LESSON III
Becoming An Overcomer
Salvation is a gift from God and is not based upon works or abiding by obedience to the Law but upon what Jesus did on the Cross (Acts 2:38-39). Jesus said that genuine overcomers are those who are Born-Again and have been born from above by God through the new birth of the New Covenant. They will never be blotted out of the 'Book of Life' because "No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God's seed, abides in him, and he cannot keep on sinning because he has been born of God" (1 John 3:9 ESV - See also 1 John 5:4-5; Revelation 3:5).
The Born-Again Christian has been delivered from the domain of darkness and transferred to the Kingdom of Jesus (Colossians 1:13). The only way a person can ensure they never receive the Mark of the Beast is to be Born-Again because Jesus instantly sets HIS "seal" of ownership upon them as a guarantee of salvation and His promise never to leave or forsake them is unconditional (2 Corinthians 1:21-22; Hebrews 13:5; Ephesians 1:13, 4:30; 2 Timothy 2:19).
Jesus will keep them from stumbling and present them blameless before the presence of His glory with great joy to the only God, our Savior, who will sustain them to the end to be guiltless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ (Jude 1:24-25; 1 Corinthians 1:8).
Jesus said, "All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out" (John 6:37 ESV). The Bible says those who walk, fall away, or leave the faith, were never with Jesus (1 John 2:19).
Perseverance
Because God is love, the Born-Again Christian dwells in love, and love dwells in them as they rejoice "with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres" (1 Corinthians 13:6-7 ESV). They will persevere in trusting-faith under all circumstances, even in the face of extreme opposition, because they were reconciled to God "in order to present" them before Jesus "holy and blameless and beyond reproach" (Colossians 1:21-23 ESV - Also 1 Timothy 4:16; James 1:3-4, 12, 5:11; 2 Peter 1:6; Revelation 2:2-3,19). Their perseverance will be blessed with the promises of God (Hebrews 10:36, 12:1; James 1:12).
Obedience
The Holy Spirit is given to those who obey God. He is not given to those who pretend to obey God but to those who naturally obey because they were born from above (Acts 5:32). Those who have not received Jesus as Lord and Savior will "shrink back to destruction" (Hebrews 10:39 ESV - also Matthew 13:19-21). Those who do not hold fast and endure for the promise of the resurrection has believed in vain (1 Corinthians 15:12-19).
Every Born-Again Christian is to "preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching...." "...always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry" (2 Timothy 4:2-5 ESV).
Self-Examination
A person who considers themselves Born-Again must examine their fruit to test and see if they are born from above (2 Corinthians 13:5; John 3:3). The Bible is very clear on this, "Anyone who does not do what is right is not a child of God; nor is anyone who does not love his brother" (1 John 3:10 ESV).
Those who are Born-Again will stand firm to the end, even in the face of persecution, because they are overcomers by trusting-faith in Jesus, who is in them, and greater than he who is in the world (Matthew 10:22; 24:12-13; Mark 13:13; Luke 10:19; 1 John 4:4, 5:3-5). They overcame the enemy "by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death" (Revelation 12:11 ESV). Their names are written in the book of life, and they "will never" be taken out of it" because "No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God's seed abides in him, and he cannot keep on sinning because he has been born of God" (Ephesians 1:4 ESV - also 1 John 3:9, 5:4-5; Revelation 3:1-6; 13:8). Sitting on the throne is a reward for the overcomer (Matthew 19:28, 25:31; Hebrews 8:1, 12:2; Revelation 3:21).
It is the sole responsibility of the Holy Spirit to sustain and keep the Born-Again Christian guiltless and keep them from stumbling so that He can finally present them blameless before the presence of His glory with great joy. He will never let them die, be thirsty again, leave, forsake, cast out, or drive them away, nor can anything grab hold of them to separate them from His love because He gave them the Holy Spirit as a guarantee of salvation (John 4:14, 6:37, 8:12, 10:27-29, 11:25-26; Romans 8:38-39; 1 John 2:1; Jude 1:24; 1 Corinthians 1:8; Philippians 1:6).
The Born-Again Christian can never remove themselves from God's firm grasp or be separated from Him because He bought and paid for them by His shed blood and are His possession and dwelling place. He will never rescind His promise ever to leave them. When God makes a promise, He NEVER reneges on, or breaks, His word.
Salvation is all about what Jesus already did for us and not what we could ever do for Him. As Born-Again Christians, we should plan our life like Jesus isn't coming back for 100 years, but live our life like He is coming back today - because He just might - for you!
Future Timeline
In the Olivet Discourse, Jesus stated: "'this generation will not pass away until all these things take place" (Matthew 23:34 ESV). In this context, "all these things" refers to everything discussed up to that point, including the birth pangs before the first 42 months of the Tribulation, the last 42 months of the Great Tribulation, and the return of Jesus. Also, 'this generation' references the generation that will witness these events.
A couple of questions arise regarding the length of a generation. According to the Bible, God set a generation to be 120 years (Genesis 6:3). When did that generation begin? A typical fruit found in Israel is the fig which grows on a tree and can live hundreds of years, so it cannot be used to determine a timetable. It is mentioned in the Bible as representing Israel (Jeremiah 24:1-10 and Hosea 9:10). Jesus referred to a fig tree about the future of Israel.
