Overcoming Christian
The Bible speaks a lot about overcoming. To overcome means to conquer or to receive the victory. To overcome speaks of enduring all difficulties in order to finish the race. It also speaks of having the perseverance to reach the finish line by not being stopped or sidetracked by any circumstance or situation. One who overcomes is one who uses all resources at his or her disposal and utilizes them in such a way that they refuse to be stopped by anything but they endure until they win. If a Christian will go to the last Book of the Bible they will see many scriptures referring to those who have overcome. By reading the end of the Bible they will see that the Lord expects men to overcome and promises rewards for those who overcome as well.
Revelation 2:7 (NIV)
7 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.
These are the words of Jesus that he is speaking to the church, which is made of believers from all nations, and tribes and language groups. To the believers he says that those who overcome he will give the right to eat from the tree of life that is in the paradise of God.
Revelation 22:1-5 (NIV)
1 Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb
2 down the middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations.
3 No longer will there be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will serve him.
4 They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads.
5 There will be no more night. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light. And they will reign forever and ever.
Any Christian who has access to the city of God will have access to the tree of life and its fruit. When God says that he who overcomes will be given a right to eat of the tree of life he is also saying he who overcomes will have the right to enter into the city of God. Many suppose that only those who overcome will have special access to the tree of life but those who do not overcome will just stand and watch others have access to the tree of life while they are restricted. But those in heaven are those who have also overcome and those in heaven will all have access to the tree of life.
Revelation 22:14 (NIV)
14 “Blessed are those who wash their robes, that they may have the right to the tree of life and may go through the gates into the city.
All those who are in the city of God are those also who have overcome. All those who are in the city of God have the right to the tree of life. Only those who overcome will enter into the gates of the city of God. Some teachers and preachers have given the impression that people can live in any carnal manner on earth and still enter into the kingdom of God. They just tell them that their rewards will be reduced but they will still be inside the heavenly city of God. But according to scripture only those who overcome sin on earth will have the right to enter the gates of the city and have right to eat of the tree of life.
Revelation 22:19 (NIV)
19 And if anyone takes words away from this book of prophecy, God will take away from him his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book.
All those who overcome will have a right to enter the heavenly city and have a right to a share of the fruit of the tree of life. But those who would take away from the words of the Bible will also have their share of the tree of life and the heavenly city taken away from them. This leaves the idea that all those who enter the city will also have a share of the tree of life. If you have your share of the tree of life taken away, you will also have your right to enter the heavenly city taken away. This disproves the idea that those who Christians who live a carnal life on earth will still have a place in the city of God (but with reduced rewards). Such a fallacy causes many to say that they do not mind losing some rewards if they can still get into heaven and be able to live a carnal life on earth. This is a heresy that will send many carnal Christians to hell. They think they can live in carnality and sin and still enter heaven on a “reduced rewards” basis. But the Bible says all that enter the city of God will all have the rewards as well. Either you are in heaven or you are not. There is no section for reduced rewards Christians who did not overcome sin, temptation, and carnal living on earth.
Revelation 3:21 (NIV)
21 To him who overcomes, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I overcame and sat down with my Father on his throne.
The entire earth is like a footstool to God so his throne could be massive with enough room on it to provide places for every believer who has overcome on earth. All of them can have place on the throne of Almighty God. This is yet another reward for those who have overcome. Jesus would like for all those who overcome to sit on his throne with him and share in the victory that he had experienced by overcoming on earth.
Revelation 2:17 (NIV)
17 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, I will give some of the hidden manna. I will also give him a white stone with a new name written on it, known only to him who receives it.
Repeatedly the Lord Jesus encourages the believers that they should use their spiritual resources and overcome on earth. He has many different types of rewards waiting for those who overcome and are granted the right to enter the gates of the heavenly city.
Revelation 3:4-6 (NIV)
4 Yet you have a few people in Sardis who have not soiled their clothes. They will walk with me, dressed in white, for they are worthy.
5 He who overcomes will, like them, be dressed in white. I will never blot out his name from the book of life, but will acknowledge his name before my Father and his angels.
6 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.
In this verse Jesus is speaking to the Christians in the church at Sardis. He said that they have yet a few believers remaining who had not yet soiled themselves with sin. Those believers overcame temptation and walked in holiness. Holiness is represented by being dressed in white in heaven. Those Christians who overcame and walked in holiness will walk with Jesus in heaven. But those Christians who did not overcome and keep themselves pure will have their names blotted out of the book of life.
Revelation 21:27 (NIV)
27 Nothing impure will ever enter it, nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life.
If a person’s name is not written in the Lamb’s book of life then they will not be allowed to enter the heavenly city of God. This means that all of the carnal and impure Christians whose name has been blotted from the book of life will not be allowed admittance into heaven. There are only two places to go after death and that is heaven or hell. This means that all those carnal Christians who did not overcome sin on earth will end up in hell because their name is no longer recorded in the Lamb’s book of life.
Revelation 3:12-13 (NIV)
12 Him who overcomes I will make a pillar in the temple of my God. Never again will he leave it. I will write on him the name of my God and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which is coming down out of heaven from my God; and I will also write on him my new name.
13 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.
Repeatedly Jesus encourages the churches that those who overcome will have many great rewards in heaven.
Revelation 21:7 (NIV)
7 He who overcomes will inherit all this, and I will be his God and he will be my son.
There are numerous rewards for those believers who will overcome sin, temptation and carnal living on earth. They will inherit all of the rewards spoken of my Jesus and so much more. The last book of the Bible speaks much about the rewards that will come to those who overcome. Jesus wanted His last words to be that of encouragement for the believers to run their race with the goal of winning.
Another depiction of those who overcame was many of those whose names are listed in the genealogy of Christ. Some entered into the genealogy on what seems to be unusual circumstances as is the case of Perez, Tamar, Judah, Rahab, and Ruth. Three of these women listed were pagan women but they nevertheless displayed faith by the actions that they took in overcoming and obtaining the goal. God is no respecter of persons and it is those who overcome that please Him. Overcoming requires faith and faith is action and the actions of those who were honored by being listed in the genealogy of Christ displayed that they were pleasing to God by what they did to obtain. Even Jacob valued the birthright and the blessing and took action to obtain it while Esau passively sold his birthright in exchange for a bowl of beans. Jacob was listed in the genealogy of Christ while Esau was rejected because Jacob valued spiritual things and took the risk of obtaining them. God is a God of faith and only those who operate in faith are pleasing to Him. God is not moved by sympathy or pity but only responds to faith that is displayed by the seeker. It is this faith that causes people to be an overcomer.
