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OVERCOME

‘Take heart; I have overcome the world.’ (John 16:33b)

Following the Passover Meal, Jesus prepares his disciples telling them he is about to leave them, but he will send the Paraclete in his place.  

I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation… (ibid 16:33a)

He knows they will suffer the loss, not least, initially in their faith that the broken man on the cross was not the Messiah they hoped he was.  With the exception of John, performing the family duty of supporting his aunt, Mary, the disciples would scatter and return to Galilee.

But it easy to pass over his summary statement, that he has ‘overcome the world’, noting this is a completed action, in other words, he can surrender to death knowing he is sinless, and that is a victory. 

The Greek verb νικάω nikaó means to vanquish, conquer, prevail over and it derives from the Niké, the pagan goddess of victory.  So, Jesus saying that he has already won a victory even before passing test of obedience in Gethsemane, and rendering up his life and spirit to his Father.

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(Commit) SIN

Whoever commits sin also commits lawlessness, and sin is lawlessness.  

(1 John 3:4)

Modern English receives the word ‘sin’ from the Anglo Saxon synne, which has much in common with the Greek word John uses, ἁμαρτία hamartia, as both convey the sense of a misstep and came to mean a ‘violation of law’ – in the somewhat archaic usage, ‘trespass’ or ‘transgression’.  Sin is an act both of omission and commission, yet in both instances, for sin to be sin, it has to be ‘committed’; even failing do what should be done is a deliberate act; and a sin is no less committed even it is thoughtless, reckless or impetuous as opposed to that which is premeditated or calculated.  Jesus of course, extends this act to include intent, not simply the execution:

‘But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart…’ (Matthew 5:28)

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WEAKNESS

In order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’  

(2 Corinthians 12:7-9) 

What Jesus tells Paul appears contradictory, and indeed it is baffling.  Yet scripture is not given by God to obscure, rather it is revelatory.

How can ‘any power be made perfect in weakness?’  This is not in self-handbooks, let alone the leadership playbook beloved of chief executives, politicians; those with presidential aspiration or any the would-be despots seek power and hold through strength and domination.

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STRONGHOLD

For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ, being ready to punish every disobedience, when your obedience is complete.  (2 Corinthians 10:3-6)

Paul identifies ‘strongholds’ – the Greek is ὀχύρωμα ochuróma, literally ‘fortress’ –  which means conceptually and in context, ‘a place of refuge from reality’; in other words, Paul is speaking about inner desires, wishes, dreams and fantasies, alongside any other idolatrous and rebellious notions to which the follower of Christ may cleave.  These are inner and personal fastnesses that resist the Holy Spirit, and he says that the individual is to seek them out in themselves and tear them down.  

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UNFORGIVABLE (SIN)

‘Everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but the one who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven.’  (Luke 12:10)

The Greek word for the verb translated ‘forgiven’ is ἀφίημι aphiémi, from apó ‘away from’ and hiémi ‘send away, release or discharge’.  In this the verb directly mirrors the English word which comes from the Anglo-Saxon forgiefan, a combination of the prefix for ‘away’ and giefan ‘to give’.  For God to forgive then denotes the process where he relinquishes or ‘gives away’ His right to punish those that wrong him.  

Jesus declares…

‘Truly, I say to you, all sins will be forgiven the children of man…’  (Mark 3:28a)

The Apostle Paul knew that his crimes against God were grave, yet he tells his pupil…

The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost.  (1 Timothy 1:15)

And when he says ‘save’, he means save from rightful punishment.  The Gospel of Christ declares the guilty go unpunished, while the punishment is borne by God the Father’s guiltless Son, thus the just God is propitiated.  But Jesus also says that not that all punishment can be waived.  

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SHAME

God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are,so that no human being might boast in the presence of God.  (1 Corinthians 1:27-29)

Shaming is a process of belittlement and Paul tells us that how God uses it for his good purpose.  The Greek word here is καταισχύνω (kataishuno) meaning to disgrace, confound or dishonour.

But it is equally important to note why God would do such a thing, which stems from the desire to bring all to repentance and through faith to restore hope.

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DELIBERATE (SIN)

For if we go on sinning deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a fearful expectation of judgement, and a fury of fire that will consume the adversaries.  (Hebrews 10:26-27)

Humanity is in an adversarial relationship with God, that is our natural state.  The writer of Hebrews says that once that realisation has dawned, in other words, been revealed by God, the soul is in a parlous position.  For thereafter continuing to behave as we have been has dire consequences which are eternally lethal.

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STRUGGLE

In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. (Hebrew 12:4)

The Greek word translated ‘struggle’ is ἀνταγωνίζομαι  antagónizomai, from anti ‘against’ and agónizomai ‘contend with’, whence English derives the verb ‘to agonise’.  The common usage of agónizomai was in the context of warfare or an athletic contest, and it refers to the physical, mental and emotional exertion in contending with an enemy.

The writer of Hebrews references Jesus in the garden of Gethsemane, who –

knelt down and prayed, saying, “Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done.” And there appeared to him an angel from heaven, strengthening him. And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly; and his sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground.And when he rose from prayer, he came to the disciples and found them sleeping for sorrow, and he said to them, “Why are you sleeping? Rise and pray that you may not enter into temptation.”  (Luke 22:42-46)

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(The Promise of) VICTORY

To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I was victorious and sat down with my Father on his throne.  (Revelation 3:21)

In the Bible book that contains John’s apocalypse, Jesus reveals to his disciple an assessment of the seven churches; which, in the apocalyptic symbolism where the number seven represents completeness, is the assessment of the church in its totality.  It is a sobering read because the body of believers is clearly beset.  That it is persecuted should come as no surprise, but what is shocking (or should be) is the parlous internal conflict. 

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