(2) The perseverance or ultimate triumph of the saints view: According to this view all genuine believers persevere and overcome the world by living godly and obedient lives. Each one who does this will taste the rich rewards of living such a life. The angel of the church of Sardis is reproved and exhorted to repent. What are the seven blessings of Revelation? And this is the victory that has overcome the worldour faith. While all believers have overcome the world in the sense of 1 John 5, conflicts and trials come to the believer in a variety of different shapes and degrees. New American Standard Bible All believers partake of this, but eating of the tree is for overcomers in the broader sense. (4) Other forms stemming from the above three: darkness (Col. 1:13), blindness (2 Cor. From out, out from among, from, suggesting from the interior outwards. The Greek word nikn refers to someone who overcomes or obtains victory. 7 The one who overcomes will inherit these things, and I will be his God and he will be My son. (See Revelation 2:17; Revelation 19:12.) If the phrase in 2:26 and keeps My works until the end is an additional requirement to him who overcomes rather than a further explanation of what it means to be an overcomer, then why is verse 26 the only overcomer statement in Revelation 23 that has this additional requirement of he who overcomes and . . Revelation 3:5 " He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments, and I will not blot out his name from the Book of Life; but I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels." Revelation 3:12 " He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God, and he shall go out no more. "He who overcomes shall not be hurt by the second death. Mark 11:15 provides the final parallel construction to Revelation 2:26. 3. And this is the victory that overcomes the worldour 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. Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative Masculine 3rd Person Singular. From kata and the base of basis; to descend. .? And the heart listens." 22-23. This search looked for all known examples of kai separating two articular participles that mirror each other with the same tense, case, gender, and number (and that are not the participles of equative verbs, such as eimi, as in Revelation 1:8; 4:8; 11:17; 16:5). 3:18; 4:16-18)a capacity that reflects the degree to which that believer sought to glorify the Lord. In the temple. John himself defined an overcomer as a believer in Christ (I John 5:4-5). 4:2; 2 Peter 1:19). 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. From another form of the base of xestes; timber; by implication, a stick, club or tree or other wooden article or substance. "To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.". From nike; to subdue. 2 Corinthians 12:4 How that he was caught up into paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter. Apparently a primary word; the ear. 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 Gods provision for strength and victory. (a) the ear, (b) met: the faculty of perception. It does not say what many people assume it says, namely, that these Tribulation saints are overcomers because they did not love their lives to the death. The preposition dia with the accusative case expressing cause occurs twice in the first clause of the sentence but not a third time in the final clause of the sentence about martyrdomand they did not love their lives to the death. The language and syntax of this verse shows that being an overcomer is not defined by being a martyr for the Lord, which is additional to being an overcomer. 15 Donald Grey Barnhouse, Revelation, An Expository Commentary, Gods Last Word, Zondervan, Grand Rapids, 1971, pp. support. Should Christians Invest in the Stock Market? A city, the inhabitants of a city. Revelation 2:11 Jeremiah 1:18 For, behold, I have made thee this day a defenced city, and an iron pillar, and brasen walls against the whole land, against the kings of Judah, against the princes thereof, against the priests thereof, and against the people of the land. Answer In each of the letters to the seven churches of Asia Minor recorded in Revelation, there are promises to him who overcomes. Believers can fail.9. 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. Rev. Though all believers will be in a state of purity and fellowship with God after the Rapture by virtue of being in sinless, glorified bodies, to walk with Christ in white in the coming Kingdom will be a reward for a walk of purity with the Lord now. Rather, it only shows that there are two separate requirements for receiving the promise of authority over the nations (vv. Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers, NT Prophecy: Revelation 2:7 He who has an ear let him (Rev. He that has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit said to the churches; To him that overcomes will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the middle of the paradise of God. Revelation 2:7 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God. 4:3, 4; Eph. Our standing in Christ is no artificial position of immunity. Nevertheless, victory requires our cooperation with Gods operation. 