p. 42 | OVERCOMING by G. V. Kilgore

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Aug 3, 1876

OVERCOMING

By G. V. Kilgore

Jesus says, “Strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.” He says to his followers, “In the world ye shall have tribulation; but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.” Our Lord has trodden this narrow way before us, and is acquainted with it. He knows there are many trials in it; there are tribulations to pass through; there are conflicts to meet, and victories to gain, if we would win eternal life. But he has not left us to pass through these dark places without help. He first plainly tells us the way is narrow. He warns us to expect tribulation, and then he encourages us to be of good cheer; for he has overcome the world. He was tempted on all points as we are tempted, yet he conquered every besetment, and is therefore fully able to succor them that are tempted.

Great rewards are promised by him to the overcomer. “To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.” “To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.” “He that overcometh shall inherit all things.” To overcome is to conquer foes, to surmount difficulties. But what are we to overcome, in order to receive these great rewards? We must overcome all things that hinder us from walking in the footsteps of our Leader. We must overcome, even as he overcame; that is, our victory must be a perfect one. All that sit on Christ’s throne will be as pure as though they never had sinned. They will have been washed in the blood of the Lamb, who endured temptations, but never sinned.

Christ overcame the world; and he calls upon us to follow him. It is the world, then, that we are to overcome. 1 John 5: 4, 5. We must conquer the world! Alexander the Great conquered the world in one sense. With weapons of carnal warfare he subdued the nations of the earth. But the war in which Christians are engaged is not like that. “For the weapons

of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds; casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.”

Although Alexander conquered the world and was called great, the world, in fact, conquered him and caused his death. “All that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.” These very things overcame the Grecian king, and put an end to his existence. These are the things that caused our parents to sin in Eden. Christ stood severe trials on the same points (Luke 4), and bore off victory every time. He calls upon us to follow him. He has promised us help. Will we stand the vexations that come in our way?

The little trials we have now are nothing to what his soldiers in the past have stood. Think of Paul’s persecutions and afflictions at Antioch, at Iconium, and at Lystra. He was a brave soldier of the cross. Professors to-day feel hurt when men speak evil of them. They sometimes complain when they are not esteemed as highly as somebody else. But the great apostle Paul could afford to be expelled from Antioch by the chief men of the city, after hearing the Jews contradict and blaspheme. From Antioch he went to Iconium, where an assault was made, and they attempted to use him despitefully and to stone him. Escaping from there, he went to Lystra; and while he was preaching the gospel, healing the sick, and awakening a deep interest, certain Jews came from Antioch and Iconium, “who persuaded the people, and, having stoned Paul, drew him out of the city, supposing he had been dead.” But he survived this abuse and went on preaching the same unpopular doctrine. He exhorted the disciples to continue in the faith, telling them that “we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God.”

Paul endured all this, not merely to gain for himself an eternal inheritance, but, as he himself expressed it, “for the elect’s sakes, that they may also obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.”

Oh! if this follower of Christ could stand firm for God through all his trials, should we not stand our light afflictions? Truly could the apostle say at his death, “I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith.” Paul overcame what we must all overcome—the lusts of the flesh and the pride of life. 1 Cor. 9: 27. He died in full hope of a crown of righteousness at Christ’s appearing. 2 Tim. 4: 6–8. And all those who love the appearing of Jesus will also receive crowns of glory at that day. All overcomers will realize the promises that Christ has made. They will eat of the “tree of life.” They will sit with him in his throne; and they will “inherit all things.” Glorious promises! Rich rewards!

Dear reader, do you want to enter the city of God, those mansions that are brighter than the light of seven noonday suns? Follow Christ. Do you want to eat the fruit of the tree of life, and drink of the waters that flow from the throne of the Eternal One? Overcome. If you want to reign on high amid the joys of Heaven for a thousand years, and then descend to the eternal inheritance with all the shining hosts of angels and redeemed men in the New Jerusalem; and if you want to live on this earth when it is made new, now is the time to get ready—overcome.

G. V. KILGORE.

Sidney, Iowa, July 21, 1876.