Overcomer Doctrine (Merged Thread)

[UntoHim]

The real problem is not that Witness Lee taught that there will be reward and punishment for believers, (the Bible clearly teaches this) the problem is that he taught, in so many words, that the reward and punishment is going to be based upon how one treated his person and his work. If one did not fully accept his authority as the One Minister, the sole Oracle of God on earth, and fully accept his ministry as the One Ministry for the Age, they were never going to be an overcomer.

For confirmation, I submit a direct quote from Mr. Benson Philipps, President of the Living Stream Ministry:
“In any case, do not leave the Lord’s recovery. I can assure you that if you go away from the Lord’s recovery, you will have no way for the process of sanctification to go forward within you. Instead, you will just enter into a bankrupt situation. I know of no one who has left the Lord’s recovery and today is a great spiritual person on the earth. The sanctification process is carried out in the Lord’s recovery”
(The Ministry Magazine Vol. 8, No. 1 Page 189, first paragraph)

This statement is not surprising at all to any of us who spend any significant time in the Local Church of Witness Lee. If one leaves their tiny little, insignificant personality cult, not only will they never be an overcomer, they won't even be able to have "the process of sanctification" go forward within them. And they wonder why people call the Local Church a cult.
-

[Zezima]

So it’s partially true?

[Nell]

Originally Posted by Zezima

So it’s partially true?

Zezima,

To break down the “overcomer” doctrine, can you first define it, precisely, so we can all start on the same page?

Thanks—
Nell

[Zezima]

I suppose that would help this discussion.

Overcomer doctrine: There is a group of Christians who were successful in their Christian lives by gaining the amount of spirit that God requires of them. This group of Christians is different than others because they have gained more God. Every Christian is saved from eternal hell, however some Christians don’t gain enough christ in their life so they are sent to outer darkness for 1,000 years, a place separated from God and a place where they will gain the Christ they failed to gain. Overcomers however will be sent to a feast with God for 1,000 years. In short, overcomers are genuinely saved Christians that gained more God in their life and are rewarded with 1,000s of feasting.

This is how I would define or describes LR definition of being a overcomer.

[Nell]

Originally Posted by Zezima

I suppose that would help this discussion.

Overcomer doctrine: There is a group of Christians who were successful in their Christian lives by gaining the amount of spirit that God requires of them. This group of Christians is different than others because they have gained more God. Every Christian is saved from eternal hell, however some Christians don’t gain enough christ in their life so they are sent to outer darkness for 1,000 years, a place separated from God and a place where they will gain the Christ they failed to gain. Overcomers however will be sent to a feast with God for 1,000 years. In short, overcomers are genuinely saved Christians that gained more God in their life and are rewarded with 1,000s of feasting.

This is how I would define or describes LR definition of being a overcomer.

Ok. What is the scriptural basis for applying the word “overcomer” to this teaching? 😁

Nell

Nell, the Lord spoke in Revelation, "To he who overcomes...". Therefore one can be an overcomer. This is an experience, not merely a teaching or doctrine. This should be easy to understand, dont you think?

[Nell]

Originally Posted by Unregistered

Nell, the Lord spoke in Revelation, "To he who overcomes...". Therefore one can be an overcomer. This is an experience, not merely a teaching or doctrine. This should be easy to understand, dont you think?

I did not say one could not be an overcomer. Please quote my remarks accurately and I believe you will understand.

However, my point was, I do not understand these Revelation verses in the context of Lee's teaching on overcomers. There is a difference, don't you think?

So. To answer your question...it should be easy to understand, but the verses seem to have nothing to do with Lee's threats of not being an overcomer if you don't remain in the Local Church and do as you are told.

If you wish to continue this discussion, please register as a forum member.

Nell

[Ohio]

Originally Posted by Unregistered

Nell, the Lord spoke in Revelation, "To he who overcomes...". Therefore one can be an overcomer. This is an experience, not merely a teaching or doctrine. This should be easy to understand, dont you think?

The Bible also says that "he who endures to the end shall be saved."

Do we now also have a class of people who are called "enduromers?"

This should be easy to understand, don't you think?