Genesis 38:27-30 (NIV)
27 When the time came for her to give birth, there were twin boys in her womb.
28 As she was giving birth, one of them put out his hand; so the midwife took a scarlet thread and tied it on his wrist and said, “This one came out first.”
29 But when he drew back his hand, his brother came out, and she said, “So this is how you have broken out!” And he was named Perez.
30 Then his brother, who had the scarlet thread on his wrist, came out and he was given the name Zerah.
This scripture reveals the principle of overcoming. The scarlet thread can be identified with the genealogy of Christ. The birth of Perez and Zerah speaks of overcoming. It would be expected that Zerah would be listed in the genealogy of Christ because he was the one who received the scarlet thread tied upon his wrist. But when seeing the lineage of Christ as listed in Matthew chapter one it is discovered that the lineage continues through the line of Perez instead of Zerah.
Matthew 1:1-3 (NIV)
1 A record of the genealogy of Jesus Christ the son of David, the son of Abraham:
2 Abraham was the father of Isaac, Isaac the father of Jacob, Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers,
3 Judah the father of Perez and Zerah, whose mother was Tamar, Perez the father of Hezron, Hezron the father of Ram,
When Tamar gave birth to the twins, Zerah put for his hand first but then he drew back and his twin brother Perez came out instead and he was listed in the genealogy of Christ. This speaks of overcoming and struggling to be the winner. Many of those listed in the genealogy of Christ have testimonies of how they struggled and were able to overcome. It is those who overcome that will inherit the promises not those who touch the finish line but fail to cross it. The violent take it by force is a biblical phrase that speaks of those who seize what belongs to them just as Joshua and Caleb did with their inheritance. There is no competition in the body of Christ. Each person has his or her own race to run and each has his or her own inheritance to obtain. Those who fall back and are passive as is illustrated by the infant Zerah will not be the ones who will obtain the prize. Man’s will has a lot to do with seizing the inheritance that is prepared for them. One must be zealous and diligent in order to overcome.
Hebrews 10:38 (NIV)
38 But my righteous one will live by faith. And if he shrinks back, I will not be pleased with him.”
God is expecting the believers to exercise their faith and be bold and aggressive to obtain their inheritance in Christ. If they draw back or are passive then God will not be pleased with them. The infant Zerah is an illustration of a person who is passive. He had his hand out first and touched the scarlet thread or the finish line of the lineage of Christ. But he pulled back and his brother came out before him.
Genesis 37:26-27 (NIV)
26 Judah said to his brothers, “What will we gain if we kill our brother and cover up his blood?
27 Come, let’s sell him to the Ishmaelites and not lay our hands on him; after all, he is our brother, our own flesh and blood.” His brothers agreed.
In the account of Judah, it was his idea to sell his younger brother Joseph to the Ishmaelite traders. After this was done, it vexed his conscience with guilt that he could not endure. Judah felt so guilty that he separated himself from his brothers and he went away to a place called Adullam and there he stayed with a man named Hirah. He met and married a pagan Canaanite woman at this time. He had three sons by this pagan woman but the first two were both wicked in the sight of God and both were put to death by God.
When looking at the bible it is important to consider it from a biblical mindset rather than a western mindset. It should be viewed from the perspective of the culture of the Holy Land and the Hebrew race. According to the Law of Moses a brother should provide an heir for his brother’s wife if she is widowed without a son.
Deuteronomy 25:5-6 (NIV)
5 If brothers are living together and one of them dies without a son, his widow must not marry outside the family. Her husband’s brother shall take her and marry her and fulfill the duty of a brother-in-law to her.
6 The first son she bears shall carry on the name of the dead brother so that his name will not be blotted out from Israel.
The oldest son left a widow named Tamar and according to the law it was expected that the surviving brother provide for her to give birth to a son so that she would have an heir to take care of her and to receive the inheritance that would go to her deceased husband. But the last surviving son Shelah was not given to Tamar because Judah feared that his last son might die as the first two sons did. Tamar was without an heir and would have no child to care for her in old age and no inheritance from her dead husband. It is for this reason that she conceived a way to seize that which belonged to her.
Genesis 38:13-14 (NIV)
13 When Tamar was told, “Your father-in-law is on his way to Timnah to shear his sheep,”
14 she took off her widow’s clothes, covered herself with a veil to disguise herself, and then sat down at the entrance to Enaim, which is on the road to Timnah. For she saw that, though Shelah had now grown up, she had not been given to him as his wife.
Tamar had no way left to her of gaining an heir for her husband’s inheritance so she went to a place where her father-in-law was known to be going. She pretended to be shrine prostitute with a veiled face and Judah asked to have intercourse with her. In this manner she was made pregnant and she obtained the seed and gave birth to Perez and Zerah. Tamar and her son are listed in the genealogy of Christ. Tamar was treated unfairly. The two eldest sons of Judah were both wicked in the sight of God so God killed them both. But Judah blamed Tamar as if she had something to do with their deaths. Therefore, Judah did not want to give his last son to Tamar to provide her with an heir and a child to care for her in old age. Tamar took action and although her action may seem vulgar or immoral, she did obtain the prize and she was listed in the genealogy of Christ. Those who overcome were honored to be a part of the lineage of Christ and Tamar was no exception in this case. She was treated with prejudice as if she was unlucky or vexed. But she had done nothing wrong to the first two sons, it was rather their own wickedness that got them both killed. She had to take action on her own because she was denied the heir that was her right to receive. This overcoming attitude speaks of overcoming prejudice, unfair treatment, bad circumstances (like the loss of two husbands) and she even was going to be burned to death as a prostitute. Tamar had cleverly obtained evidence that it was her father-in-law that got her pregnant. This proved that she was only obtaining the heir that she had been denied by Judah’s superstition. So, she was spared from being burned as a prostitute and she was able to receive two sons to carry on the role of an heir and sons to care for her in old age. This overcoming attitude is pleasing to God and God looks with pleasure on those who take what rightfully belongs to them. Those who are passive will often do without but those who are aggressive will overcome and obtain their inheritance.
