Born-again believers have been set free from sin,
which enables them to be overcomers and victorious.
All Scriptures are from The Living Bible …
“All praise to Him (Jesus) who always loves us
and who set us free from our sins …” (Revelation 1:5)
“Should we keep on sinning when we don’t have to? For sin’s power
over us was broken when we became Christians … through His death
the power of your sinful nature was shattered.” (Romans 6:2-3)
“… your sin-loving body is no longer under sin’s control,
no longer needs to be a slave to sin … your old sin-loving
nature ‘died’ with Christ … So look upon your old sin nature
as dead and unresponsive to sin …” (Romans 6:6-11)
“Sin need never again be your master, for now you
are no longer tied to the law where sin enslaves you,
but you are free under God’s favor and mercy.” (Romans 6:14)
“Don’t you realize that you can choose your own master?
You can choose sin (with death) or else obedience (with acquittal)
… you are free from your old master, sin ... so now you must let
yourselves be slaves to all that is right and holy.” (Romans 6:16-19)
“But now you are free from the power of sin and are slaves of God,
and His benefits to you include holiness and everlasting life.” (Romans 6:22)
Hopefully they were God’s slaves, because that’s what they were called to be!
This is another instance of Paul’s encouragement gone way overboard.
Does being set free automatically make a believer God’s slave?
No … the believer’s free will is involved; he/she is not made into a robot.
Jesus had John write to the believers in the 7 churches in Turkey
Please note that all of these believers were instructed to overcome!
All Scriptures are from the NKJV …
To Ephesus, the loveless church (Rev 2:7)
“To him who overcomes I will give to eat from the tree of life,
which is in the midst of the Paradise of God.”
Those who overcome Satan and his temptations get to eat from the tree of life
… and having eaten from it, they shall receive eternal life.
To Smyrna, the persecuted church (Rev 2:10-11)
“Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of (eternal) life.
… He who overcomes shall not be hurt by the second death.”
The second death refers to eternal death, which is the lake of fire.
To Pergamos, the compromising church (Rev 2:17)
“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.”
In the OT, a white stone was given as proof of having been invited.
To Thyatira, the corrupt church (Rev 2:26-28)
“And he who overcomes, and keeps My works until the end,
to him I will give power over the nations … as I also have
received from My Father; and I will give him the morning star.”
Some other translations say, “does Christ’s will to the end”.
To Sardis, the dead church (Rev 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.”
Those dressed in white will be declared righteous in God’s sight.
Those who do NOT remain firm in faith will have their names erased.
To Philadelphia, the faithful church (Rev 3:12)
“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.”
Those who overcome Satan will dwell forever with God and Christ.
To Laodicea, the lukewarm church (Rev 3:21)
“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.”
Please note: Jesus did not overcome by believing He is the Son of God.
He is talking about a different overcoming than John does in 1 John 5:5.
which enables them to be overcomers and victorious.
All Scriptures are from The Living Bible …
“All praise to Him (Jesus) who always loves us
and who set us free from our sins …” (Revelation 1:5)
“Should we keep on sinning when we don’t have to? For sin’s power
over us was broken when we became Christians … through His death
the power of your sinful nature was shattered.” (Romans 6:2-3)
“… your sin-loving body is no longer under sin’s control,
no longer needs to be a slave to sin … your old sin-loving
nature ‘died’ with Christ … So look upon your old sin nature
as dead and unresponsive to sin …” (Romans 6:6-11)
“Sin need never again be your master, for now you
are no longer tied to the law where sin enslaves you,
but you are free under God’s favor and mercy.” (Romans 6:14)
“Don’t you realize that you can choose your own master?
You can choose sin (with death) or else obedience (with acquittal)
… you are free from your old master, sin ... so now you must let
yourselves be slaves to all that is right and holy.” (Romans 6:16-19)
“But now you are free from the power of sin and are slaves of God,
and His benefits to you include holiness and everlasting life.” (Romans 6:22)
Hopefully they were God’s slaves, because that’s what they were called to be!
This is another instance of Paul’s encouragement gone way overboard.
Does being set free automatically make a believer God’s slave?
No … the believer’s free will is involved; he/she is not made into a robot.
Jesus had John write to the believers in the 7 churches in Turkey
Please note that all of these believers were instructed to overcome!
All Scriptures are from the NKJV …
To Ephesus, the loveless church (Rev 2:7)
“To him who overcomes I will give to eat from the tree of life,
which is in the midst of the Paradise of God.”
Those who overcome Satan and his temptations get to eat from the tree of life
… and having eaten from it, they shall receive eternal life.
To Smyrna, the persecuted church (Rev 2:10-11)
“Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of (eternal) life.
… He who overcomes shall not be hurt by the second death.”
The second death refers to eternal death, which is the lake of fire.
To Pergamos, the compromising church (Rev 2:17)
“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.”
In the OT, a white stone was given as proof of having been invited.
To Thyatira, the corrupt church (Rev 2:26-28)
“And he who overcomes, and keeps My works until the end,
to him I will give power over the nations … as I also have
received from My Father; and I will give him the morning star.”
Some other translations say, “does Christ’s will to the end”.
To Sardis, the dead church (Rev 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.”
Those dressed in white will be declared righteous in God’s sight.
Those who do NOT remain firm in faith will have their names erased.
To Philadelphia, the faithful church (Rev 3:12)
“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.”
Those who overcome Satan will dwell forever with God and Christ.
To Laodicea, the lukewarm church (Rev 3:21)
“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.”
Please note: Jesus did not overcome by believing He is the Son of God.
He is talking about a different overcoming than John does in 1 John 5:5.
