Reading D&C 50 as part of the Come, Follow Me lesson last week, I noticed the word, "overcome" four times in that chapter. Twice with negative connotation and twice with positive connotation. Here they are:
wo unto them who are cut off from my church, for the same are overcome of the world. (verse 8)
Not with accusation, that ye be not overcome (verse 33)
the is given of the Father, and to all things which are not ordained of him (verse 35)
, little , for you are mine, and I have the world, and you are of them that my Father hath me (verse 41)
Notice the contrast in the first and last example. You can be overcome of the world or you can overcome the world. In this life where there is a constant battle between good and evil, we ultimately win or lose, we overcome or we are overcome. This is another example of The Two Ways. From what I have learned about the plan of salvation, it is difficult to see any other alternative. I cannot imagine a future peace treaty between God and Satan, working out some compromise. Therefore, overcoming or being overcome are ultimately the two options. This is speaking in simple terms, of course, since we also know there are degrees of glory.
Let us turn to other scriptures to see if we can learn how to ultimately overcome and avoid being overcome. More than anywhere else in the Book of Mormon, this expression is used in the allegory of the olive tree in Jacob 5. We see several examples of both overcoming and being overcome like verses 40 and 66
And the fruit of the last had overcome that part of the tree which brought forth good fruitye shall clear away the bad according as the good shall grow, that the root and the top may be equal in strength, until the good shall overcome the bad
The interpretation of Jacob 5 is intended to be on more of a global than personal level, but the principle is the same. The wild fruit and branches can overcome the good and vice versa. For the good to overcome the bad, a lot of effort is needed. Even with all the pruning, digging, dunging and tender care by the master of the vineyard, it is a real challenge to accomplish the good overcoming the bad in the end. But he manages with the help of his servant and "other servants".
In the context of this allegory, it is also interesting to read what D&C 52:18 says
And again, he that is overcome and not forth fruits, even according to this pattern, is not of me.
The fruit symbolism of Zenos' allegory is coupled with "overcome" but on an individual basis in this case. What do we learn from these verses about what it takes to overcome instead of being overcome? There are some clues already but I will quote two verses from the New Testament before we conclude. The first one is better contextualized without the chapter division. The original letters of Paul obviously did not have any chapter division. Reading the last verse of chapter 12 and the first two verses of chapter 13, we get
Be not overcome of evil, but evil with good. Let every soul unto the higher . For there is no : the that be are ordained of God. Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that shall receive to themselves .
"Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers" is a way to overcome instead of being overcome. This adds to the lessons from the other scriptures quoted. In D&C 50:8 we learned that those who are "cut off" are overcome. Since it says "cut off from my church", we might conclude that the difference between overcoming and being overcome is church membership. But I don't think that is correct.
Behold, this is my doctrine—whosoever repenteth and unto me, the same is my . (D&C 10:67)
The difference is not made by a membership record but by coming unto Christ. This is consistent with the other scriptures quoted. Consider D&C 50 again that was quoted at the beginning: "You are mine" and "you are of them that my Father hath given me" in verse 41 is the contrast to the "cut off" in verse 8. But in verse 41 it is Christ who has overcome the world. In other verses, we can overcome. How does that work? One last example from John 16:33
In the ye shall have : but be of good ; I have the world.
Jesus then goes on to pray that his disciples should become one with him as he is one with the Father, similar to Paul's advise to be subject unto God. With all that the conclusion is crystal clear: The only way we can overcome evil/the world is through Christ and covenants. If we come unto him and stick to him like a branch of a tree, nourished by the roots, we do not have to overcome the world by ourselves. He has done it already so we will automatically too if we just stay "one" with him. It is a simple but profound lesson.