17:3-4; 2 Cor. However, the grammatical structure does not equate the two actions of the participlesovercoming and keeping. Read full chapter It should be noted that some of the Christians at Corinth had died in a state of carnality as a direct result of Gods judgment which Paul carefully defined as Gods disciplinary action. His work, built upon the foundation that is Christ Jesus, abides the test of the Lords 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. These passages are promises to those who are real Christians - to those who continue in the faith and do not leave as the result of persecution or for any other reason. One star differeth from another star in glory.14. A third passage, Revelation 12:11, is sometimes used to support the idea that all overcomers are faithful, working, persevering believers. I will write on him the name of My God and the name of the city of My God, the New Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from My God. A deity, especially the supreme Divinity; figuratively, a magistrate; by Hebraism, very. . Re Apocalypse). 5:16-26. This shows that the point of correlation between verse 4 and verse 5 is not the act of overcoming but the act of being clothed in white. The Book of life is a register of those who are to live forever (see Philippians 4:3). Perhaps from the same as oros; the sky; by extension, heaven; by implication, happiness, power, eternity; specially, the Gospel. In the same way, the activities of overcoming and keeping/persevering in Revelation 2:26 do not mean the same thing. (1) Are these warnings against the loss of salvation as some have advocated? We are to put no confidence in the flesh (Phil. He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments, and I will not blot out his name from the Book of Life; but I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels. The promises of Christ in Revelation 3:4-5 are similar to those in Revelation 2:26-28. Article Images Copyright 2023 Getty Images unless otherwise indicated. And I will write on him My new name. Revelation 14:1 And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Sion, and with him an hundred forty and four thousand, having his Father's name written in their foreheads. Write upon him.--Or, grave upon it. Probably emphatic of tis; an interrogative pronoun, who, which or what. The one who is victorious will not be hurt at all by the second death. 13:14 [put on]; 1 Tim. In the third appendix of this book I am giving the reasons why I believe this view is wrong. However, it can be demonstrated grammatically that the presence of thus (houts) in verse 5 does not refer back to verse 4 so as to define the meaning of he who overcomes. Thus (houts) is used adverbially with the word that follows, peribaleitai (be clothed), rather than the words which precede it, ho nikn (he who overcomes). If we overcome our names will not be blotted out from the Book of Life, Jesus promised. The Letters to the Seven Churches of Asia in Their Local Setting by Colin Hemer. 4:2). Jesus Himself dictated these letters to the apostle John, commanding him to write them down and send them to these churches, together with the whole book. The temple is , the shrine, the dwelling place of God, not , the whole extent of the sacred buildings. Eating of the tree of life is a reward that shall be given to the overcomer in addition to his salvation. Essentially and according to their view the race of faith not only started at the moment we believed, but also finished at that moment. 3:16; 1 Cor. The Bible does not promise that all true believers will live victorious, holy lives. Verse 37 says, "In all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us." (1Jn 1Jn. Robert L. Thomas, Revelation 1-7: An Exegetical Commentary (Chicago: Moody, 1992), 232. Finally, the last promise to the one who overcomes (3:21) is set against the context of the Saviors invitation for fellowship (3:20). A relation of rest; 'in, ' at, on, by, etc. As there are degrees of punishment [in hell] so there are degrees of reward [in heaven]. In fact, if the promises of Revelation 2 and 3 are not restrictive, then we have what appears to be a contradiction between Luke 19:11f and Revelation 2:26 and 3:21. An overcomer is not someone who has some special power in the Christian life or someone who has learned some secret of victory. Thus every Christian is an overcomer, though the various promises in these seven letters are addressed particularly to each local believing group, and tailored to the special circumstances found in each church.10, Walvoord agrees and writes: This promise should not be construed as reward for only a special group of Christians but a normal expectation for all Christians.11, Note that a special word is spoken to the overcomers in each church (2:7, 11, 17, 26; 3:5, 12, 21). The, the definite article. First, it is not saying that there are three activities by which a person is an overcomer: believing in Christs substitutionary death, witnessing for Christ, and being a martyr. 