Later also Judah is again present with his brothers as they all go down to Egypt to buy grain during the famine. So, Judah eventually overcame his grief over what he had done in selling Joseph his younger brother. This can also be seen when Benjamin is brought to Egypt on their second trip to buy grain. It was Judah who rose up and fought for Benjamin and he offered his life in exchange to save Benjamin. He had lost Joseph by being passive and even suggesting they sell Joseph but when Benjamin was in danger as being held captive in Egypt, Judah immediately stood up and offered himself as a slave in his place. He became an overcomer. Judah overcame his guilt for his first sin of selling Joseph and he became an overcomer in fighting to save the life of Benjamin. It was as if Judah lost one brother by his foolish suggestion but he had determined it would never happen again and he would give his own life in exchange to save Benjamin. This is an attitude of one that overcomes and refuses to allow another loss in his life. Judah was the one who was listed in the genealogy of Christ above all of his brothers.
Matthew 1:3 (NIV)
3 Judah the father of Perez and Zerah, whose mother was Tamar, Perez the father of Hezron, Hezron the father of Ram,
Judah was active and willing to give his life to save his brother. This is a noticeable change from when he first suggested that they sell Joseph. A person may make many sins and mistakes but they can change and repent and turn around and become strong by an act of their own will. This is what Judah did when he offered his life in exchange for his brother.
Genesis 44:33-34 (NIV)
33 “Now then, please let your servant remain here as my lord’s slave in place of the boy, and let the boy return with his brothers.
34 How can I go back to my father if the boy is not with me? No! Do not let me see the misery that would come upon my father.”
Judah offered himself as ransom in place of his younger brother Benjamin who was going to be held as a slave by Joseph in Egypt. By his actions and the way he fought for the life of Benjamin, Judah demonstrated that he was an overcomer and worthy to be listed in the genealogy of Christ. He overcame the passive manner that allowed Joseph to be sold and he overcome fear of man, and he became bold and was willing to lay down his life so that he would not be responsible for losing another brother for the second time.
Many may be surprised to find that Rahab is listed in the genealogy of Christ because she was both a pagan woman and prostitute. But Rahab demonstrated her faith in God by the action that she took.
Matthew 1:5 (NIV)
5 Salmon the father of Boaz, whose mother was Rahab, Boaz the father of Obed, whose mother was Ruth, Obed the father of Jesse,
Rahab was a harlot but she is also listed in the genealogy of Christ because of what she did to secure the spies who came to Jericho.
Hebrews 11:31 (NIV)
31 By faith the prostitute Rahab, because she welcomed the spies, was not killed with those who were disobedient.
Rahab acted by faith because she believed in the God of Israel and believed that God would deliver the city of Jericho to the children of Israel. So, she took action to secure her protection and the protection of her family by faith even before the city was defeated. Faith is taking action before the event takes place.
Joshua 2:8-11 (NIV)
8 Before the spies lay down for the night, she went up on the roof
9 and said to them, “I know that the LORD has given this land to you and that a great fear of you has fallen on us, so that all who live in this country are melting in fear because of you.
10 We have heard how the LORD dried up the water of the Red Sea for you when you came out of Egypt, and what you did to Sihon and Og, the two kings of the Amorites east of the Jordan, whom you completely destroyed.
11 When we heard of it, our hearts melted and everyone’s courage failed because of you, for the LORD your God is God in heaven above and on the earth below.
Rahab had heard of all the mighty signs and wonders that the God of Israel has preformed. She believed in the God of Israel and she risked her life to protect the spies. In exchange for helping them escape capture she asked that she and her family be spared when the Lord delivered the city of Jericho into the hands of the Israelites.
Joshua 2:17-21 (NIV)
17 The men said to her, “This oath you made us swear will not be binding on us
18 unless, when we enter the land, you have tied this scarlet cord in the window through which you let us down, and unless you have brought your father and mother, your brothers and all your family into your house.
19 If anyone goes outside your house into the street, his blood will be on his own head; we will not be responsible. As for anyone who is in the house with you, his blood will be on our head if a hand is laid on him.
20 But if you tell what we are doing, we will be released from the oath you made us swear.”
21 “Agreed,” she replied. “Let it be as you say.” So she sent them away and they departed. And she tied the scarlet cord in the window.
The scarlet cord speaks of the salvation that is found only in the Name of Jesus who shed his own blood in payment for the sins of all mankind. This scarlet cord also is related to the lineage of Christ because Rahab believed in the God of Israel and took action to protect the men of Israel. She brought her family into her house as well and this speaks of the security of salvation that is found it Christ, represented by the house with the scarlet (blood colored) rope in the window. Rahab took action and her action demonstrated that she believed in the God of Israel. Despite her ill reputation as a prostitute Rahab won a place in the lineage of Christ by faith. Faith is taking action based upon a strong belief just as Rahab believed that the God of Israel was the only true God. Her actions in protecting the spies won her a place in the lineage of Christ. Rahab later married a man of Israel and she became the mother of Boaz.
James 2:25 (NIV)
25 In the same way, was not even Rahab the prostitute considered righteous for what she did when she gave lodging to the spies and sent them off in a different direction?
Faith is an action and Rahab demonstrated by her actions that she believed in the God of Israel. It was for this reason that she showed kindness to the spies and hereby obtained her own salvation and that of her family. Rahab was considered righteous because of the faith she had in the God of Israel and the action she took to secure her own salvation.
Another pagan woman who entered into the lineage of Christ was Ruth the Moabitess.
Matthew 1:5 (NIV)
5 Salmon the father of Boaz, whose mother was Rahab, Boaz the father of Obed, whose mother was Ruth, Obed the father of Jesse,
Ruth was a Moabitess whose people were descendants of incest from Lot and his older daughter.
Genesis 19:36-38 (NIV)
36 So both of Lot’s daughters became pregnant by their father.
37 The older daughter had a son, and she named him Moab; he is the father of the Moabites of today.
38 The younger daughter also had a son, and she named him Ben-Ammi; he is the father of the Ammonites of today.
Both the Moabites and the Ammonites were offspring that resulted from incest. They became two of Israel’s greatest enemies. Ruth was a Moabitess so her ancestry was one of being from a pagan tribe that despised Israel. But Ruth was another example of a gentile who put her hope and her trust in the God of Israel.
