Jesus wrote to 7 churches, telling them what they need to overcome to receive eternal life.
But, as for us … “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”
To the church at Ephesus: “To him who overcomes I will give to eat from the tree of life” (Rev 2:7)
To the church at Smyrna: “He who overcomes shall not be hurt by the second death.” (Rev 2:11)
To the church at Pergamos: “To him who overcomes I will give some of the hidden manna to eat.
And I will give him a white stone, and on the stone a new name written which no one knows
except him who receives it.” (Rev 2:17)
To the church at Thyatira: “And he who overcomes, and keeps My works until the end,
to him I will give power over the nations … and I will give him the morning star.” (Rev 2:26)
To the church at Sardis: “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.” (Rev 3:5)
To the church at Philadelphia: “He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple
of My God, and he shall go out no more. 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. And I will write on him My new name.” (Rev 3:12)
To the church at Laodicea: “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.” (Rev 3:21)
“He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be My son.
But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers,
idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone,
which is the second death.” (Rev 21:7-8)
Note about the second death in Rev 2:11
“Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection.
Over such the second death has no power, but they shall be priests of God …” (Rev 20:6)
The holy ones do not experience the second death (they overcome the second death).
He who overcomes habitual sinning shall not experience the second death (Rev 21:7-8).
Note about overcoming like Jesus overcame in Rev 3:21
This verse disqualifies what some believe “overcoming” means in 1 John 5:5 …
“Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?”
Jesus did not overcome by believing that He is the Son of God, did He?
Jesus is not talking about only overcoming the world; He is talking about a whole lot more!
Note about an example of a deadly sin in Rev 21:7-8
“… you know that NO murderer has eternal life abiding in him” (1 John 3:15).
Murder is just one example of the deadly sins that cause the second death.
An obvious example of what Christians must overcome to receive eternal life
They must overcome all obstacles, persecutions, etc. to the endurance of their faith until death.
“And you will be hated by all for My name’s sake. But he who endures to the end will be saved.”
(Matthew 10:22, Mark 13:13)
Many other passages confirm this: Luke 14:28-33, John 15:2-6, 1 Cor 15:1-2, Phil 2:12-16,
1 Tim 4:1, 1 Tim 4:16, Heb 2:1-3, Heb 3:6, Heb 10:36-39, James 1:12-15, 1 Pet 1:5-9
Another obvious example of what Christians must overcome to receive eternal life
They must overcome sin by confessing and repenting of them as they are being sanctified.
These 7 lists of sins condemn everyone who is involved in habitual unrepented-of sinning:
1 Cor 6:9-10, Gal 5:19-21, Gal 6:7-8, Eph 5:3-6, Col 3:5-6, Rev 21:7-8, Rev 22:14-15
“Pursue … holiness, without which no one will see the Lord” (Heb 12:14)
But, as for us … “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”
To the church at Ephesus: “To him who overcomes I will give to eat from the tree of life” (Rev 2:7)
To the church at Smyrna: “He who overcomes shall not be hurt by the second death.” (Rev 2:11)
To the church at Pergamos: “To him who overcomes I will give some of the hidden manna to eat.
And I will give him a white stone, and on the stone a new name written which no one knows
except him who receives it.” (Rev 2:17)
To the church at Thyatira: “And he who overcomes, and keeps My works until the end,
to him I will give power over the nations … and I will give him the morning star.” (Rev 2:26)
To the church at Sardis: “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.” (Rev 3:5)
To the church at Philadelphia: “He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple
of My God, and he shall go out no more. 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. And I will write on him My new name.” (Rev 3:12)
To the church at Laodicea: “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.” (Rev 3:21)
“He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be My son.
But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers,
idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone,
which is the second death.” (Rev 21:7-8)
Note about the second death in Rev 2:11
“Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection.
Over such the second death has no power, but they shall be priests of God …” (Rev 20:6)
The holy ones do not experience the second death (they overcome the second death).
He who overcomes habitual sinning shall not experience the second death (Rev 21:7-8).
Note about overcoming like Jesus overcame in Rev 3:21
This verse disqualifies what some believe “overcoming” means in 1 John 5:5 …
“Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?”
Jesus did not overcome by believing that He is the Son of God, did He?
Jesus is not talking about only overcoming the world; He is talking about a whole lot more!
Note about an example of a deadly sin in Rev 21:7-8
“… you know that NO murderer has eternal life abiding in him” (1 John 3:15).
Murder is just one example of the deadly sins that cause the second death.
An obvious example of what Christians must overcome to receive eternal life
They must overcome all obstacles, persecutions, etc. to the endurance of their faith until death.
“And you will be hated by all for My name’s sake. But he who endures to the end will be saved.”
(Matthew 10:22, Mark 13:13)
Many other passages confirm this: Luke 14:28-33, John 15:2-6, 1 Cor 15:1-2, Phil 2:12-16,
1 Tim 4:1, 1 Tim 4:16, Heb 2:1-3, Heb 3:6, Heb 10:36-39, James 1:12-15, 1 Pet 1:5-9
Another obvious example of what Christians must overcome to receive eternal life
They must overcome sin by confessing and repenting of them as they are being sanctified.
These 7 lists of sins condemn everyone who is involved in habitual unrepented-of sinning:
1 Cor 6:9-10, Gal 5:19-21, Gal 6:7-8, Eph 5:3-6, Col 3:5-6, Rev 21:7-8, Rev 22:14-15
“Pursue … holiness, without which no one will see the Lord” (Heb 12:14)
