“As it is written: “For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.” No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.” (Romans 8:36-37)

Previously, when I read this scripture in Korean, I understood the verse as “being victorious in any difficulties” or as “enduring and not being disheartened in any painful situations”. This interpretation is not wrong with its context.

But the English NIV Bible says “No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.” It was refreshing to see the verse translated as “we are more than conquerors” in English. Previously, I interpreted verse 37 lightly: “We who believe in Christ are greater people than any conquerors in the world”. But when we look at this verse with verse 36, it means “though we are slaughtered and persecuted by the conquerors, we are better than them”.

So, what is true victory?

In the Book of John, Jesus described his death on the cross as a ‘glory’ (John 12:23-24) and the Book of Revelations describes those persecuted and martyred as ‘victorious’ (Revelations 15:2).

As Hebrews 11: 35-35 puts it, there are times where Christians “through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, and gained what was promised; who shut the mouths of lions”. But as written in verse 35, there are Christian lives “who were tortured, refusing to be released so that they might gain an even better resurrection”.

Therefore, understanding Christian life as “happily ever after” is a childish interpretation of life, one that is untrue. But explaining the life of a Christian as poverty, distress, hardships is a pessimistic, depressing attitude.
Our life is real with both dimensions, and we as Christians can live courageously in both sides of life. That’s why we’re greater people than the conquerors. It is also the meaning of Philippians 4:13 “I can do all this through him who gives me strength.”