Ruth 1:14-18 (NIV)
14 At this they wept again. Then Orpah kissed her mother-in-law good-by, but Ruth clung to her.
15 “Look,” said Naomi, “your sister-in-law is going back to her people and her gods. Go back with her.”
16 But Ruth replied, “Don’t urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God.
17 Where you die I will die, and there I will be buried. May the LORD deal with me, be it ever so severely, if anything but death separates you and me.”
18 When Naomi realized that Ruth was determined to go with her, she stopped urging her.
This is a beautiful story of a pagan woman who came to trust in the God of Israel. The manner in which Ruth clung to Naomi speaks of the way that a Christian should cling to Christ until the end. Ruth said that your God will be my God. She trusted in the God of Israel. And so when a believer puts his or her trust in the living God, they should cling to the Lord as Ruth clung to Naomi. They should count all other things in life as nothing compared to remaining faithful to the Lord.
Philippians 3:7-8 (NIV)
7 But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ.
8 What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ.
There is a cost to count in following Christ. A Christian cannot be passive and follow Christ. Many Christians are like Orpah who kissed Naomi. This is a kiss like Judas gave to Jesus when there was betrayal in his heart. When Orpah had no more hope of any security or gain from Naomi who had no more sons to give, she chose to go back to her people and her pagan gods. But Ruth counted the cost and she clung to Naomi and refused to leave her. She counted the cost and said that nothing except death could separate her from Naomi. This is the kind of commitment that is necessary if a Christian wants to finish his or her race until the end. They must cling to Jesus and determine that they will serve him until they die. The apostle Paul counted the cost and the things that might have been gain to him in the world he counted as a loss that he could walk with the Lord and fulfill the plan of God for his life. He forsook all just like Ruth did in order to follow the Lord.
Luke 14:25-33 (NIV)
25 Large crowds were traveling with Jesus, and turning to them he said:
26 “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters–yes, even his own life–he cannot be my disciple.
27 And anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.
28 “Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Will he not first sit down and estimate the cost to see if he has enough money to complete it?
29 For if he lays the foundation and is not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule him,
30 saying, ‘This fellow began to build and was not able to finish.’
31 “Or suppose a king is about to go to war against another king. Will he not first sit down and consider whether he is able with ten thousand men to oppose the one coming against him with twenty thousand?
32 If he is not able, he will send a delegation while the other is still a long way off and will ask for terms of peace.
33 In the same way, any of you who does not give up everything he has cannot be my disciple.
There were large crowds that were following Jesus but he was not interested in having popularity with the masses. Jesus wanted only those who had counted the cost to follow Him. Many people followed Jesus when he fed them supernaturally with bread and fish but Jesus did not want them to follow him just for the natural blessings that they could receive. He was looking for committed disciples that would count the cost and follow him to the end of their lives. Jesus turned to the large crowd of people and told them that they must hate their father, mother, wife, children, brothers and sisters and even their own life or they could not be his disciple. Of course, we are to love others but Jesus was speaking of those relationships that mean the most to mankind on earth. The relationship with close relatives is the closest of all relationships on earth. But Jesus was saying that the closest relationship a person can have on earth should be like hate in comparison to their love for Christ. No, a believer is not to hate their mother, and father and wife and children and brothers and sisters. But their love for them should be like hate in comparison to their love for Christ. The believer is not to literally hate them but they are to love Christ more than they love these people on earth.
So, Jesus was making a statement that he wanted to be number one in their lives above all human relationships on earth. Then Jesus continued and told the people if a person is going to build a tower he must first consider if he has enough resources to finish the project. Otherwise he would waste all that he has on an unfinished building and it would never be completed. It would be better not to start such a project if it could not be finished. This would be a waste of time and materials to begin a project that could not be completed. Jesus compares following him to building such a project. Many people have prayed a salvation prayer because they want the benefit of escaping the fires of hell. Some have accepted Christ because they were told that God would prosper them financially on earth. They want to follow Christ only for the benefits that they can receive. But Jesus wants greater commitment than that. He wants them to love him above all else on earth and make a commitment that even if it costs them everything on earth to follow him, then they will do it. Those who follow Christ should count the cost and determine that they will follow all the way to the end whether they have the blessings or not.
Most of the people who were following Jesus did so because they hoped to have some free food without having to work for it. Most of the people were following Jesus because of what they wanted to receive.
John 6:26 (NIV)
26 Jesus answered, “I tell you the truth, you are looking for me, not because you saw miraculous signs but because you ate the loaves and had your fill.
The people followed Jesus to the other side of the lake looking for him because he had fed them with the loaves and fish and they wanted some more free food. They were following Jesus for the wrong reasons. They were following him for what they could get out of him rather than following like Ruth who followed Naomi for her love for her.
John 6:53-55 (NIV)
53 Jesus said to them, “I tell you the truth, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you.
54 Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day.
55 For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink.
John 6:60 (NIV)
60 On hearing it, many of his disciples said, “This is a hard teaching. Who can accept it?”
John 6:66 (NIV)
66 From this time many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him.
Many people followed Jesus wanting to receive natural food without the labor to earn it, grow it, or cook it. Jesus told them that they were following him for the wrong reason. They should seek for spiritual food instead of natural food. Jesus then gave them a hard saying about eating his flesh and drinking his blood. This was speaking of spiritual food but to their natural minds this saying was insane. It was at this time that many of those who followed Jesus for natural reasons turned back and they followed him no more. There are many Christians today that want to follow Jesus only for the natural benefits that they might receive from him. But this is the wrong motive for following the Lord. The Lord does bless his children but this is not the reason for his children to follow him.
Parable of the Nobleman
The Lord wants His followers to overcome and occupy on earth while they wait for his return. Jesus told his disciples a parable to admonish them to occupy until he comes again.
Luke 19:11-27 (NIV)
11 While they were listening to this, he went on to tell them a parable, because he was near Jerusalem and the people thought that the kingdom of God was going to appear at once.
12 He said: “A man of noble birth went to a distant country to have himself appointed king and then to return.
13 So he called ten of his servants and gave them ten minas. ‘Put this money to work,’ he said, ‘until I come back.’
14 “But his subjects hated him and sent a delegation after him to say, ‘We don’t want this man to be our king.’