[Trapped]

Originally Posted by Zezima

I suppose that would help this discussion.

Overcomer doctrine: There is a group of Christians who were successful in their Christian lives by gaining the amount of spirit that God requires of them. This group of Christians is different than others because they have gained more God. Every Christian is saved from eternal hell, however some Christians don’t gain enough christ in their life so they are sent to outer darkness for 1,000 years, a place separated from God and a place where they will gain the Christ they failed to gain. Overcomers however will be sent to a feast with God for 1,000 years. In short, overcomers are genuinely saved Christians that gained more God in their life and are rewarded with 1,000s of feasting.

This is how I would define or describes LR definition of being a overcomer.

That sounds like what I recall too.

Can you (or anyone participating) think of and include any of the verses the LR would use to justify this?

The one that comes to mind for me are the ones in Matthew 25 about the 10 virgins. The LR would say that the oil in their lamps represented the Spirit we had gained.

Matthew 25:1-12
1 “At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom.
2 Five of them were foolish and five were wise.
3 The foolish ones took their lamps but did not take any oil with them.
4 The wise ones, however, took oil in jars along with their lamps.
5 The bridegroom was a long time in coming, and they all became drowsy and fell asleep.
6 “At midnight the cry rang out: ‘Here’s the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!’
7 “Then all the virgins woke up and trimmed their lamps.
8 The foolish ones said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil; our lamps are going out.’
9 “ ‘No,’ they replied, ‘there may not be enough for both us and you. Instead, go to those who sell oil and buy some for yourselves.’
10 “But while they were on their way to buy the oil, the bridegroom arrived. The virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet. And the door was shut.
11 “Later the others also came. ‘Lord, Lord,’ they said, ‘open the door for us!’
12 “But he replied, ‘Truly I tell you, I don’t know you.’
13 “Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour.

I have some comments about whether the teaching holds up to these verses, but are there other verses we can add to the mix first so we have a set of things to look at? I'm drawing a blank on others right now.

Trapped

[Nell]

The word “overcomer” I cannot find in the Bible. The word “overcome”, or overcometh, in context of your question appears 6 times:

Revelation 2:7
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.

Revelation 2:11
He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death.

Revelation 2:17
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 hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it.

Revelation 2:26
And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations:

Revelation 3:5
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.

Revelation 3:12
Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name.

These verses seem neither to apply to a group of believers, nor something a group would do. It doesn’t seem like “overcometh” is specifically defined, but is an “if/then” statement. If you overcome, then I will…” Maybe, ”if you do what I have given you to do, then I will reward you as follows: …”

I have never understood the Lee teaching in the context of these verses.

Nell

[Bible-believer]

1John 5:4

For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.

5:5 Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?

[Zezima]

Revelation 15 is used to justify the doctrine as well, saints on the sea of glass.

Seems like there isn’t much to justify it in the word without reading the idea into the text. It’s such a motivating factor though for many saints, they pursue out of fear. So many times have I heard from saints who have been meeting for years, “I hope I’m ready” for gods second coming. The “ready” part, is being an overcomer.

The whole thing always rubbed me the wrong way, long before I left and even when I was a diehard LR saint. It feels like it negates the cross completely and everything Jesus did for us.

[Zezima]

Originally Posted by Nell

The word “overcomer” I cannot find in the Bible. The word “overcome”, or overcometh, in context of your question appears 6 times:

Revelation 2:7
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.

Revelation 2:11
He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death.

Revelation 2:17
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 hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it.

Revelation 2:26
And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations:

Revelation 3:5
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.

Revelation 3:12
Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name.

These verses seem neither to apply to a group of believers, nor something a group would do. It doesn’t seem like “overcometh” is specifically defined, but is an “if/then” statement. If you overcome, then I will…” Maybe, ”if you do what I have given you to do, then I will reward you as follows: …”

I have never understood the Lee teaching in the context of these verses.

Nell

These verses are used a lot in the LR to justify the teaching. What do you think these verses mean? If they don’t back up the LR’s teaching?

Revelation was written to a specific group at a specific time. It cannot mean for us what it did not mean for them. It was written to a group of Christians under immense persecution.

