Let's clarify "he who overcomes " Revelation 3:5

Note:  Although Tom Gaston makes a very compelling and truthful statement here, he's overlooking the simple explanation for this scripture and the word is Dispensation. Revelation is not written to the Church age Christians but rather Israel during the Tribulation.  Salvation during the Tribulation is restricted to works and faith and not by faith alone as it is in the church age.  For a detailed study on Dispensationalism please see this link:   DISPENSATIONS 

By Tom Gaston

Rev. 3:5......."He who overcomes shall thus be clothed in white garments; and I will NOT erase his name from the book of life, and I will confess his name before My Father, and before His angels."

Wow!  What a verse of Scripture which has been butchered, misunderstood, distorted, theologically ripped apart, and taken out of context, and therefore which has produced "unjustifiable fear" and uncertainty in the heart and mind of so many igornant christians who have been terrorized by those who use this passage of Scripture in order to support their false teaching that a Christian can loose their salvation and thus have their names removed from the "Lamb's Book of Life."

Nothing could be further from the gospel truth brothers and sisters!

Now, if you will hang with me here for a moment, then I will show you from Scripture WHY you can NEVER have your name removed ( stricken )  from the "Lamb's book of life" as a true believer in Jesus christ!   And when I show you God's truth from God's word,  then all of you who have believed "this lie from hell " will have to make an important choice, and that choice is this!.....Are you willing to believe what God's word says?   Yes, that takes faith, doesn't!   Or, are you going to continue to believe a "devil's lie" which you have been taught by others who don't know their "right hand from their left hand" spiritually speaking when it comes to "rightly dividing the word of truth" ( 2Tim. 2:15 ).  It must make God very frustrated and sad to see so many Christians following after "every wind of false doctrine" these days ( Eph. 4:14;   1Tim. 1:3,   4:1,   4:6,   6:3;   2Tim. 4:3;   Titus 1:9,   27 ).

Rev. 3:5......."He who overcomes shall thus be clothed in white garments; and I will NOT erase his name from the book of life, and I will confess his name before My Father, and before His angels."

The Apostle John is the author of the book of Revelation, and he is also the author of the book of first John.  This term "overcomes / overcometh" in Rev. 3:5 is the same Greek word which is used in the book of first John which was written by the same author.  So we need to go to the book of first John and see what John the Apostle has to stated under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit.

This term "overcomes / overcometh" is the following Greek term:
Strong's Number       
<G3528>        
Overcometh / νικαω nikao {nik-ah'-o} from 3529; TDNT - 4:942,634; v AV - overcome 24, conquer 2, prevail 1, get the victory 1; 28 1) to conquer 1a) to carry off the victory, come off victorious 1a1) of Christ, victorious over all His foes 1a2) of Christians, that hold fast their faith even unto death against the power of their foes, and temptations and persecutions 1a3) when one is arraigned or goes to law, to win the case, maintain one's cause.

This Greek term "overcomes / overcometh" is the same Greek term which is used in the following Scripture passages.

John 16:33.....These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.

1John 5:1......"Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God......etc."

1John 5:4....."For what ever is born of God overcomes the world; and this is the victory that has overcome the world - our faith."

Therefore it can be said of "no one" that they are an "overcomer" unless they have been spiritually "born of God" by faith in the Son of God.

1John 5:5......."And who is the one who "overcomes the world" , but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God."

  There is no doubt that the Apostle John had learned this phrase..."overcomes the world".....from His Master during His discipleship under the earthly ministry of Christ. And we know this to be true because of the passage of Scripture in John 16:33" which says.......but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world."   Therefore it is obvious that John learned this phrase from Jesus Himself.

   Those who have been "born of God" by way of the "new birth" ( 2Cor. 5:17 ) are one with God ( Eph. 4:4 - 6 ), because the Christian has been born of the "Spirit of God", and sealed by Him ( 2Cor. 1:21,22;    Eph. 1:13,14,   4:30 ).  This new birth is what allows the believer to be victorious over the world.  It is because of Christ, who on their behalf, has already overcame sin, death, and the grave.  And when a person is spiritually "born again" by way of this new birth ( John 3:3 - 6,   2Cor. 5:17 ), then Christ who then lives "inside of them" becomes "their victory" over sin, death, and the grave.  The believer therefore possesses the "very life of Christ" on the inside of their "spirit man" which has been "regenerated" ( made spiritually alive in Christ ).  And so they have been given "power" by the Holy Spirit  who took up permanent residency within them at the time of their conversion to Christ ( John 14:16 - 17;    Eph. 1:13, 14 ).

Now look at the following passage.

1Cor. 15:55, 56....."O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?"  The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law;  but thanks be to God ( No thanks to yourself, your flesh, your works, or your performance as a believer ), who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Notice also the following passages.

John 1:12, 13......"But as many as received Him, TO THEM He gave THE RIGHT to become "Children of God", to those who "believe" in His name,   who were born NOT of blood, nor the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man,  but of God."

1John 5:5......."And who is the one who "overcomes" the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God."

Question:  From this verse of Scripture of 1John 5:5, then "who is the one" who overcomes the world?
Answer:  It is ALL THOSE who "believe" that Jesus is the Son of God, and who have been born of Him as 1John 5:4 states.

Now lets once again put this all together and look once more at Rev. 3:5  which has caused so many to stumble and walk around in "fear" of having their names "removed and stricken" from the "book of life" due some "sin" or "sins" in their life which has already been paid for in full at the cross ( Col. 2:13, 14 ).

