This word means “be defeated by, or succumb to a person or thing” (2 Pet. 2:2. The theme of Overcomer centers on one’s identity in Christ. It should be evident, then, that the white garment in 3:5 is a reward for works of righteousness that occur after salvation. (4) In Revelation 3:12 the promise to the overcomer is again connected to a crown of reward for holding fast (kratew) at least by implication or location. The term “overcomer” comes from the Greek nikaw, “to conquer, prevail, triumph, overcome.” This verb is found 28 times in 24 verses in the New Testament. In support of this, let’s compare Revelation 19:8. But the loss of salvation view contradicts the clear teaching of Scripture that believers are kept secure by the finished work of Christ. For a complete Scripture study system, try SwordSearcher Bible Software, which includes the unabridged version of this dictionary. Those holding to the rewards view would say the overcomer passages are promises given to believers to encourage and kindle love and obedience in view of who they are in Christ and what they posses in Him. 18 The International Standard Bible Encyclopaedia, V, James Orr Reeve, general editor, 3010. Compare the following verses: John 4:4 You are from God, little children, and have overcome them; because greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world (cf. Believers can fail.9. emarkable Bible Battles Date: 15 January 2013 Author: Scott J Shifferd 14 Comments — Edit Bible Battles This is a list of Bible battles that I used in my class on Bible battles. “In all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us” (Rom. Nevertheless, victory requires our cooperation with God’s operation. 3:11f; 9:27; 2 Cor. This is an automatic experience that takes place at the moment of salvation for the individual who puts his trust in Jesus Christ as Saviour. Plan and promote movie-outreach efforts in your church and community with this campaign kit, which includes the OVERCOMER Bible Study Leader Kit, planning guide, Defined book samples, and age-group-specific Bible studies. Instead, they are guarantees of special blessings or rewards for faithful service and lives of faith. Though saved and identified with Christ in His life and death, all believers would be helpless to overcome because of the presence of the flesh without the Holy Spirit who is God’s provision for strength and victory. Presently, there is only one perfect overcomer. “One star differeth from another star in glory.”14. In this glorious position, they have become identified with Him as to His person and work, etc., and enjoy many other marvelous blessings in Christ (Eph. And he who overcomes, and he who keeps My deeds until the end, to him i will give authority over the nations” (2:25-26). Promises to the Overcomer. (2) In Revelation 2:26 overcoming is also connected to what follows or to keeping Christ’s works until the end. The contexts in which the expression is found in Revelation 2-3 are greatly different than the context of 1 John 5:5.13. 13 Bob Wilkin, Grace Evangelical Society Newsletter, March 1995. “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast” (Eph 2:8-9). The overcomer is the truly born-again-one, who has been redeemed through faith in Christ's blood. It may look at what follows, or it may draw an inference to what precedes as here. It is sadly possible for believers to backslide terribly and to remain in that backslidden state until death. 1. This too is clearly marked out for us in the Bible. 6:12; John 16:11; Col. 2:15; but note 1 John 2:13-14. Closely related to Christ’s victory through His person and work on the cross is another aspect of the means of our victory, the work of the Spirit in regeneration and indwelling. Every believer is an overcomer in that sense (1 John 5:4-5). 118-119. This shows God was dealing with them as His children (cf. 4:12; Col. 1:9-12). I am forgiven. Because only these have experienced the new birth of God in spiritual regeneration and it is that regeneration that gives the power for victory (vs. 4a). 8:4f; Rev. All are sinners, (Romans 3:23), and none have kept God's laws, (John 7:19); therefore, we need a Saviour. Eph. Table of Contents : Chapter 194. (2) The Filling of the Spirit: Appropriating the Manifold Ministries of the Spirit (John 14:16f; 1 John 4:2-4; Eph. Christ speaks a special word of encouragement to them, and certainly we may apply these words to ourselves today.12. I saw the “Overcomer” movie recently, which asks a key question: ”What do you allow to define you?” Let’s examine what influences are shaping you – literally. The paradise (heaven) of God and the tree of life will be shared by all who are in Christ. 5:5 and one of the elders said to me, “Stop weeping; behold, the Lion that is from the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has overcome so as to open the book and its seven seals. There is no other way a man or a woman can become an overcomer. We dare not assume that every member of every local church in every period of history is a true child of God. How to Become an Overcomer in the Bible 2019-09-01 2020-09-24 Each and every believer in the Lord wants to be a person after the Lord’s heart, wants to be an overcomer, and one of … Presently, there is only one perfect overcomer. This is associated with possessing eternal life, but as we will see, this is probably not the case. Are you an overcomer? 17:14 These will wage war against the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them, because He is Lord of lords and King of kings, and those who are with Him {are the} called and chosen and faithful. 5:10; Luke 19:11-26). Overcomers: 30 Stories of Triumph from the Bible - Kindle edition by Ettinger, David. He who overcomes shall thus be clothed in white garments; …”, Again, an admonition, “Hold fast what you have, so that no one will take your crown” (3:11) forms the context for the promise of 3:12, “He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God, …”. “And this is the victory that overcomes the world—our faith.” Since victory was accomplished by Christ and not by what we have done, victory always comes by faith in the work of God through Christ. Jesus said, "Be of good cheer; I have overcome the world (John 16:33)." 