[Trapped]

Originally Posted by Trapped

The one that comes to mind for me are the ones in Matthew 25 about the 10 virgins. The LR would say that the oil in their lamps represented the Spirit we had gained.

Matthew 25:1-12
1 “At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom.
2 Five of them were foolish and five were wise.
3 The foolish ones took their lamps but did not take any oil with them.
4 The wise ones, however, took oil in jars along with their lamps.
5 The bridegroom was a long time in coming, and they all became drowsy and fell asleep.
6 “At midnight the cry rang out: ‘Here’s the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!’
7 “Then all the virgins woke up and trimmed their lamps.
8 The foolish ones said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil; our lamps are going out.’
9 “ ‘No,’ they replied, ‘there may not be enough for both us and you. Instead, go to those who sell oil and buy some for yourselves.’
10 “But while they were on their way to buy the oil, the bridegroom arrived. The virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet. And the door was shut.
11 “Later the others also came. ‘Lord, Lord,’ they said, ‘open the door for us!’
12 “But he replied, ‘Truly I tell you, I don’t know you.’
13 “Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour.

Here are a couple of my thoughts about the local church interpretation of this passage. Essentially the local church's interpretation falls in line with their categories of "real (spiritual) believer", "real (soulish) believer", and everyone else, including false believers and the unsaved.

I personally think the Bible shows "real believer", "false believer (or believer in name only)", and everyone else. And I think that distinction comes into play in this parable.

First of all, we can back up to the parable before this one, in Matthew 24:45-51. It's about the faithful and wise servant put in charge of his master's possessions, and he is contrasted with what is called a "wicked servant" who beats his fellow servants and gets drunk, etc. The wicked servant thinks the master will be gone a long time and so he lives like it.

It seems to me the parable of the 10 virgins is saying something similar. The wise virgins are genuine believers, "in it for the long haul" so to speak, who have oil in their lamps and bring oil with them.....prepared for a long wait but ready for when He comes. The foolish virgins don't do the same thing. This reminds me of the seeds that fell on differing soils. The seeds that fall on rocky soil do spring up, but then wither away because the soil is shallow.

The reason I don't think this parable is about believers who get shut out is because the Lord says "Truly I tell you, I don't know you."

But if we look at related verses in Matthew 7, it seems like the ones the Lord doesn't know are ones He never knew. Here they are in Matthew 7, saying "Lord, Lord" just like in Matthew 25, and trying to enter the kingdom of the heaven just as described in Matthew 25:

Matthew 7:21-23
21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.
22 Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’
23 Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’

And Jesus says not only does He not know them, but He never knew them.

If the Lord NEVER knew them, then this cannot be believers. So I don't see grounds for applying Matthew 25 and saying that some genuine believers will have the door slammed in their face by the Lord, telling them He doesn't even know them.

It's a great way to keep poor believers paralyzed in a state of fear though.

There are other verses Lee used to justify his teachings; I don't have time to go digging but if anyone knows them and can post them here, we can look into them too.

Trapped

P.S. Bible-believer included the verses in 1 John 5:

1 John 5:4-5
for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world? Only the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.

From the little time I've spent looking into what the Bible says about overcomers/overcoming, this seems to be what we should hang our hat on. Overcomers are simply genuine believers, born of God. Any overcoming we do is because of what Jesus did. He's overcome the world, and we overcome the accuser because of the blood of the Lamb (Rev. 12:11).

What helps me the most for studies like these is to find the root word in Greek, and then pull up all the verses that have any form of that word.....then plod through those verses and see what they all say. Here is the full list of verses in the Bible that have the forms of the word "nikao" (overcome). They are on the right side of the page listed under "Englishman's Concordance":

https://biblehub.com/greek/3528.htm

[Raptor]

The ones in Matthew 7, the servants in 24 and the 10 virgins in 25 are all believers.

