Overcome the World

In John’s letters to the seven churches in the Book of Revelation, he ended each with a statement about what would happen to those who “overcometh”:

·         “To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life” (Revelation 2:7)

·         “He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death” (Revelation 2:11)

·         “To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna” (Revelation 2:17)

·         “He that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations” (Revelation 2:26)

·         “He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment” (Revelation 3:5)

·         “Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out” (Revelation 3:12)

·         “To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne” (Revelation 3:21)

For each of these, the result of overcoming is different, but they all seem to indicate someone receiving eternal life.  Eating of the tree of life, not being hurt by the second death, going no more out of the temple, and sitting with Christ in His throne are all clear representations of receiving eternal life, and I presume the other phrases are meant to represent that as well.  Other scriptures confirm this interpretation.  The Savior told His disciples in the Olivet discourse, saying that “he that remaineth steadfast and is not overcome, the same shall be saved” and “he that shall not be overcome, the same shall be saved” (JSM 1:11, 30).  Here the language is slightly different as the Savior spoke of not being overcome instead of overcoming, but I think it is two sides of the same coin: if we overcome then we are not overcome, and vice versa.   There are two obvious questions, though, that the letters to the seven churches don’t answer: (1) What is to be overcome? and (2) How does one overcome instead of being overcome?  Other scriptures I think help us to answer these questions.

                The Savior told His disciples at the Last Supper: “In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world” (John 16:33).  He said something similar to the Saints in our dispensation: “Fear not, little children, for you are mine, and I have overcome the world” (D&C 50:41).   Just as Christ overcame the world, so we are to overcome the world as His disciples.  He commanded, “I will that ye should overcome the world” (D&C 64:2).  We are to not succumb to the temptations, philosophies, and wickedness of the world which would cause us lose our faith and break our covenants with the Lord.  Paul put it simply: “Be not overcome of evil” (Romans 12:21).  To overcome the world we must learn to “lay aside the things of this world, and seek for the things of a better” (D&C 25:10).  To overcome the world ultimately means that we overcome the adversary’s attempts to lead us away, and we all have power to do so if we choose.  We want to be described like those John wrote about who had “overcome the wicked one” (1 John 2:13, 14).   

                So if the goal is to overcome the world and the adversary, how do we do it?  One of the best answers comes from the Book of Revelation itself, after the letters to the seven churches.  Describing those who were saved, John wrote that “they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony” (Revelation 12:11).  It’s the atonement of Jesus Christ that allows us to overcome as we establish and stand by the “word of [our] testimony.”  Another way that we are to overcome the world is expressed multiple times in the Doctrine and Covenants: through our faith.  The Lord spoke of Sidney Gilbert and William W. Phelps saying that “Through faith they shall overcome” (D&C 61:9).  He gave this promise in another place, “He that endureth in faith and doeth my will, the same shall overcome” (D&C 63:20).  In the same section the Lord also said, “He that is faithful and endureth shall overcome the world” (D&C 63:47).  The Savior also promised that “he who is faithful shall overcome all things” (D&C 75:16).  Finally in the summary of the three degrees of glory, those in the celestial kingdom were described by the prophet Joseph as those “who overcome by faith” (D&C 76:53).  Clearly it is faith in the Lord Jesus Christ that allows us to overcome the world, the adversary, and all of the challenges that seek to overcome us.