5:8-9; Eph. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world. What is commanded to be written to the angels, that is, the ministers of the churches of Ephesus. To him who overcomes, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God" (Revelation 2:7, NIV). It is His record that keeps us not ours. A primary preposition denoting position, and instrumentality, i.e. The answer may be as simple as noting that a few verses earlier Christ had just given the Thyatirans a promise that is also unique among the seven churches, namely, to give to each one according to his works (2:23). Revelation 12:11 They are directly tied to knowing the Word. 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. Christ speaks a special word of encouragement to them, and certainly we may apply these words to ourselves today.12. A primary preposition denoting origin, from, out. (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. To offer, give; I put, place. ", Revelation 3:12 A primary verb; to 'grave', especially to write; figuratively, to describe. Second, regarding the use of the article (ho) before each participle, and with the two articular participles being separated by kai, it is curious why Thomas says this has the effect of making the two participles equal. Keathley is mistaken about the presence of kai at the beginning of a sentence linking the two verses in such a way that their contents are equated. 1 John 5:4 For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. 5:16f). 8 John F. MacArthur, The Gospel According to Jesus, Revised and Expanded Edition, Zondervan Publishing House, 1988, p. 253. A primary preposition denoting position, and instrumentality, i.e. (Comp. I am writing to you, young men, because you have overcome the evil one. Other passages appear to confirm this interpretation (Num. And let him that heareth say, Come. Though the Acts and the epistles have as their author the same Holy Spirit as the gospels, Jesus is not speaking in the first person there. Even though we might not be able to agree on all the details, there will be certain truths that are self evident and very practical, exhorting and challenging to us in our Christian walk. And let him that is athirst come. He states: In Revelation 2:26 overcoming is also connected to what follows or to keeping Christs works until the end. Christians can fail to live for the Lord and overcome the desires of the flesh (1 Cor. In Revelation 3:5 the word thus (houts) is clearly used as an adverb to modify the word which comes after it, peribaleitai (be clothed), rather than ho nikn (he who overcomes). The temple in the Revelation is the abode of God, the sacred shrine into which all may be privileged to enter, both in this world and in the world to come. By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and obey his commandments. 21 He that overcomes, to him will I give to sit with me in my throne; as I also have overcome, and have sat down with my Father in his throne. This conclusion is further supported by the fact that in the twenty-two other uses of houts in Johns writings (John 3:8, 14, 16; 4:6; 5:21, 26; 7:46; 11:48; 12:50; 13:25; 14:31; 15:4; 18:22; 21:1; 1 John 2:6; 4:11; Rev. 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. 1 Cor. Of Hebrew origin; Hierusalem, the capitol of Palestine. English Standard Version In Revelation 2:26 the description of the recipient is twofoldhe who overcomes and keeps My works to the end. Similarly in Revelation 3:4-5 all overcomers will wear white garments (v. 5) but only those who walk in a worthy manner will receive the privilege of being able to walk with Christ in white (v. 4), which is a privilege or reward of greater intimacy and fellowship with Christ. He who overcomes shall not be hurt by the second death. Of uncertain affinity; new. In, on, among. What do the seven churches in Revelation stand for? 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. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful. They occur in different books, with different contexts that contain a number of differences and the differences are such that they suggest that the references to overcoming in Revelation 2 and 3 are not defined by 1 John 5. Or is overcomer simply another name for those who are genuinely regenerate believers?1, Almost all the references to overcoming mention a promise for all believers, promises that accompany salvation. John 6:39; 7:38; 1 John 2:24, 27) (Lee, Revelation, 4:529).3, Thomass explanation of the overcomer in this passage requires a rather technical response. These seven passages are not the only passages that touch on the issue of overcoming or victory over the conflicts and adversaries that we face in this life. Furthermore, they are not statements affirming the preservation of the saints. The only sense in which they are equal is that they refer to the same person. It should be evident, then, that the white garment in 3:5 is a reward for works of righteousness that occur after salvation. Verb - Future Indicative Active - 1st Person Singular. What was Jesus message to the church in Laodicea in Revelation. Romans 8:37 Verse Concepts But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us. Those in it will have eternal life and enter into the new Jerusalem (Revelation 21:27) but those who will not be in it will end up in the lake of fire (Revelation 20:15). 