[Raptor]

Originally Posted by Trapped

I personally think the Bible shows "real believer", "false believer (or believer in name only)", and everyone else. And I think that distinction comes into play in this parable. First of all, we can back up to the parable before this one, in Matthew 24:45-51. It's about the faithful and wise servant put in charge of his master's possessions, and he is contrasted with what is called a "wicked servant" who beats his fellow servants and gets drunk, etc. The wicked servant thinks the master will be gone a long time and so he lives like it. It seems to me the parable of the 10 virgins is saying something similar.

they are all servants = they are all believers
they are all virgins = they are all believers

[Bible-believer]

Originally Posted by UntoHim

For confirmation, I submit a direct quote from Mr. Benson Philipps, President of the Living Stream Ministry:
“In any case, do not leave the Lord’s recovery. I can assure you that if you go away from the Lord’s recovery, you will have no way for the process of sanctification to go forward within you. Instead, you will just enter into a bankrupt situation. I know of no one who has left the Lord’s recovery and today is a great spiritual person on the earth. The sanctification process is carried out in the Lord’s recovery”
(The Ministry Magazine Vol. 8, No. 1 Page 189, first paragraph)

This statement is not surprising at all to any of us who spend any significant time in the Local Church of Witness Lee. If one leaves their tiny little, insignificant personality cult, not only will they never be an overcomer, they won't even be able to have "the process of sanctification" go forward within them. And they wonder why people call the Local Church a cult.
-

You reminded me of one thing. I attended a meeting regarding God's action last year. The leading brother said if you would miss the meeting, then you would miss the Rapture.

It sounded like no matter how perfect you were, as long as you missed any meeting, you would have missed the Rapture.

[Zezima]

Originally Posted by Bible-believer

You reminded me of one thing. I attended a meeting regarding God's action last year. The leading brother said if you would miss the meeting, then you would miss the Rapture.

It sounded like no matter how perfect you were, as long as you missed any meeting, you would have missed the Rapture.

That’s the thing, the whole doctrine seems to put mans righteousness on man rather than anchor our identity / righteousness in Christ.

[Bible-believer]

I was reading this article,
<The PAPAL ENCYCLICALS IN THEIR HISTORICAL CONTEXT >
“Catholicism insists that it teaches the preaching of Christ, and only that. The Catholic believes that his beliefs are identical with those of the Apostolic Church without a jot or tittle changed.”

“Hence it is that the Catholic does not say in the first instance ‘What does the Book say?’ Rather he asks, ‘What does the teaching church say?’”

“This fundamental vision of the church causes the Catholic to look to the episcopate for doctrine because the Roman Catholic bishops are the authentic exponents of God’s message. This is no idolatry of the bishops or their primate, the Bishop of Rome, but it is only a consequence of the Catholic theory of the church.”

Do those doctrinal statements sound familiar to us?

[Ohio]

Originally Posted by Bible-believer

I was reading this article,
<The PAPAL ENCYCLICALS IN THEIR HISTORICAL CONTEXT >
“Catholicism insists that it teaches the preaching of Christ, and only that. The Catholic believes that his beliefs are identical with those of the Apostolic Church without a jot or tittle changed.”

“Hence it is that the Catholic does not say in the first instance ‘What does the Book say?’ Rather he asks, ‘What does the teaching church say?’”

“This fundamental vision of the church causes the Catholic to look to the episcopate for doctrine because the Roman Catholic bishops are the authentic exponents of God’s message. This is no idolatry of the bishops or their primate, the Bishop of Rome, but it is only a consequence of the Catholic theory of the church.”

Do those doctrinal statements sound familiar to us?

Sure, they sound familiar, and make no mistake, the Blendeds are an episcopate, living on the memory of their long dead Popes.

I grew up in the Catholic church hearing that there is “no idolatry,” and we believed that nonsense as they made us pray to all their statues. Kind of like believing the LC is in some way “L-O-C-A-L” after receiving yet another mandate from Cleveland or Anaheim.

[Zezima]

Originally Posted by Bible-believer

I was reading this article,
<The PAPAL ENCYCLICALS IN THEIR HISTORICAL CONTEXT >
“Catholicism insists that it teaches the preaching of Christ, and only that. The Catholic believes that his beliefs are identical with those of the Apostolic Church without a jot or tittle changed.”

“Hence it is that the Catholic does not say in the first instance ‘What does the Book say?’ Rather he asks, ‘What does the teaching church say?’”

