THE OVERCOMER by W. N. G.

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Apr 10, 1893

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 19, No. 23.

THE OVERCOMER.

By W. N. G.

"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." Rev. 3:21. Overcoming implies doing something. The reward here promised is to those who overcome even as Christ overcame, and his life was made up of doing. He went about doing good, not merely being good. He "gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works." Titus 2:14. True, we are justified by faith, and not by our own works, but works is the only recognized proof of the faith. See James 2:20.

Christ says, "Without me ye can do nothing;" but he does not thereby say that there is nothing to be done, or that there is nothing for us to do. He simply says that we can do nothing without him. There are many things in our ordinary vocations which we have to do, but which we cannot do without help. Yet because we cannot perform the work alone, it is none the less our duty to do it. So it is in the work of overcoming; we cannot say that it is not our duty to overcome the world, to overcome our own evil inclina-

tions, and to become "zealous of good works," merely because we cannot do it ourselves. The obligation is made all the more binding upon us because we have the promise of efficient help. "All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth," says Christ, "and lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world."

All good work is the Lord's work, whether done by us or through some other agency. But if we let him work through us, by yielding ourselves servants to obey (Rom. 6:16), and give him the glory of the work, he will accredit it all to us in the books of heaven. We will have no righteousness of our own, but, by believing his word, and yielding ourselves to him, he will give us the benefit of his righteousness. In all the good works possible to us as overcomers, while working out our own salvation "with fear and trembling," the apostle Paul says "it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure." Phil. 2:13.

But while it is true that we cannot do anything good without Christ, it is equally true that he cannot work out our salvation independent of us. He said to Jerusalem, "How often would I have gathered thy children together, as a hen doth gather her brood under her wings, and ye would not." To the church to-day he says, "Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me." Then our part is to let him come in, and to become passive instruments in his hands. We must let him feed us with the bread of life, which is his word (John 6:63), and resist not the Holy Spirit, whose temple we are if we let him come in. By so doing it becomes our privilege as well as duty to "walk even as he walked."

The process of overcoming is not a smooth operation. If we suffer, we shall also reign with him (2 Tim. 2:12); that is, sit with him in his throne, which is the overcomer's reward. The overcomer must endure chastisement. "Who may abide the day of his coming? and who shall stand when he appeareth? for he is like a refiner's fire, and like fuller's soap." Mal. 3:2. This refining and purifying process involves some severe operations, holding over the fire until the dross has been burned out, and the Saviour's likeness appears in our characters. The same idea is expressed in John 15:2: "Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away; and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit." This purging (or cleansing, as the Revised Version has it) may also be severe in some of its operations. With the vine

it means pruning, or cutting off superfluous branches or attachments. It is equivalent to the chastisement referred to in Hebrews 12, whereof all legitimate children of God are partakers.

The overcomer must resist temptation in various forms. He must resist the improper demands of appetite, and put away "all filthiness of the flesh and spirit." "Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God." 1 Cor. 10:31. Deception is another prominent evil that comes across the path of the Christian pilgrim. "There shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect." Matt. 24:24.

And the violence of civil government comes in as a formidable obstacle in the way of the overcomer. A governmental power is revealed in Revelation 13, "saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by the sword, and did live. And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image to the beast should be killed. And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads; and that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name."

The overcomer must pass through perilous times. "This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come; for men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, truce breakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, traitors, heady, high minded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof; from such turn away." 2 Tim. 3:1-5. If we "turn away" from these formally "godly" people, we incur their enmity, and consequently the opposition of all the vicious characteristics here portrayed.

As a result, especially of this want of affection, this disposition to falsely accuse, and this despising of those that are good,—the loyal people of God in the last days, as in days gone by, will have to overcome betrayal by even family connections. "And the brother shall deliver up the brother to death, and the father the child; and the children shall rise up against their parents, and cause them to be put to death. And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake; but he that endureth to the end shall be saved." Matt. 10:21, 22.

If you, reader, have entered, or desire to enter, the race for the overcomer's reward, do not become discouraged at the straitness of the way. The apostle Paul was a great sufferer, but in the faith of Christ he could say that "the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us." Take courage; look away from feeble self to Him who is able to keep you even "from all appearance of evil." Drop in line with Paul, who could say, "I delight in the law of God after the inward man." Rom. 7:22. You can have the same inward man that Paul had. Who was that inward man? Let us see. "I am crucified with Christ; nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me." Gal. 2:20.

Take courage; Christ will also dwell in you by his Spirit—if you will let him. "And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it"—if you let him. By letting him come in to dwell with you, and do the work for you, he will reward you according to the work which you let him do for you.

Do you ask how you can know if the work is being done for you? "The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance; against such there is no law." Gal. 5:22, 23. These things are all in harmony with the law of God, which must witness to the righteousness of the overcomer's works wrought in the faith of Jesus Christ. Rom. 3:21, 22.