"From the fig tree learn its lesson: as soon as its branch becomes tender and puts out its leaves, you know that summer is near. So also, when you see all these things, you know that he is near, at the very gates." (Matthew 24:32-33 ESV)
"Look at the fig tree, and all the trees. As soon as they come out in leaf, you see for yourselves and know that the summer is already near. So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that the kingdom of God is near. Truly, I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all has taken place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away." (Luke 21:29-33 ESV)
Suppose one takes the Balfour Declaration of 1917 as the point where the branches of the fig tree become tender and sprout leaves and add the 120-year time frame as the length of the final generation. This generation could finish in 2037 with the return of Jesus (Matthew 24:32). However, the simple truth is that human beings see things through a dark window. It is an act of futility to try and give a dogmatic estimate for the day Jesus returns.
"Now we see things imperfectly, like puzzling reflections in a mirror, but then we will see everything with perfect clarity. All that I know now is partial and incomplete, but then I will know everything completely, just as God now knows me completely." (1 Corinthians 13:12 NLT)
The church has been saying for over two thousand years that the return of Jesus is about to happen, which has caused people to lay everything aside and prepare for His return, resulting in the world's ridicule. The first-century church also experienced this.
"Above all. you must understand that in the last days, scoffers will come, scoffing and following their evil desires. They will say, "Where is this 'coming' he promised? Ever since our ancestors died, everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation." (2 Peter 3:3-4 ESV)
Jesus prophesied this in the parable of the ten virgins: "As the bridegroom was delayed, they all became drowsy and slept" (Matthew 25:5 ESV). No matter when the Bridegroom comes for His Bride, every Born-Again Christian should be prepared and maintain a sense of great expectation (Matthew 25:6). He commanded us to watch for His return and used parables to emphasize this command (See Matthew 24:42-51, 25:1-13; Mark 13:35-37).
Peter also addressed this in his second letter (2 Peter 3:5-9) and reminded people that God works on His own time:
"But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance." (2 Peter 3:8-9 ESV)
All the signs pointing to the imminent return of Jesus are present, and this is the first generation in which this is true. So, look up now that these signs are seen because the kingdom is near (Luke 21:28-33). The actual date of Jesus' return is unknown and unknowable. Yet, we should be prepared by continually trusting Him because He will return as a thief in the night at the appointed time - and not one microsecond sooner - no matter how much of the Earth's wealth and world systems the Church has taken dominion and control over, or because there is universal unity or that much of the world has been put under the Old Covenant laws.
When Jesus was asked what the primary sign of His coming again was and when the end of the age would be, He said, "Watch out that no one deceives you" (Matthew 24:4 NIV). The end times will not be preceded by a great revival or another Pentecost but by a time of great deception.
There will be a multitude in the church who will be taught false doctrine and be deceived by many false apostles, prophets, evangelists, and pastor/teachers and will stray from the written Word of God, which will cause their hearts to become cold and calloused as they fall away from the faith (2 Thessalonians 2:3, 6-10). There will also be wars and constant talk of wars. There will be hunger and natural disasters. Many will be killed and martyred for believing in Jesus as the Christ (Matthew 7:15-23, 24: 3-12; Mark 13; 2 Thessalonians 2:3; 2 Peter 2:1).
Christians must have a comprehensive working knowledge of Scripture, so they cannot be deceived or misled and help them be victorious spiritual warriors against wolves in sheep's clothing. The Bible commands every Christian to test "the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world" (1 John 4:1 NIV).
CONCLUSION
As conflicts continue to rise upon the Earth, it means that Jesus is returning soon at "an hour you do not expect," so everyone must make themselves "ready" for Him (Matthew 24:42-44 ESV). There is nothing to fear because He "makes wars cease to the end of the Earth; he breaks the bow and shatters the spear; he burns the chariots with fire."
"Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations. I will be exalted in the Earth!" The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress. Selah" (Psalm 46:9-11 ESV).
The Bible implores every person on the planet to make an eternal choice.
"Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out, that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that he may send the Christ appointed for you, Jesus, whom heaven must receive until the time for restoring all the things about which God spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets long ago" (Acts 3:19-21 ESV).
Over the last two thousand years, we have been told that the return of Jesus is soon. Unfortunately, Human Beings see through a glass darkly, which causes them to lose the sense of urgency to prepare for the return of Jesus.
"Now we see things imperfectly, like puzzling reflections in a mirror, but then we will see everything with perfect clarity. All that I know now is partial and incomplete, but then I will know everything completely, just as God now knows me completely." (1 Corinthians 13:12 NLT)
The current events of the world are signs that the Kingdom of God is near and point to the soon return of Jesus (Luke 21:28-33). He commanded every generation to watch for His return and used several parables to illustrate this point, including the ten virgins (Matthew 24:42-51,25:1-13; Mark 13:35-37; Luke 12:39-40) and the master and his servant (Luke 12:35-38,42-46; Matthew 24:42- 51). The Bible reminds us that God works according to His time plan (2 Peter 3:5-9). He will not delay His promise, but is patient with you, not wanting any to perish but all to come to repentance (2 Peter 3:8-9).
Come, Lord Jesus! Maranatha!