“This fundamental vision of the church causes the Catholic to look to the episcopate for doctrine because the Roman Catholic bishops are the authentic exponents of God’s message. This is no idolatry of the bishops or their primate, the Bishop of Rome, but it is only a consequence of the Catholic theory of the church.”

Do those doctrinal statements sound familiar to us?

“What does the ministry say”

[aron]

Originally Posted by Bible-believer

I was reading this article,
<The PAPAL ENCYCLICALS IN THEIR HISTORICAL CONTEXT >
“Catholicism insists that it teaches the preaching of Christ, and only that. The Catholic believes that his beliefs are identical with those of the Apostolic Church without a jot or tittle changed.”

“Hence it is that the Catholic does not say in the first instance ‘What does the Book say?’ Rather he asks, ‘What does the teaching church say?’”

“This fundamental vision of the church causes the Catholic to look to the episcopate for doctrine because the Roman Catholic bishops are the authentic exponents of God’s message. This is no idolatry of the bishops or their primate, the Bishop of Rome, but it is only a consequence of the Catholic theory of the church.”

Do those doctrinal statements sound familiar to us?

"Roman Catholic bishops are the authentic exponents of God's message." That quote could be placed onto the Lord's Recovery, only substituting the words "blended brothers" for "Roman Catholic bishops". The Blendeds are the unquestioned authorities on matters of doctrine, teaching, interpretation, and practice. They were the ones who sat at the feet (literally) of the supposed Minister of the Age, who was himself the sole authentic exponent of God's message. Both Witness Lee and his predecessor Watchman Nee made this principle utterly clear. They were the EF Hutton of religion: when they spoke, everyone else had to be quiet, and listen. And they, in turn, had to listen to none but God.

Now, the New Testament authors and speakers made it very clear, also, that Jesus held this same role. He was the incarnated Word, and when he spoke, the Father spoke through him. He was the One whom Moses predicted: "A prophet will God raise up after me, you must hear him". The repeated word in the NT was that the prophetic word of Moses in Deuteronomy 18 was fulfilled in Jesus (Yeshua) the Galilean. Acts 3:22 and 7:37 make this quite explicit. See also Matt 21:11 - "The crowds replied, 'This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth in Galilee".

The excuse of the rejecting Jews was that they had Moses and the prophets. They didn't have to listen to some Johnny-come-lately Galilean and his motley crew. A bunch of fishermen! Unlettered, even! Tax collectors! Sinners!

Jesus' reply: "If you listened to Moses and the prophets you would hear me. They spoke of me".

My point in this is that Jesus is revealed as the authentic exponent of God's word, and not anyone else. Yes we have scripture but each one of us is responsible to parse it out, and find meaning. We have the collective, we have books and teachers and guides. But ultimately each one of us must take responsibility for what we think, and say, and do; otherwise we may end up in places like the Lord's Recovery. It was comforting for a while not to have to think. Just do what the brothers say. As Ray Graver told Bill Mallon, "Here, we do what we're told". But ultimately one found discomfort and disconnection because the brothers clearly were departing from the message of the NT. So following became a journey into the ditch.

Even Paul, the supposed "minister of the age" with the "up-to-date speaking" never held that claim, nor did any in the NT say this. Rather, he said that he had the ministry to the gentiles as Peter to the Jews. He never said that he superseded anyone else. That is self-serving from those whose goal is to fill their bellies and their family nests, to promote such ideas. The NT never supports this - rather it consistently promotes the opposite: everyone cooperated in the NT to find the message of Jesus together, and go forward together. Just as Jesus followed the Father's commands, everyone should try to follow Jesus' commands. Paul and Peter and John never commanded. As sheep, they followed the Lamb. Those who deign to command, other than the King Himself, are wolves. Don't follow them.

I would submit that to "overcome" follows asking questions, and taking the narrow path, where those questions begin to open doors in heaven. You will see a door open in heaven, and a voice says, "Go". And you go. This involves questioning the powers, the religious ones, political ones, social ones, economic ones. Questioning doesn't make you an overcomer, but it is the necessary first step in the journey. Don't be afraid to ask questions. God is not afraid of your questions, so don't be afraid of His answers. And He will answer you. Have faith.

