God’s Requirement for Success
Overcome; Success:
What do they require? In today’s world, there’s a big emphasis on education. Many jobs are unobtainable unless we have one or several degrees. Titles have become a door opener and heads turn to listen when the prefix of the speaker has Dr. attached. Those who have earned degrees know the hard work and expense involved in completing the requirements for their degrees. Once the arduous task is completed, our name is written in the records of the institution that we attended, and a paper is issued which declares to the world that we have completed the requirements for our course of study.
We do it because we believe it will open doors to success
Why do people, of their own free will, commit the time and financial resources to earn a degree? Few do it because they have the desire to read books, attend lectures, write papers or take tests! We attend college and specialty schools because we hope the certificate, license or degree will open doors of opportunity for our careers. We hope that these sheepskins, as they are called, will be a vehicle to a promotion – to climb that corporate ladder – which usually means an increase in salary.
God’s Degreed People
In God’s kingdom, there are also “degreed” people. These are those who are born again and have determined to live a sacrificial life. Leadership on God’s team has a different set of requirements, and the degree obtained does not wither away as one day will all our earthly achievements designed to please man. “And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible.” (I Corinthians 9:25)
People with Degrees in God’s Kingdom
… Are Born Again
… Have Determined to Live a Sacrificial Life
Christians’ names are written in the Book of Life. They learn from Scripture
- that they must overcome,
- that they must endure hardships,
- that they must persevere,
- that they must change directions when it doesn’t make sense to the flesh,
- that they must be faithful in following the Word.
THE IMPORTANCE OF OVERCOMING
“He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life …” (Revelation 3:5) “And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.” (Revelation 20:15) We are told that if anyone changes the Word “… God shall add unto him the plagues … God shall take away his part out of the book of life …” (Revelation 22:18,19)
Overcomers do not manipulate God’s Word
We directly and indirectly change God’s Word by
- living lifestyles of which God does not approve,
- by changing the meaning of the Word from God’s intent and
- by altering His recorded Words:
“Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him. Add thou not unto his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar.” (Proverbs 30:5,6) It is impossible to “improve” upon the Scriptures as God has recorded them through Holy men of old whom He chose and the providential circumstances of time which have served to preserve His Word throughout all the generations.
“Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.” (II Peter 1:20,21) “The words of the LORD are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times. Thou shalt keep them, O LORD, thou shalt preserve them from this generation for ever.” (Psalms 12:6,7)
What is the significance of all this? Succinctly stated, we are told the importance of being saved and living a life based upon biblical principles. The sacredness of the Scriptures is established with the recording of the frightening consequences to those who change what God’s inspired men penned for our guidelines to living.
Heavy responsibility of Pastors, Teachers, and Every Christian
This places a heavy burden and responsibility upon not only
- pastors and
- teachers, but
- everyone who quotes the Word of God or
- gives advice regarding God’s standards for living.
Statements which are an abhorrent deceptions:
These warnings should make us carefully assess statements such as
- “Jesus didn’t really mean that for today.”
- “I know what the Scriptures say, but God understands and will accept my lifestyle, even though it is contrary to Scriptures.”
- “I wasn’t saved when all this took place in my life, so God will overlook what I’m doing now.”
CREDENTIALS OF THOSE WHO MOVE UP THE “CORPORATE LADDER” … IN GOD’S KINGDOM
Have you thought about the credentials of the men and women in the Old and New Testaments who moved to the top of the “corporate ladder” in God’s kingdom? These were ordinary people like you and me, but their “course of study” was not in an educational institution as we know such today. Their credentials were earned
- by studying the Word,
- by much fasting and prayer,
- by paying incredible prices of personal sacrifices.
- Their lives were those of obedience and uncompromising commitment.
- They matured in their walk with God because they didn’t rebel when adversity came into their lives.
They were able to let God’s Providential circumstances work toward their good and the lives with whom they came in contact. “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.” (Romans 8:28) Those who love God, obey His Word – what is written in the Bible. “That thou mayest love the LORD thy God, and that thou mayest obey his voice …” (Deuteronomy 30:20)
Review Revelation 3:5,21:
Rewards of being an overcomer:
- “He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.”
- “To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.”
Notice the word, overcome. How do we overcome? What is it that we “overcome?” What does it mean to “Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths”? (Proverbs 3:5,6) Why does God command this of us?
To overcome,
- We must turn from sin,
- We must train ourselves to keep our eyes off our negative circumstances and
- Focus on the provision of God to move mountains in our lives AND to help us to live within those seemingly unbearable circumstances when they are not changed.
Jesus Christ knew His purpose here was to leave for us an example to follow and to pay the price to die a horrendous death upon the cross to provide an atonement for the sins from which we repent (to pay our sin debt).
Study the life of Joseph in your Bible and study the article, What it Might Take to Save Your Loved Ones! to see how Joseph trusted the Lord through his many hardships. Discover how this Old Testament saint earned his “degree of righteousness.” May the Lord richly bless you as you “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” (II Timothy 2:15)