15 “He was made king, however, and returned home. Then he sent for the servants to whom he had given the money, in order to find out what they had gained with it.
16 “The first one came and said, ‘Sir, your mina has earned ten more.’
17 “‘Well done, my good servant!’ his master replied. ‘Because you have been trustworthy in a very small matter, take charge of ten cities.’
18 “The second came and said, ‘Sir, your mina has earned five more.’
19 “His master answered, ‘You take charge of five cities.’
20 “Then another servant came and said, ‘Sir, here is your mina; I have kept it laid away in a piece of cloth.
21 I was afraid of you, because you are a hard man. You take out what you did not put in and reap what you did not sow.’
22 “His master replied, ‘I will judge you by your own words, you wicked servant! You knew, did you, that I am a hard man, taking out what I did not put in, and reaping what I did not sow?
23 Why then didn’t you put my money on deposit, so that when I came back, I could have collected it with interest?’
24 “Then he said to those standing by, ‘Take his mina away from him and give it to the one who has ten minas.’
25 “‘Sir,’ they said, ‘he already has ten!’
26 “He replied, ‘I tell you that to everyone who has, more will be given, but as for the one who has nothing, even what he has will be taken away.
27 But those enemies of mine who did not want me to be king over them–bring them here and kill them in front of me.'”
Luke 19:11 (NIV)
11 While they were listening to this, he went on to tell them a parable, because he was near Jerusalem and the people thought that the kingdom of God was going to appear at once.
Verse 11 sets the stage for why Jesus told this parable to the people. Jesus told this parable while he was approaching Jerusalem and the people who were with him thought that the kingdom of God was going to appear at once or immediately. Jerusalem was the capitol of the nation and the people were expecting a political type of Messiah who would suddenly rise up and destroy the Romans and give political freedom to the nation and set up his new government at Jerusalem. The attitude of the people therefore implied that they were expecting that the Messiah would do everything and destroy the foreign powers controlling them and they would just enjoy the new freedom that was given freely to them. This false expectation revealed the passive mindset of the people of that time. They were expecting God would do everything for them and defeat their enemies and set them up with a new and free government. This is the same false expectation that has also gripped many of the Christians of this present time. They are passive because they believe that whatever is God’s will, will just come to pass regardless if they take action or not. Many Christians are just sitting around waiting for God to come and solve all the problems and usher them into a time of peace and prosperity. But Jesus dispelled this passive type of thinking by teaching the people a principle through this parable. This parable speaks of the principle that God requires men to take authority and dominion on earth. Jesus taught that the servants of the Master were required to take action and be faithful and utilize the resources that they have been given by the Master.
Luke 19:12 (NIV)
12 He said: “A man of noble birth went to a distant country to have himself appointed king and then to return.
In verse 12 of this parable Jesus said that there was a man of noble birth who went to a distant country to have himself appointed king and then he would come back. This man of noble birth in this parable represents Jesus.
Luke 1:35 (NIV)
35 The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God.
The man of noble birth in the parable represents Jesus whose birth was noble as he was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and Jesus was born as the Son of God.
Luke 19:13 (NIV)
13 So he called ten of his servants and gave them ten minas. ‘Put this money to work,’ he said, ‘until I come back.’
In verse 13 of the parable, this man of noble birth called his ten servants together and gave each one of them a mina, which is equal to about three months’ wages. The number three is a number of completion. Jesus was three days and three nights in the center of the earth before he was raised from the dead. Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of a large fish. The Father, The Son, and the Holy Spirit are three in one divine person. There are three levels in Noah’s ark. This number speaks of completion. The mina was about three months’ wages so it represents that each of the servants received an amount that was complete or not lacking for them to fulfill their responsibilities.
Matthew 28:18-20 (NIV)
18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.
19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
In the parable the man of noble birth gave his ten servants a mina each which is something that is complete and not lacking. His servants did not lack anything that they needed in order to fulfill the command of their master. Before Jesus ascended to heaven, he delegated his divine authority to his believers. All authority in heaven and earth were given to Jesus and Jesus in turn delegated his authority to the believers in Christ. He gave them all that they needed and they lacked nothing by which they could fulfill his commands to them on earth. After delegating his authority in heaven and on earth to his believers (of all generations) Jesus then commanded them to use this authority to make disciples of all nations. They were to baptize them in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, and to teach them to obey everything that he commanded. So, he gave the authority to do the job and then gave the instructions of what he expected to be done and then Jesus returned to his heavenly Father. In short, His commands were to occupy or have dominion until he returns again. Another part of the resources that were given to the believers in Christ was the presence of the Lord in the form of the Holy Spirit who would be with the believers until the end of the age. So the believers in Christ lacked no good thing and nothing that was necessary to fulfill the commands of the Lord upon the earth.
Mark 16:19-20 (NIV)
19 After the Lord Jesus had spoken to them, he was taken up into heaven and he sat at the right hand of God.
20 Then the disciples went out and preached everywhere, and the Lord worked with them and confirmed his word by the signs that accompanied it.
The Lord Jesus delegated his power and authority to the believers before he went to the right hand of the Father. After he ascended the disciples when forth in the power and authority of the Lord and utilized their spiritual resources and preached everywhere. The Lord worked with them and confirmed his word by the signs and miracles that accompanied it. The Lord worked with them through the presence of the Holy Spirit that was poured out on the day of Pentecost. There is nothing that can stop God’s people who are going forth in the power and authority of the Lord. This is something that is complete and does not lack in power or resources to accomplish anything that Lord has commanded.
In this parable of the man of noble birth, Jesus was teaching them that the Lord will leave them with spiritual resources and the Lord expects them to take action and use the spiritual resources that they have been given and to occupy and have dominion until he returns. In the parable, the man of noble birth told his servants to put what he had given them to work until he got back. This speaks of the fact that the Lord expects his people to put to use the spiritual resources that he has given to them and take dominion and occupy on earth until he returns again.
Luke 19:14 (NIV)
14 “But his subjects hated him and sent a delegation after him to say, ‘We don’t want this man to be our king.’
In verse 14 of the parable, the subjects hated this man of noble birth and they sent a delegation after him to say, “We do not want this man to be our king.” These people thought to stop those in authority from appointing this man as their king.
