“He That Overcometh”: what does it mean in Revelation?

Revelation 3:1  “To the angel of the church in Sardis write: These are the words of him who holds the seven spirits of God and the seven stars. I know your deeds; you have a reputation of being alive, but you are dead.  (2)  Wake up! Strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have found your deeds unfinished in the sight of my God. 

The Lord Jesus rebukes the church in Sardis because their deeds are unfinished in the sight of God. This clearly means that certain deeds are expected from those who hope for eternal life. It is not the “free ride” that some have been led to believe. Our deeds—what we have accomplished for the Lord—can be found “unfinished in the sight of God.” What is the consequence of this?

(3)  Remember, therefore, what you have received and heard; hold it fast, and repent. But if you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what time I will come to you. 

The consequence is that we will not be ready when He returns. Why should any born-again believer not be concerned about this?

(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)  The one who is victorious will, like them, be dressed in white. I will never blot out the name of that person from the book of life, but will acknowledge that name before my Father and his angels.  (6)  Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. 

The one whose deeds are in fact found to be finished and who are ready for His coming are those who are “victorious.” They have not soiled their clothes, and their names will never be blotted out from the book of life. This strongly implies that they will be some whose names will in fact be blotted out. Can this refer to those who have “soiled their clothes” by disobedience and sin?

Let us examine from other New Testament Scriptures what it means “to be victorious” or in Greek “nikaō.”

nikaō (nik-ah’-o) in Greek νικάω

It means to subdue (literally or figuratively): conquer, overcome, prevail, get the victory.

There are a total of 28 occurrences of “nikaō” found in the KJV.

Out of these 28 occurrences, 23 are found in 1 John and Revelation, both of which are authored by the apostle John.

Let’s examine how John uses “nikaō” in his writings.

1 John 2:13  I write^G1125 unto you,^G5213 fathers,^G3962 because^G3754 ye have known^G1097 him^G3588 that is from^G575 the beginning.^G746 I write^G1125 unto you,^G5213 young men,^G3495 because^G3754 ye have overcome^G3528 the^G3588 wicked one.^G4190 I write^G1125 unto you,^G5213 little children,^G3813 because^G3754 ye have known^G1097 the^G3588 Father.^G3962

1 John 2:14  I have written^G1125 unto you,^G5213 fathers,^G3962 because^G3754 ye have known^G1097 him^G3588 that is from^G575 the beginning.^G746 I have written^G1125 unto you,^G5213 young men,^G3495 because^G3754 ye are^G2075 strong,^G2478 and^G2532 the^G3588 word^G3056 of God^G2316 abideth^G3306 in^G1722 you,^G5213 and^G2532 ye have overcome^G3528 the^G3588 wicked one.^G4190

1 John 4:4  Ye^G5210 are^G2075 of^G1537 God,^G2316 little children,^G5040 and^G2532 have overcome^G3528 them:^G846 because^G3754 greater^G3187 is^G2076 he^G3588 that is in^G1722 you,^G5213 than^G2228 he^G3588 that is in^G1722 the^G3588 world.^G2889

1 John 5:4  For^G3754 whatsoever^G3956 is born^G1080 of^G1537 God^G2316 overcometh^G3528 the^G3588 world:^G2889 and^G2532 this^G3778 is^G2076 the^G3588 victory^G3529 that overcometh^G3528 the^G3588 world,^G2889 even our^G2257 faith.^G4102

1 John 5:5  Who^G5101 is^G2076 he that overcometh^G3528 the^G3588 world,^G2889 but^G1508 he that believeth^G4100 that^G3754 Jesus^G2424 is^G2076 the^G3588 Son^G5207 of God?^G2316

In 1 John the usage of “nikaō” is primarily in the sense of overcoming the world and the evil one.

1 John 2:16  For everything in the world–the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life–comes not from the Father but from the world.

Those who are “victorious” overcome the love of the world and the temptations of the evil one in this life. Now we can have better understanding of what John wrote subsequently in Revelation—when he quoted Jesus commending those who are “victorious.”