Rev. 3:5......."He who overcomes shall thus be clothed in white garments; and I will NOT erase his name from the book of life, and I will confess his name before My Father, and before His angels."

Now, after looking at the book of first John and other passages of Scripture we can see clearly that this Greek term "overcomes / overcometh" which is used here in Rev. 3:5 text is the same Greek term which John uses in the book of first John.  And we have learned that this term is speaking about those who have been "born of God " spiritually. And so the usage of this term here in Rev. 3:5 and in first John is simply telling and showing us that those who "overcome" are those who have been simply "born of God."  And since one has been "born of God" by believing and trusting in Christ, then these "overcomers" have been promised by Jesus Himself here in Rev. 3:5 that they will NEVER have their names blotted out from the "Lamb's book of life" because they have believed in the Son of God according to 1John 5:5.

  Therefore, this Greek term "overcometh" in  Rev. 3:5  is NOT speaking about a "believer" who is struggling by their "own power" to live holy continuously in their walk and conduct before the Lord, but rather it is speaking of the "position of the believer" in Christ.  The one who has placed their "faith and trust" in the Lord Jesus Christ is an "overcomer." And it is Jesus who has already "won the victory" for them at the cross ( 1Cor. 15:55, 56 ).  And He ( Jesus ) is the one who is "living His life" out through the believer whom He possesses.

Let's now compare some Scriptures.

Matthew 10:32......Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven.

Luke 12:8......Also I say unto you, Whosoever shall confess me before men, him shall the Son of man also confess before the angels of God:

Look at these two passages of Scripture of Matthew and Luke and notice their content  which is also seen in the text of Rev. 3:5 above also. Let's now look at another Scripture.

Matthew 10:33......But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.

  Therefore this passage in Rev. 3:5 has NOT ONE THING to do with a Christians struggle with sin , failure, and the lack of faithfulness in their walk with Christ,  but rather it is simply teaching that all those who have placed their faith and trust in Christ and believed on Him who has won the victory for them over sin and death, and the grave are therefore overcomers.  And so Jesus is just simply clarifying, confirming and reassuring the believer here ( the overcomer in Christ ) in Rev. 3:5 that their names Will never be blotted out of the "Lamb's book of Life" because they have believed on the Son of God whom they have received.  This is what this passage is teaching........PERIOD!  And it therefore is NOT teaching the "contrary" of what so many "reckless handlers of the word of God" are teaching about this passage of Scripture today.

Every born again child of God will "persevere to the End " ( the end of their life )  because Christ lives on the inside of them.  And God's Holy Spirit is the one who empowers every Child of God whom He has "sealed" ( Eph. 1:13,  4:30 ), as He is the one who spures the child of God on in order to "continue in the faith." God will see to it that what He began in every child of God ( which is the new birth ), is that which He will complete ( the glorification of our physical bodies, which is the "final phase" or completion of our redemption ).

The Apostle Paul states..."I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith ( 2Tim. 7 ).

Question:  Why did Paul "keep the faith" to the END of his life ?   Because He was born of God!

Listen to the words of the Apostle Paul in the following text below.

Phillippians 1:6........"For I am confident of this very thing, that He ( God ) who began a good work in you ( the new birth - 2Cor. 5:17 ) will perfect it ( in otherwords..."Complete it" ) until the day of Jesus Christ ( This is the appearing of Christ at the time of the resurrection / Rapture of the Church ).

You people who think that you can "walk away from God, lose your eternal salvation, and have your name "blotted out" of the Lamb's Book of Life" need to read a very powerful Scripture below which I have provided.

2John 1:1, 2......"The elder to the chosen lady and her children, whom I love in Truth;  and not only I, but also all who know The Truth,  for the sake of The Truth which bides in us and will be with us forever."

Jesus in John 14:6 said....."I am THE WAY,  THE TRUTH, and THE LIFE.  No man comes to the Father but through Me.

And so "The Truth" will NEVER depart or leave the believer!  Why?  Because the believer is "Born of the Spirit of God" who has permanenetly "sealed them", and therefore keeps them until Jesus comes for them ( Eph. 4:30 ).

Now, someone please tell me, PLEASE!!!!   How can a true believer in Jesus Christ, who has been spiritually born of God, who possesses the Holy Spirit who has sealed them "forever" and who will NEVER leave them ( John 14:16, 17;   Eph. 4:30 ), possibly "walk away from God" and have their names blotted out of the Book of Life when The Truth will never leave them!

I will never leave you nor forsake you ( Heb. 13:5 ).

In conclusion here, after reviewing these Scriptures, then you should have no problem believing that Christ will never leave a born again child of God, nor will He ever blot their names out of His Book of Life.  And if anyone of you reading this still continues to believe "the lie" which the devil has convinced you of, then you are most to be "pitied" because it is apparent and very clear that "the truth" of God's word " is not enough for you! "  And if this is the case?   Then you need to search your heart and ask yourself a very important question...."Have I really trusted fully in the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ" with absolutely "No strings attached" ( no works of my own mixed in, but only Christ and His work alone )?   Therefore you need to do what the following Scripture instructs such a one to do.

( KJV )
2 Corinthians 13:5 .......Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?

( NASB )
2 Corinthians 13:5......Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith; examine yourselves! Or do you not recognize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you—unless indeed you fail the test?

There are a lot of people today who are "professing" that they "know christ", but who in all reality do NOT possess Christ! .........Question! ..............Are you one of them? 

Only you can determine and answer that question by following the instruction given in God's word in how to be "truly saved."

In Christ,Tom Gaston
Rapturetj@comcast.net