"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." (Revelation 3:5)
The Word, "overcomes," means, "conquer, victorious, prevail, subdue." This is not a sitting-back faith. This is a pursuing life style, "wrestling against principalities and powers," salvation. Life in Jesus Christ is not passive; it is active.
There is, and has been for centuries, the debate between "once saved always saved," and those who, well, do something, like obey, those whose lives which reflect the New Birth, Conversion, as in, "Not every one who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the Kingdom of Heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in Heaven." I will not settle this today, nor probably ever in my life time. My only caution to us all is that we beware of living carelessly, assuming that what we "believe" is more important than what we do.
Some take such thoughts as "condemning." Why? The Bible is full of warnings. Do we honestly think that our Lord Jesus Christ is out to condemn us by His Words? Our Heavenly Father is our Good Father. Everything He has given us in His, "God-Breathed," Words are, "for our good." Keep running this race, my friend, "looking unto Jesus." In so doing, you and I will be of those who, "overcome, conquer, subdue," all enemies out to deceive and destroy us. Remember, "He who overcomes...I will confess his name before My Father...." Is that not worth a life of walking circumspectly?
Father, in Jesus' Name, I thank You for Eternal Life in Jesus. Help me to walking responsibly. Amen.
When Peter, an 18 year old Norwegian, "heard the call to evangelize China, on that day he not only emptied his wallet into the collection plate, but included a small note with the words, 'and my life.'"
Hebrews 12:2
Hebrews 12:2
