As a young man visiting Crescent Lake Bible Camp it was made clear to me that my eternal destiny was exclusively found in Jesus Christ. I had believed in Jesus Christ but there were also many other doctrines to keep. My initiation into this distortion started when I was baptized as an infant. Later I was taught to trust in and pray to Mary. Later, in my confirmation I had to devote to keeping the seven sacraments and staying faithful to this church. Sadly even then, I wasn’t assured eternal life. Now, I call each of these a mix of doctrines that contradict that Jesus Christ alone has accomplished all that is needed for my salvation and eternal joy with Him.
As we prepare to celebrate communion together, we’ll look at one of the activities of the next church in our revelation study, the Pergamos church. Next week we will study the whole passage and the Pergamos Church. For now we will look at what this group of believers did.
Before we get to this church, there is a Russian parable about a hunter that raised his rifle and took aim at a large bear. When he was about to pull the trigger, the bear spoke in a soft soothing voice, “Isn’t it better to talk than to shoot? What do you want? Let us negotiate the matter.”
Lowering his rifle, the hunter replied, “I want a fur coat.” “Good,” said the bear, “that is a negotiable option. I only want a full stomach, so let us negotiate a compromise.”
They sat down to negotiate, and after a time the bear walked away alone. The negotiations had been successful. The bear had a full stomach, and the hunter had his fur coat.
This story helps us understand that a church must not compromise the gospel of Jesus Christ with any other teaching.
12 “And to the angel of the church in Pergamos write, ‘These things says He who has the sharp two-edged sword: 13 “I know your works, and where you dwell, where Satan’s throne is. And you hold fast to My name, and did not deny My faith even in the days in which Antipas was My faithful martyr, who was killed among you, where Satan dwells. 14 But I have a few things against you, because you have there those who hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols, and to commit sexual immorality. 15 Thus you also have those who hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which thing I hate.”
The Pergamos Church was commended for honoring the name of Jesus and holding to the faith (13). But there was a complaint against the Church, they compromised by allowing other doctrines to be taught in the church (14). Jesus even told them that He hated the doctrine of the Nicolaitans (15).
In verse 16 “Repent, or else I will come to you quickly and will fight against them with the sword of My mouth.”
We read Jesus’ charge to the believer’s that they should repent (turn away). Turn away from what? The answer is in the context, in verses 14 and 15 tell us that they accepted “multiple religious teachings” they were to turn away from the people and these teachings.
Today, we would call this practice that the Pergamos church allowed “Universalism.” Universalism refers to the idea that an individual can belong to more than one religious belief system. For example a person can believe the Bible and Hindu teaching and be a member of a Christian church.
From our reading in Revelation 2:14-15, 14 But I have a few things against you, because you have there those who hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols, and to commit sexual immorality. 15 Thus you also have those who hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which thing I hate.”
The Pergamos church allowed for a mix of pagan religious culture and the message of Jesus. Specifically, they were guilty of permitting the teaching of Balaam and the doctrine of the Nicolaitans.
From the text there were three harmful effects of the doctrine of Balaam, each identified in the text by the preposition “to.” (14)
- It caused the Pergamos church’s witness to be hindered, “to put a stumbling block”,
- It intentionally encouraged people “to eat things sacrificed to idols”,
- And it encouraged people to commit sexual immorality.”
The term “sexual immorality” has always been associated with acts of idolatry against God. Religious idolatry involved the worship of an idol, follow false teachings or trust in a person in the place of the God of the Bible. Ironically, religious idolatry is an accusation pronounced upon people that should know better.
Balaam and Nicolaitan doctrines go way back into the Old Testament (see Numbers 22-25; 31:16 I’ll share more about this next week). As we see in the book of Revelation these doctrines were still practiced in the New Testament era. There is one observation to keep in mind back in chapter one, the church in Smyrna knew that Nicolaitan doctrine did not honor God’s name or His Word.
Revelation 2:6 “But this you have, that you hate the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.”
In verse 16, Jesus charged the believers of the Pergamos church to repent or He will come and separate those that taught such doctrines with His sword (The sword is referring to His Word).
I trust everyone knows that the Greek word “ecclesia” when it refers to a church means a group of people separated to Jesus Christ.
Jesus communicated the concept of separation in Revelation chapter 2 verse 12, “He who has the sharp two-edged sword” is an important reference. The “sword of God” refers to God’s Word and this image of a sharp two-edged sword represents God’s mighty separating power over all people. In another verse 12 in the Bible, we understand this fact clearly about of the sword of God.
“For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the dividing of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” – Hebrews 4:12
Later in the book of Revelation in chapter 19, Jesus returns, He is seen with such a sword protruding out of His mouth and its used to separate all ungodly people from His creation.
11 Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war. 12 His eyes were like a flame of fire, and on His head were many crowns. He had a name written that no one knew except Himself. 13 He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God. 14 And the armies in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, followed Him on white horses. 15 Now out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should strike the nations. And He Himself will rule them with a rod of iron. He Himself treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. 16 And He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.
The principles we learn from the Pergamos Church.
- Christians should never compromise our identity in Christ with anything.
- The Pergamos Church’s tolerance weakened their faithful witness. Their identity of what they believed as a church was lost among the variety of teaching they embraced. Jesus demands our witness to proclaim His light in the World.
- The important role of a Church is its purpose and influence on earth. We are the light of the world! Integrating spurious doctrines will affect the clear and pure gospel message of Jesus Christ.
What is the clear and pure gospel message of Jesus Christ?
Notice the message the Apostle John delivered to the churches in Revelation 1:4-6
“Grace to you and peace from Him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven Spirits who are before His throne, 5 and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler over the kings of the earth. To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood, 6 and has made us kings and priests to His God and Father, to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.”
The apostle Paul penned these words in 1Corinthains 15:3-5. Take notice of the bold phrase, we’ll see that again.
“For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures, 5 and that He was seen by Cephas, then by the twelve.”
So what do we learn from the Pergamos church that applies to our participation in the Lords table?
When we participate in communion…
- We are disowning any other doctrine.
- We are identifying with Jesus Christ and His atonement on the Cross.
- We are announcing an exclusive belief that Jesus is Lord.
- We identify that our salvation is from Jesus Christ alone.
- We show our dedication to the One true God, who came in the flesh and died for our sin and rose to claim victory over sin and evil.
Turn to the Scriptures in I Corinthians 11:23 for this high act of worship.
23 For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you: that the Lord Jesus on the same night in which He was betrayed took bread;
1.) 24 and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, “Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me.”
2.) 25 In the same manner He also took the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.”
3.) 26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death till He comes.
27 Therefore whoever eats this bread or drinks this cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord.
28 But let each person examine themselves, and let a person eat of the bread and drink of the cup.
29 For anyone who eats and drinks in an unworthy manner eats and drinks judgment to themselves, not discerning the Lord’s body.
30 For this reason many are weak and sick among you, and many sleep.
31 For if we would judge ourselves, we would not be judged.
We conclude our fellowship together by taking a collection to assist our brothers and sisters in the Lord. Our deacons fund is based on the passage in 1 John 3:17-18 “But whoever has this world’s goods, and sees their brothers and sisters in need, and shuts up their heart from them, how does the love of God abide in them? 18 My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth.”