[Greek] νικάω (nikaō), [Latin] vincere, [Latin] Victoria, [Latin] supervenire, [French] suprendre, [French] agresser, [French] surpasser, [French] conquerer, [German] seigen

[Greek] νικάω (nikaō), [Latin] vincere, [Latin] Victoria, [Latin] supervenire, [French] surprendre, [French] agresser, [French] surpasser,  [French] conquerir, [German] seigen: to conquer, to overcome, to prevail, to overpower; Lk.1:22, Jn.16:33, Rom.3:4, Rom.12:21, 1Jn.2:13-14, 1:Jn.4:4, 1Jn.5:4-5

Background information:

Greek Hellenism: This term means to surpass, to prevail, to conquer, to be victorious, to carry the majority, to appeal to the mob, and to yield to excellence.

Sophocles’ Ajax 1357: “I yield to his excellence much more than his hostility.”

Plato’s Phaedrus 56b: “For they have truly conquered the Olympic contests.”

Aeschylus’ Eumenides 88: “Remember, do not let fear overpower your heart.”

Sophocles’ Antigone 233: “The view prevailed that I should come to you.”

Euripides’ Orestis 944: “The villain spoke and gained his point by appealing to the mob.”

Mythology: Nike is the goddess of victory. Throughout history mortals (man) have called upon the gods seeking favor, fortune, and victory. The Greeks worshipped Nike, believing that she could grant them the strength and speed to be victorious. The related Roman goddess is Victoria.

Old Testament: This term means to excel, to be pre-eminent, to be permanent, to be innocent, to be clean, to stand victorious as a martyr, and to stand innocent before the judgment. God’s victory is the only answer one can give to the meaning of evil.

New Testament: This term means to overcome, to conquer, and to be victorious. Victories and defeats may be temporary in life, but Christ has the ultimate victory. One must conquer evil with good. The victor is the Christian who holds fast to his faith and does God’s will in the face of persecution.

Scripture:

“When a strong man fully arms his palace, his possessions are safe. But when one stronger (Jesus) than he attacks and overcomes him (Satan), Jesus takes away the armor on he relied and distributes the spoils.” Lk.11:21-22 (The strong man is the devil. The palace is the world (kingdom of the devil.)

The strong man’s possessions (those whom the devil secures in their sinful state):

1. Ignorance: This includes of God, ourselves, truth, busyness, and salvation. The devil blinds our eyes and hardens our hearts.
2. Unbelief: Our fallen nature, doubts, disobedience, barriers against God.
3. Hardness of heart: Inability to fill sorrow from sin, closemindedness, failure to acknowledge sin, inclination for sin, lack of need for conversion.
4. Hatred and enmity toward God: failure to acknowledge God’s ways, corruptness, failure to acknowledge Truth, inclination for hatred.
5. Pride: Selfishness, self-exultation, self-indulgence, vanity, arrogance, rebellion, “I will not serve”, “I know better…”
6. Jesus attacks and overcomes Satan’s armor: (Jesus overcomes Satan’s control over his subjects.)
7. Jesus distributes the spoils: (Jesus releases those who are possessed and controlled by the devil.

“I have told you this so that you may have peace in Me. In the world, you will have trouble, but take courage, I have conquered the world.” Jn.16:33

Trouble in this world: great tribulation, malice, persecution, affliction, torment, pride, treachery, sin, arrogance, ignorance, “being of the world”

“For by so doing you will heap burning coals upon his head. Do not be conquered by evil but conquer evil with good.” Rom.12:20-21

Conquering evil with good (kindness):

1. Being conquered by evil is a sign of weakness, not strength. To repress this desire for revenge because a personal victory for oneself.
2. Your actions will illustrate the power of the gospel.
3. Your actions may serve to disarm your enemies of their rage.
4. Your actions may serve to confound the evil one, who seeks to stir up one’s passions and desires.
5. Allow God to repay with vengeance upon others.
6. “Kill” your enemies with kindness (serving, feeding, and serving them).
7. Showing them kindness is like heaping burning coals upon their heads: make them feel the pain of shame, embarrassment, remorse, and repentance.

Who were the Nicolaitans? They were an early Christian sect who resided in Ephesus and Pergamum (Rev.2:17). Their beliefs consisted of a doctrine of tolerance and compromise. paganism, and sin. The Nicolaitans’ teachings and deeds ultimately conquered and subdued the people. Jesus hated the Nicolaitans’ deeds because they failed to live a life of separation from the world’s values.