12:12-13; Rom. We learn that to be cast into the lake of fire, the eternal hell, is the second death. The day we trusted Christ was a day of victory for the Christian, because it was the day we overcame the world. But these expositors would also insist that all believers do not overcome absolutely. I’m not saying that eternal security is not true… What I am saying is that there is no guarantee in Scripture that eternally secure people will live overcoming, victorious lives here and now. 5:16), disobedience (Eph. True, some of the promises are hard to explain and understand as rewards and not as general gifts that go with eternal life, but because of the above evidence we should give strong consideration to the view that these are promises that pertain to rewards. These “overcomers” are not the “super-saints” in each church, a special group that will receive special privileges from Christ, but the true believers in each of these churches. His work, built upon the foundation that is Christ Jesus, abides the test of the Lord’s appearing, and he receives over and above his entrance into eternal life, a place in the Heavens in the midst of the paradise of God.15. (3) Biblical Insight Through the Knowledge of the Word (Ps. The overcomers in each church do so, not by their actions—rather their actions are an indication of their identification with the Overcomer, Jesus Christ (John John 16:33; 1Jn. The apostle Paul declared that “neither death nor life … nor things present nor things to come … shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Rom 8:38-39). 2:1-2 And you were dead in your trespasses and sins, in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience. 8:37 But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us. One: "...To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God (Revelation 2:7)." Rev. 22:12), we must first know what the Bible calls an … Numbers in the Bible play a very important role; if you don’t believe that read 2nd Kings 13: 17 – 19 “And he said, Take the arrows. 13:5-11). He writes: “John was so confident of the ultimate triumph of faith over sin that he had a special name for the believer: ‘the one who overcomes’ (1 John 5:5; Rev 2:7, 11, 26; 3:5, 12, 21; 21:7).”8 MacArthur is interpreting these passages according to what has come to be called the ‘Reformed Doctrine of the Perseverance of the Saints’ which states that all true believers will persevere in a life of godly obedience. The messages to the seven churches in Revelation 2 and 3 present very different contexts than that of 1 John 5. We do not overcome by our works, by the energy of the flesh, or by our sincerity, or by our effort, or by our will power because we are powerless. These are not warnings against the loss of salvation, nor necessarily warnings against false profession, though that could be one application of these promises. Those who love the Lord Jesus sense a corresponding echo within, calling them to live an overcoming life. “But this is a long way from saying that all Christians live ultimately victorious lives. Rev. Five: "He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels (Revelation 3:5)." To fail to overcome is to lose salvation. We are to put no confidence in the flesh (Phil. Two: "...He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death (Revelation 2:11)." To apply these promises to all believers seems to rob them of their force as promises. Note the following passages: John 16:33 These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. These men, along with others, would heartily agree that all believers are overcomers in one sense, in the sense they have become children of God, have been translated out of darkness into the glorious light of Christ, have been taken out of Adam and placed into Christ. This means not only immortal existence, but such relations with Jesus Christ and the Church that each has unrestricted access to all that is good in the universe of God.18. Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?" The Savior’s words are never to them who overcome, but to him who overcomes. 16 Zane C. Hodges, The Gospel Under Siege, Redencion Viva, Dallas, TX, 1982, pp. The letters to the seven churches, at least, suggested otherwise to an unprejudiced reader. If you haven’t already heard the news, the Kendrick brothers just released a synopsis for the ‘Overcomer‘ movie! You will not be hurt by the second death. Wisdom Concerning The Secret And Revealed Things, The Net Pastor's Journal, Eng Ed, Issue 38 Winter 2021, Revelation 2:7b reads, “To him who overcomes I will grant to eat of the tree of life, which is in the Paradise of God.” But the context for this is the admonition in 2:5 which reads, “Therefore remember from where you have fallen, and repent and do the deeds you did at first …”. 1Jn. 2 Cor. Here are illustrations of the battles that believers must overcome and for which rewards are promised for overcoming. The Word builds my faith, directs it, and the Spirit speaks to us through the Word. Paperback $8.99 $ 8. The main questions as I see it are simply, who is the overcomer and what is the nature of the promises? Look also in Revelation 12:11, "And they overcame him (Satan) by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony." 119:9, 11, 45; John 8:32; 17:17; Rom. Our victory is not a victory to be won, by one to be claimed by faith. Jesus warned that holding fast to Him would not be … Victory is not a collective right, but an individual attainment … Clearly, the promises to the overcomers are rewards for obedience to the commands of the Lord of the Church.17. How did God affirm this focus for the movie? In this context, it refers to the acts or deeds or works of righteousness for which rewards are given, i.e., the wedding garments. 4:2). Does 1 John 5:4-5 define who the overcomers are in Revelation 2 and 3? There are many more scriptures that can be used to help form an overcomer but these are my top 7 picks that I always look to. This is the second death (Revelation 20:14)." 2:11), evil (Eph. They admit that there may be temporary setbacks and bouts with sin, but that ultimately, true believers live victorious, holy lives to the end. NOTE.