Revelation 2:7  He that hath^G2192 an ear,^G3775 let him hear^G191 what^G5101 the^G3588 Spirit^G4151 saith^G3004 unto the^G3588 churches;^G1577 To him^G846 that overcometh^G3528 will I give^G1325 to eat^G5315 of^G1537 the^G3588 tree^G3586 of life,^G2222 which^G3739 is^G2076 in^G1722 the midst^G3319 of the^G3588 paradise^G3857 of God.^G2316

Revelation 2:11  He that hath^G2192 an ear,^G3775 let him hear^G191 what^G5101 the^G3588 Spirit^G4151 saith^G3004 unto the^G3588 churches;^G1577 He that overcometh^G3528 shall not^G3364 be hurt^G91 of^G1537 the^G3588 second^G1208 death.^G2288

Revelation 2:17  He that hath^G2192 an ear,^G3775 let him hear^G191 what^G5101 the^G3588 Spirit^G4151 saith^G3004 unto the^G3588 churches;^G1577 To him^G846 that overcometh^G3528 will I give^G1325 to eat^G5315 of^G575 the^G3588 hidden^{G2928 (G3588)} manna,^G3131 and^G2532 will give^G1325 him^G846 a white^G3022 stone,^G5586 and^G2532 in^G1909 the^G3588 stone^G5586 a new^G2537 name^G3686 written,^G1125 which^G3739 no man^G3762 knoweth^G1097 saving^G1508 he that receiveth^G2983 it.

Revelation 2:26  And^G2532 he that overcometh,^G3528 and^G2532 keepeth^G5083 my^G3450 works^G2041 unto^G891 the end,^G5056 to him^G846 will I give^G1325 power^G1849 over^G1909 the^G3588 nations:^G1484

They who are victorious will keep, hold fast to, and fulfill the Lord’s works until the end. They will be given authority over the nations in the Christ’s Millennial Kingdom.

Revelation 3:5  He that overcometh,^G3528 the same^G3778 shall be clothed^G4016 in^G1722 white^G3022 raiment;^G2440 and^G2532 I will not^G3364 blot out^G1813 his^G848 name^G3686 out^G1537 of the^G3588 book^G976 of life,^G2222 but^G2532 I will confess^G1843 his^G848 name^G3686 before^G1799 my^G3450 Father,^G3962 and^G2532 before^G1799 his^G848 angels.^G32

Revelation 3:12  Him^G846 that overcometh^G3528 will I make^G4160 a pillar^G4769 in^G1722 the^G3588 temple^G3485 of my^G3450 God,^G2316 and^G2532 he shall go^G1831 no^G3364 more^G2089 out:^G1854 and^G2532 I will write^G1125 upon^G1909 him^G846 the^G3588 name^G3686 of my^G3450 God,^G2316 and^G2532 the^G3588 name^G3686 of the^G3588 city^G4172 of my^G3450 God,^G2316 which is new^G2537 Jerusalem,^G2419 which^G3739 cometh down^G2597 out of^G1537 heaven^G3772 from^G575 my^G3450 God:^G2316 and^G2532 I will write upon him my^G3450 new^G2537 name.^G3686

Jesus says to the angel of the church in Laodicea:

Revelation 3:21  To him^G846 that overcometh^G3528 will I grant^G1325 to sit^G2523 with^G3326 me^G1700 in^G1722 my^G3450 throne,^G2362 even as^G5613 I also^G2504 overcame,^G3528 and^G2532 am set down^G2523 with^G3326 my^G3450 Father^G3962 in^G1722 his^G848 throne.

^G2362

They who are victorious (who “overcome”) will sit with the Lord on his throne. They will be given authority to rule with Christ in His kingdom.
.

Revelation 3:7  “To the angel of the church in Philadelphia write: These are the words of him who is holy and true, who holds the key of David. What he opens no one can shut, and what he shuts no one can open.  (8)  I know your deeds. See, I have placed before you an open door that no one can shut. I know that you have little strength, yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name.  (9)  I will make those who are of the synagogue of Satan, who claim to be Jews though they are not, but are liars–I will make them come and fall down at your feet and acknowledge that I have loved you.  (10)  Since you have kept my command to endure patiently, I will also keep you from the hour of trial that is going to come on the whole world to test the inhabitants of the earth.  (11)  I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown.  (12)  The one who is victorious I will make a pillar in the temple of my God. Never again will they leave it. I will write on them 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 them my new name.  (13)  Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. 

(14)  “To the angel of the church in Laodicea write: These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God’s creation.  (15)  I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other!  (16)  So, because you are lukewarm–neither hot nor cold–I am about to spit you out of my mouth.  (17)  You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked.  (18)  I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see.  (19)  Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest and repent.  (20)  Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.  (21)  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.  (22)  Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”

Conclusions:

Those who are “victorious” overcome the love of the world and the temptations of the evil one. They who are victorious will keep, hold fast to, and fulfill the Lord’s works until the end by obeying his commands in Scripture. They will be given authority over the nations in Christ’s Millennial Kingdom. A crown—promised to those in the church of Philadelphia to those who hold on to what they have (Revelation 3:11)—is a symbol of kingly authority.

Sadly, there will also be many whose deeds will be found unfinished in the sight of God. They will suffer loss in some way. Is it possible that this might have to do with names being blotted out from the book of life?