8:37), a compound of nikaw and the preposition %uper, over, beyond, above. Triumph is qriambeuw, to triumph over, to lead in triumphant procession and hence to make a public spectacle of a conquered enemy (Col. 2:15). 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 rewardthe reward of being clothed in white garments. 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. To him who overcomes, I will grant to eat of the tree of life, which is in the Paradise of God.' Legacy Standard Bible He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. These three examples demonstrate that an article preceding each participle of the same tense, case, gender, and number, separated by kai, does not make equal either the two entities described by the participles or the two activities of the participles. 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). 6:12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. Psalm 87:3 Glorious things are spoken of thee, O city of God. 5:18 [be filled]). However, since Revelation 22:16 explicitly states that the morning star is none other than Jesus Christ Himself, it is best to follow this same interpretation in 2:28. A prolonged form of a primary verb; to give. 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 rewardthe reward of being clothed in white garments.7. It would seem strange to think of only some believers eating of the tree of life, or not being hurt by the second death, or not being clothed in white garments. This is also true in Revelation 2:21 where the Lord speaks concerning Jezebel, the false prophetess in Thyatira, saying, And (kai) I gave her time to repent . Note also 1 Corinthians 15:10; Philippians 2:12-13. (1) Faith (1 John 5:5; 2 Cor. This shows God was dealing with them as His children (cf. And he shall go no more out. Next section: A straight look at some of the "hard sayings" of Jesus: Conclusion, he who overcomes, and keeps My works until the end, A straight look at some of the "hard sayings" of Jesus: Conclusion. those who retreat, stepping back. Get Your Bible Minute in Your Inbox Every Morning, Each letter closes with one or more promises for he who overcomes. The question arises, Who is the overcomer?, The question that needs resolving involves a proper identification of this overcomer. 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. Salvation and victory is completely of the Lord. This conclusion harmonizes well with the content of the promises to the overcomer in Revelation 23, some of which, it is more evident, are salvation promises rather than earned rewards: To him who overcomes I will give to eat from the tree of life (2:7); He who overcomes shall not be hurt by the second death (2:11); and He who overcomes . In this verse, Christ says to the church in Thyatira, And he who overcomes, and keeps My works until the end, to him I will give power over the nations. J. Hampton Keathley gives two reasons why this verse supposedly proves that only obedient believers are overcomers. The, the definite article. Verb - Future Indicative Active - 1st Person Singular. Interrogative / Indefinite Pronoun - Accusative Neuter Singular. 3:21 He who overcomes, I will grant to him to sit down with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne. Isaiah 65:15 And ye shall leave your name for a curse unto my chosen: for the Lord GOD shall slay thee, and call his servants by another name: Ephesians 3:15 Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named. The nominative absolute is common in Johns other writings (cf. The latter word occurs often in St. John's Gospel, but never in the Apocalypse. This indicates that Christ never promises a crown to him who overcomes because not all overcomers receive crownsonly deserving overcomers/believers do. It was previously noted that Revelation 23 contains a pattern of Christ promising a reward to faithful believers in a particular church (2:10, 23, 25; 3:11) followed later by a promise of salvation blessings to the overcomers within that church (2:11, 26-28; 3:12). No two Christians lives are the same in terms of their struggles and triumphs. (a) I make, manufacture, construct, (b) I do, act, cause. 