Philippians 2:9-11 (NIV)
9 Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name,
10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
This is speaking of Jesus the man of noble birth. The one who has the authority to make Jesus King is God the Father who is the highest authority in the universe. God exalted Jesus to the highest place and gave him the Name that is above every name. Every knee will bow in heaven, on earth, and even in the dark places of hell under the earth. To bow the knee means to pay homage and respect and give honor to the kingship of Jesus. Every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. The word Lord means supreme ruler or king of all creation. Jesus is the King of all kings and there is no authority in the natural realm or spiritual realm that is greater than Jesus for God the Father has exalted Him to the highest place of authority in the universe. No one will be able to stop Jesus from being the king for he has been made king by the highest authority.
Luke 19:15 (NIV)
15 “He was made king, however, and returned home. Then he sent for the servants to whom he had given the money, in order to find out what they had gained with it.
In verse 15 in the parable, this man of noble birth became king regardless of those who tried to resist his appointment as Lord. Those subjects who sent a delegation to stop him from being king failed at their plan and he was made king anyway.
Psalm 2:1-6 (NIV)
1 Why do the nations conspire and the peoples plot in vain?
2 The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers gather together against the LORD and against his Anointed One.
3 “Let us break their chains,” they say, “and throw off their fetters.”
4 The One enthroned in heaven laughs; the Lord scoffs at them.
5 Then he rebukes them in his anger and terrifies them in his wrath, saying,
6 “I have installed my King on Zion, my holy hill.”
Those on the earth who practice wickedness will not appreciate it when they are forced to conform to the high moral standards and laws of God when Jesus returns again. A wicked person thinks that doing righteousness is a bondage to him. Those wicked nations who hate righteousness will declare that they want to break the chains that the righteous, have placed upon them. They think that righteousness and keeping God’s laws is like a chain that restricts them from committing sin and wickedness. Sinners have always hated the things of God and have worked to remove the knowledge of God and the laws of God from society. The wicked will protest if they see the commandments of God displayed in a public place. They cannot stand the laws of God because these laws are righteous and they condemn every evil deed that they commit. When Jesus returns to rule the earth in righteousness, He will force the wicked to comply with the moral and righteous laws of God. They will be furious because their freedom to sin and commit wickedness will be restrained. So, they will scheme together to break the restrains of their sin from off of them and cast off what they feel are fetters to their wicked deeds.
Psalm 2:7-9 (NIV)
7 I will proclaim the decree of the LORD: He said to me, “You are my Son; today I have become your Father.
8 Ask of me, and I will make the nations your inheritance, the ends of the earth your possession.
9 You will rule them with an iron scepter; you will dash them to pieces like pottery.”
The day will come when Jesus will return to the earth and He will rule the nations in righteousness. The wicked have the opportunity to serve the Lord willing at this present time but when the Lord returns, He will rule with a rod of iron. This means that following the commands of God will be compulsory and will be enforced with no tolerance. If the wicked refuse to serve the Lord willingly now during this present age then a day will come with, they will have to serve the Lord against their will.
Zechariah 14:16-19 (NIV)
16 Then the survivors from all the nations that have attacked Jerusalem will go up year after year to worship the King, the LORD Almighty, and to celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles.
17 If any of the peoples of the earth do not go up to Jerusalem to worship the King, the LORD Almighty, they will have no rain.
18 If the Egyptian people do not go up and take part, they will have no rain. The LORD will bring on them the plague he inflicts on the nations that do not go up to celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles.
19 This will be the punishment of Egypt and the punishment of all the nations that do not go up to celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles.
The peoples of the earth who remain during the reign of Jesus on earth will be required to come to Jerusalem to worship. This will be mandatory and if any of the peoples of the earth do not go up to Jerusalem to worship the King, the Lord Almighty, they will have no rain. If the Egyptian people do not go up and take part, they will have no rain. The Lord will bring on them the plague He inflicts on the nations that do not go up to celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles. This will be the punishment of Egypt and the punishment of all the nations that do not go up to celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles.
The Feast of Tabernacles will be the only feast that will still be held during the Messiah’s reign on earth. The feast of Passover was fulfilled in Christ’s death. The feast of the Day of Atonement was fulfilled in Christ’s salvation. The Feast of Firstfruits is fulfilled in Christ’s resurrection. The feast of Pentecost is fulfilled by the arrival of the Holy Spirit upon the earth. But Feast of Tabernacles is the only feast remaining to be practiced during the reign of the Messiah at Jerusalem. This is a festival that will celebrate the harvest of human souls for the Lord. All nations that are left remaining on earth (after those who attacked Jerusalem are destroyed) will be forced to come to Jerusalem to worship the King. If they do not then they will be afflicted with both drought and plagues. Serving the Lord will be mandatory during the thousand-year reign of Christ upon the earth.
Isaiah 11:3-4 (NIV)
3 and he will delight in the fear of the LORD. He will not judge by what he sees with his eyes, or decide by what he hears with his ears;
4 but with righteousness he will judge the needy, with justice he will give decisions for the poor of the earth. He will strike the earth with the rod of his mouth; with the breath of his lips he will slay the wicked.
The Lord will rule the earth in righteousness and the wickedness and greed of mankind will no longer oppress the poor. He will be their Judge and Defender and the sword that proceeds out of His mouth will destroy the wicked.
Revelation 19:11-16 (NIV)
11 I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and makes war.
12 His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him that no one knows but he himself.
13 He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God.
14 The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean.
15 Out of his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. “He will rule them with an iron scepter.” He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty.
16 On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.
So, the Lord Jesus will return with His saints and He will rule the earth for a thousand years. All those who do not want Him to reign over them will be destroyed with the sword that proceeds from His mouth. He will bring justice to the earth but He will also bring war to the wicked to destroy them. He is the King of all kings and the Lord of all lords. There is no authority higher than Him because He has been exalted by God the Father to a place of total supremacy.
So, in the parable of the noble man, the subjects sent a delegation after him to say, “We don’t want this man to be our king.”
Revelation 19:19 (NIV)
19 Then I saw the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies gathered together to make war against the rider on the horse and his army.
