The Overcomer: Part Four

The second and third chapters of the Book of Revelation tell us of the rewards we usually think of as being that which will be given to all who make a profession of faith in Christ. These include eating from the Tree of Life, the crown of Life, and ruling the nations with Christ.

However, the basis for receiving the rewards is that we “overcome.” Chapter Twenty-one, verse eight, sets forth the personality traits that we must overcome.

So our eternal destiny depends on our definition of “”he who overcomes.”

(6/1/2008) The current definitions of “to him who overcomes” are: “to him who is identified with Christ”; and “to him who believes that Christ died to forgive his sins.”

The following verse is used to support the “belief” position:

Who is it that overcomes the world? Only he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God. (I John 5:5)

The above verse is interpreted to mean all there is to overcoming is to believe that Jesus is the Son of God. But the remainder of First John is largely an exhortation to stop sinning. The reason John made that statement, which so often is taken out of context, is that he was fighting a doctrine of his day (probably Gnosticism) that stated Jesus Christ was not the Son of God and did not come in the flesh.

But every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world. (I John 4:3)

The reader who wishes to assure himself that John was not saying all we have to do is believe can review the third chapter of First John. Using the passage in the fifth chapter of First John to prove that all we have to do to overcome is to believe, apart from any change in our behavior, is an example of doctrine cut and pasted out of the contexts of the verses.

The current understanding of salvation by faith alone apart from works is derived from the teaching of the Apostle Paul, and the Protestant Reformation.

What Paul meant by “works” was the works of the Law of Moses.

What Martin Luther meant by “works,” at least in the beginning, was the actions of the Catholic religion, such as penances.

Today “works” is being interpreted as works of righteousness, such as honesty, truthfulness, moral cleanliness, kindliness, doing to others as you would have them do to you.

Can you see why we are saying today that it does not matter how you behave? We do not understand what it means to be saved apart from works. We are assuming it means we are saved apart from righteous behavior. The truth is, genuine salvation always and of necessity produces righteous behavior. It is that new creation of righteous behavior that is the proof we are being saved.

Neither Paul nor Luther would condone the current belief that faith saves us apart from any change in our behavior. How we have come to such an outlandish conclusion defies common sense. But religion and common sense often are not closely related.

Let us proceed now to two verses, which actually are part of one thought:

He who overcomes will inherit all this, and I will be his God and he will be My son. But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars—their place will be in the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death. Revelation 21:7,8)

Since it is those who overcome who will inherit all God is making new in Christ, it is of the greatest importance that we understand exactly what is meant by “overcoming.”

The eight personality traits mentioned in Revelation, Chapter Twenty-one, verse eight, are what we are to overcome. The Father has given the Lake of Fire authority over each of the eight behaviors.

While we are walking in the light of God’s Presence and will, our judgment is suspended. Little by little, as our sins are made clear to us and we confess them, we are forgiven and cleansed from these behaviors. While we are gaining the victory through Christ the blood of the cross keeps us without condemnation in God’s sight.

As we continue to walk in the light of God’s Presence and will, the Spirit of God points out the darkness in us over which the Lake of Fire retains authority. Then we are to confess our sins to the Lord clearly and specifically, and turn away from them. If we do our part, the Lord will forgive us and give us victory over the particular behavior.

Are you getting a feeling at this point of what it means to be an overcomer?

Since immorality is accepted in the United States at this time, and is one of the eight behaviors listed in Revelation 21:8, let’s think about what it means to overcome these behaviors.

Under the main heading of immorality, according to the Scriptures, we have adultery, fornication, pornography, homosexual activity, and child molestation.

Let us consider fornication as an example of immorality. If we are engaging in fornication, which is sexual relationships outside of legally sanctioned marriage, we are practicing a behavior that belongs in the Lake of Fire.

So if we want to escape being harmed by the Lake of Fire we have to overcome fornication.

How do we “overcome” fornication. That is the key question, isn’t it?

If we continue to engage in fornication is it reasonable to say we have overcome fornication by believing that Jesus I the Son of God? Is it reasonable to say we have overcome fornication by believing that Jesus died for our sins? Is this nonsense, or what?

Suppose we are committing fornication several times a week. This puts us in the Lake of Fire unless we overcome it. Does “overcoming” fornication mean “we believe Jesus is the Son of God, or does overcoming fornication mean we stop fornicating by the power of Christ.?

Stop and think. If we are an adulterer, a fornicator, a watcher of pornography, a child molester, can it be said with any kind of sanity that we are not an adulterer, a fornicator, a watcher of pornography, a child molester, because we are “identified with Christ”?

The Lord Jesus becomes our Righteousness when our sins have been forgiven by the shed blood of the atonement, and now the Lord is dwelling in us and enabling us to stop practicing sinful behavior. Does this make sense to you?

The Kingdom of God is a change of our behavior. It is not a legal state in which we do immoral things but are righteous because we believe in Christ and are identified with Christ. It seems to me that any sensible Christian would agree with that. But this is not what is being preached today in America in numerous instances.

What does it mean to overcome adultery, fornication, homosexual behavior, child molestation, watching pornography, using filthy language, seeking preeminence, arrogant behavior? It means to interact with the Lord Jesus until we stop doing these things.

What does it mean to overcome cowardice? It means to seek Christ until we have courage.

What does it mean to overcome unbelief? It means to look to the Lord until we have faith.

What does it mean to overcome vile practices? It means to pray until the Lord Jesus gives us the victory over these practices.

What does it mean to overcome a murderous spirit? It means to come boldly before the Throne of Grace until the murder is gone from our heart.

What does it means to overcome the practice of magic arts? It means to confess what we have been doing and come to Jesus for help.

What does it mean to overcome idolatry? It means to name our idols, as the Holy Spirit guides us, and turn away from them.

What does it mean to overcome lying? It means to confess we have lied and ask Christ to help us always to tell the truth.

What does the Bible mean when it promises “He who overcomes will inherit all this, and I will be his God and he will be My son.” It means when you cease practicing what the New Testament describes as sin you will inherit all that God is making new in Jesus Christ. Also, God will be your God and you will be God’s son.

What happens when you don’t overcome? You do not inherit the wealth of God. God is not your God. You are not God’s son. Your final destiny will be in the fiery lake of burning sulfur.

We Christians have been deceived. We have believed the lie of him who always says, “You shall not surely die.”

Who among us is ready to endure pain, fire, and bloodshed until the foundation of truth has been established? This is what has been required in the past.

Remember, when we pass into the spirit world we are going to be among those who suffered and died for the Name of Jesus Christ.

Our nation rapidly is becoming anti-Christian. If we Christians do not stand up for what is right, if we deny our Lord in front of our generation, He will deny us in front of the Father.