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). Notice that in 2:10 and 3:11 the two references to a crown come before the overcomer statements of 2:11 and 3:12. The Lord says, And he who overcomes and (italics mine) he who keeps My deeds until the end, to him I will give authority over the nations. This clearly shows that the overcomer here is not only a believer, but one who keeps the Lords deeds.2. 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. Thus Joab fears that Rabbah may be called after his name, i.e. There is a fine balance that must be observed in Scripture. NASB The one who overcomes, and the one who keeps My deeds until the end, I will give him authority over thenations; CSB The one who conquers and who keeps my works to the end: I will give him authority over the nations -- NLT To all who are victorious, who obey me to the very end, To them I will give authority over all the nations. New King James Version To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne. In order to correctly interpret this verse, it should be carefully observed once again what this verse is saying and what it is not saying. Furthermore, while the failure to overcome may be an indication of false profession, the fact a believer does not overcome the struggles of life, does not automatically prove they are not true Christians. 2 Cor. He who overcomes [the world through believing that Jesus is the Son of God] will accordingly be dressed in white clothing; and I will never blot out his name from the Book of Life, and I will confess and openly acknowledge his name before My Father and before His angels [saying that he is one of Mine]. Or is he part of a special group of Christians who are set apart for eventual martyrdom? Revelation 22:4.) This presupposes and calls attention to the presence of war, contests, battles, and conflicts in man's struggle with evil. These promises apply to all who overcome. Sin corrupted it, but now He has a plan to return it to its original state of perfection, and He will reward those who help Him carry out this plan. Let him think twice who would answer a dogmatic Yes to this question. The Word builds my faith, directs it, and the Spirit speaks to us through the Word. Two key passages that illustrate the nature of our conflict with evil are Ephesians 2:1-2 and 6:12: Eph. The Bible teaches that all believers in Jesus Christ are overcomers based on their position in Him, the perfect Overcoming One, rather than their own imperfect practice or walk as believers. And as is obvious from what Jesus says, the book of life does not only accept new entries. 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, . From a compound of ek and a derivative of kaleo; a calling out, i.e. And I will write upon him the name of my God (cf. The allusion is to the golden frontlet inscribed with the name of Jehovah. 12:3; 1 Cor. If Christ in Revelation 2:26 was intending to show a connection or equation between the topic of verse 26 and that of verse 25, then He most likely would have begun His sentence with another conjunction such as houts, like He does in Revelation 2:15 and 3:16. Revelation 13:9 If any man have an ear, let him hear. It is amazing all that is promised to the one who overcomes; to the one who perseveres to the end, who keeps the works and the words of Jesus even unto the point of death. 1 Cor 3:1-3; 11:30; see also Gal 6:1-5; Jas 5:19-20; and 1 John 5:16)! To him who overcomes, I will give to eat from the tree of life, which is in the midst of the Paradise of God.". Conspicuously, crowns are never mentioned within any of the seven overcomer statements of chapters 23. 2:10; 3:11) as references to rewards and the following two overcomer statements (2:11; 3:12) as promises of future salvation blessings for all believers designed to give believers incentive to persevere in the present conflict because of guaranteed future victory. Closely related to Christs 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. 1 Kings 7:21 And he set up the pillars in the porch of the temple: and he set up the right pillar, and called the name thereof Jachin: and he set up the left pillar, and called the name thereof Boaz. In, on, among. Does 1 John 5:4-5 define who the overcomers are in Revelation 2 and 3? Eternal life is the prerequisite for membership in the true Church. AMPC He who overcomes (is victorious), I will grant him to sit beside Me on My throne, as I Myself overcame (was victorious) and sat down beside My Father on His throne. Real Christians will remain, and those who leave were never real Christians. This passage is simply teaching that all who are overcomers (believers) will wear white (v. 5), but those who are believers (overcomers) and who walk worthily shall not only wear white but will also receive the reward of walking with Christ in white (v. 4). 119:9, 11, 45; John 8:32; 17:17; Rom. 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 worldour 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?.
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