The kings of the earth gathered together to make war against the King of kings because they did not want him to rule and reign over them in righteousness. The wicked will always resist the righteous commands of God. They gathered together to make war against him and this speaks of the delegation who said, “We do not want this man to be our king.” Even present-day wicked men give the same message to the Lord by the manner in which they seek to resist and stop the influence of God in their societies and nations. They are all declaring by their actions that they do not want this man Jesus to rule over them. They want to have freedom to sin and be wicked and commit iniquity in an unrestrained manner.
In the parable, the man of noble birth became king and returned again. This speaks of Jesus who was crowned King of kings and Lord of lords in heaven. He will return to earth again and He will rule for a thousand years. In the parable the newly made king returned and He sent for his servants to whom he had given the money, in order to find out what they had gained with it. This speaks of the souls that are won for the Lord. The Lord gave a commission to his followers to make disciples of all nations. The Feast of Firstfruits is a celebration during the reign of Christ that will celebrate the harvest of souls of men. So those who win souls for the Lord will be commended by the Lord.
Daniel 12:3 (NIV)
3 Those who are wise will shine like the brightness of the heavens, and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever.
Those who win souls and lead many to righteousness will shine like stars in the kingdom of heaven forever. There are great rewards for those who fulfill the great commission and lead many to righteousness found only in Christ Jesus.
Luke 19:15 (NIV)
15 “He was made king, however, and returned home. Then he sent for the servants to whom he had given the money, in order to find out what they had gained with it.
In verse 15 of this parable, the man of noble returns as king and summons his servants to see what they have done during His absence. They are expected to take dominion and have authority and utilize what was given to them. God gives his authority to those who have become believers in Christ. He expects them to utilize this authority and have dominion on earth. This is the same authority that mankind lost when Adam fell from his place of dominion in the beginning. Jesus however restored mankind back again to his place of authority and dominion. Whoever believes upon Jesus has been endowed with great spiritual resources and dominion upon the earth.
Ephesians 1:18-19 (NIV)
18 I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints,
19 and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of his mighty strength,
That power speaks of the working of God’s mighty strength, which He exerted in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. God placed all things under His feet and appointed Him to be head over everything for the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills everything in every way. This is a picture of the complete resources that were given to those who believe in Jesus and these are the resources that believers are expected to us until the return of the Lord.
The apostle Paul prayed for the believers that their spiritual eyes of their understanding would be opened or enlightened. Many Christians do not have any idea how great spiritual resources are that have been given to them in Christ. Paul declares that the believers have received a glorious inheritance. The believers have been given incomparably great power from Christ. This power is far greater than any type of power or authority that exists on earth. God used His mighty power to raise Christ from the dead and seat Him at His right hand far above all rule and authority. He is above all power and dominions on earth and in spiritual realms. All things are placed under subjection under His feet. All of this might and dominion and power were all delegated to the believers in Christ.
Romans 2:6-11 (NIV)
6 God “will give to each person according to what he has done.”
7 To those who by persistence in doing good seek glory, honor and immortality, he will give eternal life.
8 But for those who are self-seeking and who reject the truth and follow evil, there will be wrath and anger.
9 There will be trouble and distress for every human being who does evil: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile;
10 but glory, honor and peace for everyone who does good: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile.
11 For God does not show favoritism.
In the parable, the man of noble birth returns as a king and then requires an account of what his servants did in his absence. There will be time that every person including Christians will stand before the throne of God and give an account for what they have done while they were on earth. Those who are persistent in doing good will be rewarded. Those who reject the truth of God will face the wrath and anger of God. Those who will face the wrath and anger of God are those who are self-seeking. This means that they care more about fulfilling their own personal agendas and fulfilling the lusts of their sin nature than they do about fulfilling the plan of God on earth.
Luke 19:16-17 (NIV)
16 “The first one came and said, ‘Sir, your mina has earned ten more.’
17 “‘Well done, my good servant!’ his master replied. ‘Because you have been trustworthy in a very small matter, take charge of ten cities.’
In verse 16 and 17 of this parable, the first servant came and he had invested or used the mina he had been given and he earned ten more with it. This servant was commended by his king and he was rewarded with more promotion. He was trustworthy in a small matter therefore he was placed in charge of ten cities.
2 Timothy 2:12 (NIV)
12 if we endure, we will also reign with him. If we disown him, he will also disown us;
The scriptures speak of those who overcome to the end who will be rewarded with authority to reign with Christ. Those who endure will reign with Christ during His rule on earth and they will be placed in charge of cities on earth in direct proportion to what they did with the resources given to them by the Lord. Only overcoming people will be reigning with Christ on earth in great authority. Those who disown the Lord by being passive and indulging the sin nature will deny the Lord by their actions and they will also be disowned by the Lord.
Revelation 5:9-10 (NIV)
9 And they sang a new song: “You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because you were slain, and with your blood you purchased men for God from every tribe and language and people and nation.
10 You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God, and they will reign on the earth.”
These scriptures speak of those who are believers in Christ who will reign on earth. There will be a time when the Lord returns to rule and reign on earth and this will be the time when those who overcome will also reign with Christ on earth. The parable teaches that those servants who overcame (and were faithful with what they had) will be rewarded with increased responsibility. The servant who multiplied his mina from one to ten minas was given responsibility over ten cities. This parable teaches that positions of authority and dominion will be granted to those who overcome and are faithful on earth with what they have. The overcoming believers will serve their God as a kingdom of priests and they will reign on the earth in great authority under Jesus.
Revelation 20:4 (NIV)
4 I saw thrones on which were seated those who had been given authority to judge. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony for Jesus and because of the word of God. They had not worshiped the beast or his image and had not received his mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ a thousand years.
There are those who are seated on thrones who have been given authority to judge on earth. Also, there were those who had survived the tribulation on earth and who were killed for their refusal to worship the beast will have a resurrection and they will rule and reign with Christ on earth for one thousand years. Again, this is an example of those who were faithful to death and those who overcame the harassment, affliction and torture to remain faithful to God. These will also be awarded a position of authority to reign as kings under Christ on earth. Those who overcome on earth will one day be given authority to judge along with those who passed through the tribulation and will also reign with them for 1000 years on earth.
Revelation 22:3-5 (NIV)
3 No longer will there be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will serve him.
4 They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads.
5 There will be no more night. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light. And they will reign forever and ever.
