He Who Overcomes

To him who overcomes I will give the right to sit with me on my throne. (Rev 3:21)

In these letters to the seven churches Christ continually promises a reward “to him who overcomes.” I wonder exactly what is meant by “overcome” here. I think it means living a life characterized by persevering through trials and resisting temptation. I think I see that “obedience” theme peeking through again. God is clearly making strong demands on us. He really expects us to live out our lives in a particular way, which doesn’t involve taking the easy road or doing whatever we feel like. Not that our salvation depends on it, but our reward does, not the least of which is the satisfaction of knowing that God is pleased with us. We were created for this. Nothing satisfies like living out the purpose for which God created us.