[Russian95]

Originally Posted by UntoHim

The real problem is not that Witness Lee taught that there will be reward and punishment for believers, (the Bible clearly teaches this) the problem is that he taught, in so many words, that the reward and punishment is going to be based upon how one treated his person and his work. If one did not fully accept his authority as the One Minister, the sole Oracle of God on earth, and fully accept his ministry as the One Ministry for the Age, they were never going to be an overcomer.

For confirmation, I submit a direct quote from Mr. Benson Philipps, President of the Living Stream Ministry:
“In any case, do not leave the Lord’s recovery. I can assure you that if you go away from the Lord’s recovery, you will have no way for the process of sanctification to go forward within you. Instead, you will just enter into a bankrupt situation. I know of no one who has left the Lord’s recovery and today is a great spiritual person on the earth. The sanctification process is carried out in the Lord’s recovery”
(The Ministry Magazine Vol. 8, No. 1 Page 189, first paragraph)

This statement is not surprising at all to any of us who spend any significant time in the Local Church of Witness Lee. If one leaves their tiny little, insignificant personality cult, not only will they never be an overcomer, they won't even be able to have "the process of sanctification" go forward within them. And they wonder why people call the Local Church a cult.
-

Do you by chance have a copy or scan of that Ministry Magazine volume where Benson Philips declares that only those in the "church life" can become overcomers? I need it as a reference and can't seem to find it anywhere.

Thanks!

[UntoHim]

I used to have the actual paperback version, but have long since lost it. I suppose it might be possible to search through the Living Stream Ministry website and find it? Once problem might be is that LSM has consolidated/rearranged a number of publications, and in some cases, have changed the titles. Good luck!
-

[Sons to Glory!]

If I may, I'd like to add something to this thread that I don't know was covered before. Recently, we went through the letters to the 7 churches at the beginning of Revelation, and it was really good. The letter to Philadelphia spoke like never before and it directly pertains to overcoming.

The key point I took away from this letter was basically this - they had but a little strength, however they were faithful in the basics; matters of love, keeping His word and not denying His name. Therefore the Lord counted them as being on the mark (they already had a crown) and promised them something special - an open door (think wise virgins) and keeping them from the hour of trial coming on the whole earth! The Lord puts His seal of approval there - these guys aren't super-saints, they are just walking in the main focus: LOVE.

This letter is packed with many special things they inherit including the kingdom, the temple of God (His people), having God's name and the city's name written on them, etc. These believers hit the mark by simply being faithful in just the few key things the Lord desires of us - keeping His word/name, loving God and each other . . . and that is counted as overcoming.

[Bible-believer]

Originally Posted by Russian95

Do you by chance have a copy or scan of that Ministry Magazine volume where Benson Philips declares that only those in the "church life" can become overcomers? I need it as a reference and can't seem to find it anywhere.

Thanks!

For your reference

THE PROPER CONDITION OF THE OVERCOMERS
One Body, One Spirit, and One New Man,
by Witness Lee

THE PROPER CONDITION OF THE OVERCOMERS
Brothers and sisters, in conclusion I would like to say that if you would like to be a top Christian, you must be a Christian in the churches of the Lord’s recovery. You must also learn to live in the Body and not ever be individualistic. Furthermore, you must also understand that the churches in the Lord’s recovery on the entire earth are just one new man. Never be individualistic, and never be divisive; instead, be in the one Body and in the one new man. Moreover, in everything and in every matter in your living you must also continuously follow what the Spirit within you is speaking to the churches. Simply put, you must follow the Spirit, live in the Body, and live in the new man. This is our way today. Whatever would cause you to be separated from the Body is heretical. Whatever would cause you not to live in the new man is also an error. Whatever is not spoken by the Spirit within you is conceived only in your own mind. We must see the one Body, the one Spirit, and the one new man. We all need to hear what the Spirit within us is speaking to the churches today.

Moreover, we should always live in the Body, never being individualistic. We should never separate from the Body or divide the Body. Instead, we should continuously live in the new man. By this way I believe there will be a ninety percent possibility that we can be overcomers. One Body and one new man and one Spirit. We should always listen to and follow the Spirit.