In heaven it is spoken about those who will reign forever with Christ. These are those who overcame and were granted increased responsibility and an exalted position in heaven. So the Bible speaks of those who will rule and reign with Christ and these positions of authority will be granted to those who overcome on earth and are faithful with what they have received from the Lord.
Luke 19:18-19 (NIV)
18 “The second came and said, ‘Sir, your mina has earned five more.’
19 “His master answered, ‘You take charge of five cities.’
In verse, 18 and 19, the second servant had increased his mina and multiplied it to five more. The master then granted him the authority to rule over five cities. The principle can be seen that increased rewards and authority will be granted in proportion to what a believer has done on earth. One man received ten cities because of his tenfold increase he had made and other received five cities in proportion to the Fivefold increase he had made. Each will be rewarded in proportion to what they did with the resources given to them.
Luke 19:20-23 (NIV)
20 “Then another servant came and said, ‘Sir, here is your mina; I have kept it laid away in a piece of cloth.
21 I was afraid of you, because you are a hard man. You take out what you did not put in and reap what you did not sow.’
22 “His master replied, ‘I will judge you by your own words, you wicked servant! You knew, did you, that I am a hard man, taking out what I did not put in, and reaping what I did not sow?
23 Why then didn’t you put my money on deposit, so that when I came back, I could have collected it with interest?’
In verses 20 to 23, a servant came who did nothing with the resources that were entrusted to him. This part of the parable speaks of apathy and passiveness. Every believer has received great resources in Christ and they are expected to put what they have received to work for the Lord. The last servant did not do anything with what had been given to him but instead he just buried what he had and did nothing with it. The master rebuked him and called him a wicked servant. Those Christians that have been doing nothing for the kingdom of God and have just let their resources sit idle will have a harsh rebuke on judgment day. The master then said that if the servant was too lazy or fearful to take some action and use his resources then he could have at least given the resources to someone who could have put them to use. But giving the money to the bankers, they could invest it or loan it out and they would then pay some interest for the use of your money. This speaks of giving the resources to someone to use on your behalf to make profit for the kingdom of God. If believers do not utilize their own resources the least they can do is support someone else to make an increase on their behalf.
Luke 19:24-25 (NIV)
24 “Then he said to those standing by, ‘Take his mina away from him and give it to the one who has ten minas.’
25 “‘Sir,’ they said, ‘he already has ten!’
In verse 24 and 25, the king took away the mina from the wicked servant who did nothing with it and he gave it to the one who had ten minas. Those standing by said, “he already has ten!” It seemed that the one with ten did not need any more because he had the most of all of the servants. But God is not moved by needs but he is moved by faith only. God gave the resources to the one who had proven himself capable of producing a profit. So he took the resources from the unproductive servant and gave them to the man who was the most productive.
Luke 19:26 (NIV)
26 “He replied, ‘I tell you that to everyone who has, more will be given, but as for the one who has nothing, even what he has will be taken away.
In verse 26, the king said that everyone who has, more will be given and the one who has produced nothing will lose it all. This parable illustrates the point that God looks for productivity. If a person is not productive with what they have then they will lose it. If a person is productive with what they have then God will give them more so that they will produce or multiply even more. God always rewards productivity with increased blessing and increased responsibility and authority. Those who are passive and lazy will lose what little that they have. So those who are productive will become richer in God’s kingdom and the passive and lazy will lose everything. This is the entire point of this parable and Jesus wanted to make this clear so that the people would shake themselves out of passivity and strive to be productive before their time on earth had expired.
Luke 19:27 (NIV)
27 But those enemies of mine who did not want me to be king over them–bring them here and kill them in front of me.'”
In verse 27, Jesus concludes the parable by saying that the king had those brought before him who did not want him to be their king. He killed them before him. This will happen one day to all the wicked-on earth who have refused the righteousness of God and resisted that Jesus would be Lord over their lives. They wanted to be free to live in sin and did not want to submit to Jesus and make him Lord of their lives. On judgment day they will experience the second death as they are thrown into the lake of fire from before the presence of Jesus who will be sitting upon the throne.
Matthew 25:41 (NIV)
41 “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.
Those who did not want Jesus to be Lord over them will be cursed and sent from His presence on Judgment day and be cast into the eternal fire that was prepared for the devil and his angels.
Matthew 10:28 (NIV)
28 Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell.
The Lord has the power to destroy both soul and body in hell and He should be the one who is feared. The parable of the man of noble birth speaks of Jesus who will slay those who do not want His rule over them. He will destroy them with punishment in the eternal fires of hell which is the second death. Mankind will die first physically but the second death is spiritual death and separation from the presence of God in the fires of hell.
So, this teaching about overcoming speaks of the importance of believers learning to utilize their spiritual resources in Christ and to overcome all sin and finish their race on earth. Those who do so will have great rewards in heaven and they will also be given authority to rule and reign with Christ on earth for one thousand years. Those who are passive will be rejected by the Lord and cast into hell. There are many false teachings that cause Christians to suppose they can live passively and indulge the sin nature and do nothing for God and still make it to heaven (on a reduced rewards basis). This is a lie and a false deception that will send many to hell. Believers are given great resources in Christ and they are expected to use these to overcome and fulfill the will of God on earth. This teaching on overcoming is to inspire believers to repent and utilize what is remaining of their lives to become productive before it is too late for them. They must make this decision while they are yet alive because if they come to the end of their lives, they will face the judgment throne and have to give an account for what they did or did not do with the resources given to them. The eternal destiny of believers is at stake here because those who do nothing will be damned and those who utilize their resources will be rewarded. There will be no middle ground or any place in heaven for unproductive servants or self-indulgent people who spent their lives fulfilling the lusts of their sin nature. Those who believe such things are living in deception and this will put them into hell.
All those who overcome in past generations are an example for believer to overcome during their time on earth. They must overcome sin and the sin nature and run their race with endurance or they will not receive the crown of righteousness. They must utilize their spiritual resources in Christ or they will have no rewards and no authority to reign but will be rejected into hell instead. The Lord looks for productivity and all branches that are barren will be cut off and burned in the fire. The sap or resources of the unproductive will be given to the fruitful so that they will bear even more fruit. This is a principle of the kingdom of God and it is the principle of an overcoming believer.