-In John 5:4 that which we are to overcome is called "the world;" and in 1 John 2:15-17 the things of which "the world " consists are described as "the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eye, and the pride of life." An investigation of the promises in Revelation 2 and 3 will seek to show that these are not promises all believers experience because every believer is an overcomer, but that these promises are special rewards to believers who overcome specific conflicts in the Christian life through faith and obedience in their daily walk. The rewards in Revelation 2 and 3 are usually viewed as blessings all believers will automatically receive as, for instance, the right to the tree of life. J. Hampton Keathley III, Th.M. The promise of an integral permanent part in the working of God for the believers is given to those that overcome. 43-44. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand” (John 10:28-29), they “shall not come into judgment” (John 5:24), and “have [already] passed from death into life” (John 5:24). The Bible does not promise that all true believers will live victorious, holy lives. This verse shows that the wedding garment mentioned in this verse consists of the “righteous acts of the saints.” The Greek word here is dikaiwma. Note also 1 Corinthians 15:10; Philippians 2:12-13. So, 1 John 5:4-5 gives us some insightful principles regarding those who overcome the world, namely: (a) the source of victory is the new birth and the new life that it brings, “For whatever is born of God overcomes the world”; (b) the method for appropriating victory is faith, “and this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith”; (c) the object of faith must be Jesus Christ because He is the real victor, “And who is the one who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?”. This is the promise of a garment of salvation to every believer. Other options New and used Even after salvation, the conflict still rages in and against the life of the Christian. Our standing in Christ is no artificial position of immunity. Consider the following examples from each of these messages: (4) The rewards view: According to this view, the overcomer passages are promises of rewards given to believers to encourage them to overcome the trials of life through faithfulness. 3:17). When we started moving in the direction of a theme on identity, God began confirming it with what we were studying in the book of Ephesians. The overcomers in the church at Ephesus were promised to “eat of the tree of life in the paradise of … 7:15; 8:4-8, 13; Gal. It is riches beyond our comprehension. 2:14), but through faith in Christ, the believer has overcome that condition in that he is made a child of God, has been rescued from the domain of darkness and translated into the kingdom of God’s beloved Son (Col. 1:12-13). Many believe there is a difference in the New Testament between entrance into heaven and being an heir of the kingdom (cf. 5:16f). 5:10). Note the following passages:John 16:33 These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In 22:14 John pronounces a blessing on those who wash their robes, who lead the clean and pure Christ life, for they thereby have the right and privilege of entering into the gates of the city and partaking of the tree of life. For … They are directly tied to knowing the Word. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading Overcomers: 30 Stories of Triumph from the Bible. 1 John 5:5 makes it abundantly clear. 1 Cor 3:1-3; 11:30; see also Gal 6:1-5; Jas 5:19-20; and 1 John 5:16)! The last characteristic of an overcomer that Job … The admonitions “Do not fear …” and “Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life” (2:10) form the immediate context for the promise, “He who overcomes will not be hurt by the second death” (2:11). This shows us that the overcomer is restricted to those who have not defiled their garments in their earthly walk and are thus worthy of reward—the reward of being clothed in white garments. Obviously, if I am going to believe God’s message of grace, trust God with my life, and deal with my inner man, I must know the Word. The basis of victory is the same, faith in the person and work of Christ and our blessings in Him, but the struggles are different and it seems that God tailors the rewards accordingly. Four: "...And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations: And he shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers: even as I received of my Father. Is it medically safe to engage in ten days of total fasting monthly taking only water. 1 John 5:4 teaches us that the means of victory over the world is “our faith.” Then verse 5 declares that the only ones who can overcome the world by faith are those who believe that Jesus is the Son of God. Now to the reader, I would like for YOU to do something. (2) The Ministry of the Spirit in Regeneration and Indwelling. Evidence from the analogy of Scripture is consistent with the teaching of the New Testament in other places; a Christian may lose or gain rewards according to what he does with the stewardship God has given him (1 Cor. All believers partake of this, but eating of the tree is for overcomers in the broader sense. Again, the promise is in a context of two admonitions for faithfulness. The only other occurrence is 2 Corinthians 12:13 where it means to be treated as an inferior. (3) Or is the overcomer equivalent to a special name for genuine believers because of the ultimate triumph of their faith? When they hear about “overcomers,” most Christians think those who labor and work for the Lord, who can keep the Lord’s name, who can sit in prison for years without denying the Lord, and who experience all kinds of persecutions and tribulations and yet can still stand witness, are the overcomers referred to in Revelation. 11:28f; 1 John 5:16-17). Oftentimes believers are confused as to whom these blessings belong because they do not know "Who is the overcomer?" The New Testament clearly teaches us, as does life itself, that we are in a conflict, indeed, a holy war, with specific adversaries.
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