Who is the 'One who Overcomes' in Revelation 2 and 3?
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📰The Bible is one of the best-selling and most widely distributed books in history, yet it is also considered to be among the least understood. The Bible, which is referred to as the New Covenant and Promise of God, in which 'the way to heaven and salvation' is presented, differs in theologians' interpretations that make it difficult to understand. These differing interpretations have been the cause of the rise of denominations with each one establishing their own doctrine. With the increase in online church services and gatherings resulting from the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, there has been growing interest in the comparison of various church doctrine. This paper, therefore, attempts to provide readers with the opportunity to compare differing Biblical teachings without interpretation. Among a host of online sermons and Bible-based teachings, the contrasting doctrine between the established Church and Shincheonji Church of Jesus, which has drawn public interest throughout the Covid-19 pandemic, is hereby compared and summarised. Best efforts have been made to provide a summary of Shincheonji Church of Jesus' understanding of the Bible. Judgment as to what is right or wrong is left to the reader’s discernment.
The book of Revelation is a prophetic book that foretells events at the time of the Lord's Second Coming. When the appointed time comes, it will certainly be fulfilled and the reality will be revealed.
At the second coming of the Lord, the seven stars and seven messengers who prepare the way for the Lord appear first. The tabernacle of the seven golden lampstands, and its seven angels (messengers), are the location of the fulfilment of Revelation. Those who had worked in Jesus' right hand broke the covenant with Jesus, and Satan's false pastors, that is, the group of destroyers, invaded.
In the book of Revelation, these destroyers are called Satan's Nicolaitans (Revelation 2 and 3), and in Revelation 13, they are called the beast with seven heads and ten horns that came out of the sea.
Jesus sent letters of repentance to the seven stars who had been deceived by Satan's forces. In the letters, three things were recorded: what has been seen, what is now, and what is to come. Its contents were, as recorded in Revelation chapters 2 and 3, to repent, fight and overcome the enemy, and if they do overcome, they would be blessed. However, those who did not repent after receiving these letters of repentance were eventually taken captive and, over a period of 42 months, were put to an end by the group of destroyers.
At that time, there is one who appears, who did not become one with the destroyers, and won the battle. This 'one who overcomes' is a child born of a woman clothed with the sun, moon and stars in Revelation 12, and is said to be the one who will fight and overcome the destroyers - that is, Satan's group who entered the tabernacle of heaven - and will also rule all nations with an iron sceptre in the future.
What we need to understand is that the war in Revelation is not a physical war, but a spiritual war between the spirit and flesh (people) who belong to God, and the spirit and flesh (people) who belong to Satan. Therefore, the weapons used in this war to fight and overcome are also spiritual, that is, with the blood of the Lamb and the word of testimony. The blood of the lamb represents the word of Jesus, and the word of testimony becomes the revealed word of Revelation that exposes the identity of the dragon.
Moreover, the one who overcomes receives the 12 blessings of Revelation 2~3 that Jesus promised to the one who fights and overcomes Satan's Nicolaitans. The one who overcomes receives the hidden manna, which is the bread of life; the white stone, which is the right to judge; and the authority of the iron sceptre to rule all nations. Furthermore, since God, heaven and Jesus are all said to be together with the one who overcomes who sits with Jesus on his throne, that also means that those who overcome will also all inherit heaven, salvation and eternal life. Therefore, the one who overcomes becomes the only path to heaven, and is the truth and the life at the Second Coming of the Lord. Therefore, this one who overcomes is a pastor who appears according to the New Testament promise whom believers must meet today.
If the 39 books of the Old Testament testify to Jesus alone, it is not an exaggeration to say that the 27 books of the New Testament tell us about the one who overcomes, the promised Shepherd at the time of the Second Coming of the Lord. There are many shepherds (pastors) in the world, but there is only one shepherd who is promised in the Bible, and only one promised shepherd who knows the word of promise in the New Testament.
Today, no matter how much we examine the Bible, if we do not find the one who overcomes in Revelation 2 and 3, there is no heaven, no salvation, and no life. If you are a believer who hopes for heaven and eternal life, you must meet the promised shepherd, the one who overcomes, and the 12 tribes of Shincheonji.
Pastor A, Presbyterian Church
"'He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give to eat from the fruit of the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.' We have to overcome our emotions, ourselves and sin. What does the victor receive? What is the fruit of the tree of life?"
Pastor B, Presbyterian Church
"If you're at war, facing each other with a gun, you have to knock your opponent down with a gun to win. If someone is arguing, shutting that person's mouth with words is what wins that argument. From the other perspective, however, washing is winning. Therefore, winning differs depending on one's environment. It really depends on one's environment."
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