Why did Christ hate deeds of the Nicolaitans?

1. This doctrine was a watered-down (weakened) form of Christian where sin is ignored and and repentance is disregarded.
2. This was a doctrine of tolerance, inclusion,  and compromise.
3. The Nicolaitans were luke-warm in faith and paganistic.
4. The Nicolaitans made a mockery of their faith.
5. Holy living and separation from the world was not encouraged.
6. These “Christians” sought a truth in the world.
7. Absolute truth, doctrinal truth, and biblical truth were minimized.
8. No exclusionary belief that Christ alone is the way to heaven.
9. They do not believe that Christ alone is the way to heaven.

Scriptural references about the Nicolaitans:

Acts 20:29: Savage wolves will come among you

Acts 20:30: Some will come forward perverting the truth to draw the disciples away

Acts 20:33: I have never wanted anyone’s silver or gold (pagan worship of Artemis)

Jud.1:8: These dreamers nevertheless defile the flesh, scorn lordship, and revile glorious beings.

“But you have this in your favor; you hate the works of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.” Rev.2:7

Conclusion:

Victory, victorious, conquer, conquering, siege, invicible, laity

It is interesting that even Plato acknowledges that one can live a harmonious and virtuous life, yet one may succumb to evil influences.

In the Old Testament, some Maccabeeans overcame temptation, persecution, even to the point of martyrdom in remaining faithful to their faith. , Innocence and cleanliness can also make reference to one’s faithfulness.

Update: Potential examples of Nicolaitanism  (compromising, tolerating, or watering down the faith) from Pope Francis and his inner circle:

1. In their outreach to the LGBTQ community, they are tolerating, overlooking, and denying sin (homosexuality) under the guise of tolerance and inclusion.
2. Pope Francis claims criticizes the traditional priest as a “scandal” who seeks “spiritual worldliness” and “clericalism” for having the audacity to remain seen as a priest. (Pope Francis criticizes this separation).
3. Pope Francis accuses Catholics of  being “too rigid” (for clinging on to doctrine). The Church must be a synodal Church.
4. Pope Francis claims that it is a mistake to try to hold onto tradition for to have clear answers for everything. (The Church must be messy!)
5. Pope Francis claims that we can accomplish miraculous things in this world by merging our faiths. Catholicism must no longer be pre-eminent.
6. Pope Francis’ Amoris Laetitia expands and waters down the requirements for receiving the sacraments.
7. Pope Francis’ Fudicia Supplicans seeks to bestow blessings on same sex unions. This ultimately seeks to bless evil.
8. Pope Francis is remaking Jesus’ Church in a worldly synodal Church (in the image of man). Worldly values and sin creep into the Church.
9. The Synod of Synodalities seeks to permit the laity to share decision making authority in the Church.

Lax criminal policies and emboldened criminal activity have overcome liberal cities. Many businesses and individuals are leaving these cities. These policies are contributing to creating ghost-towns.

Pope Francis and his inner circle, by failing to point out the sinful nature of homosexuality and same-sex unions, are putting many people eternal mortal soul in jeopardy. These clergy will ultimately be held accountable for these actions before God.

The LGBT community and Modern (progressive) Church leaders, like new Nicolaitans, are acquiesing to the LGBT community. Both are advocating for tolerance and inclusion. Many in the Church seek to compromise, overlook, or ignore Church teachings on sinful behavior.

Gender ideology, transgenderism, and the tyranny of relativism (one can be any gender one wants) are now undermining and conquering the traditional understanding of two genders created by God.

Many are now poorly catechized, having a little or no faith. Many have left the Church. Many more have become “nones”, unaffiliated with any organized religion.

This modern secular post-Christian world often makes it very difficult for one to separate one’s Christian values from the world’s values. Society’s denial of sin is greatly contrasted with Jesus’ command to sin no more (Jn.8:11).

In a sense, many of us are also like “little pagans” bowing our heads down to our electronic devices, and other gods (money, fame, power, social media, possessions, stuff, etc.)

I think many of us in this post-Christian secular world are acting like modern Nicolaitans. I suggest you discover this yourself. Just do it!  ☺☺☺