[Bible-believer]

Rev. 2:7 says, “He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.”

This is the first promise to the “overcomer.”
Are we, Christians, overcomers? According to 1John 4:4, 5:4-5, we are.

1John 4:4 says, “Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.”
1John 5:4-5 For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.5 Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?

But do we, Christians, need to eat the tree of life to get eternal life?

Now, every place we find this “tree of life” in the Bible, it is a means of obtaining eternal life; and its “partaking” is based on works, not on grace.
For example, Revelation 22:14 says, “Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.”

Rev. 22:2 In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.

We are told that a man has to “keep the commandments” to partake of the tree of life. And the context shows “the leaves of the tree of life were for the healing of the nations.”

Question: Are we Christians or nations?

We are Christians. And according to the Scripture, how do Christians get eternal life? We get eternal life by believing in Jesus Christ and trusting Him as our Savior. Not by eating the tree of life.

We read in verses:
John 3:15 That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.

John 6:54 Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day.

John 6:68 Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life.

John 10:28 And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.

John 17:2 As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him.

Act 13:48 And when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and glorified the word of the Lord: and as many as were ordained to eternal life believed.

Rom 5:21 That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.

Titus 2:1-2 Paul, a servant of God, and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God's elect, and the acknowledging of the truth which is after godliness; In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began;

1John 2:25 And this is the promise that he hath promised us, even eternal life.

1John 5:11-12 And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.

The “tree of life,” as we find it in Revelation 2, 21–22, is always a reference to a tree that people get life out of by coming to it and eating. They receive this right to come and eat by works, “by doing the commandments.” Therefore, Revelation 2:7 cannot apply doctrinally to a Christian.

There are three groups of people in the Bible: The Gentiles, the Jews, and the Body.

Although 2Tim 3:16 says, "All scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness." But for the doctrine application, we have to discern carefully. For example, under the 10 Commandments, Jews have to observe the Sabbath; do we, Christians, need to? Or are we under the 10 Commandments?

LR misapplies doctrines to the three groups and causes confusion. Overcomer theory is one of them.