Tolerating Compromise of God’s Truth

Transcript

GRM 868
7/20/2003
Tolerating Compromise of God’s Truth
Revelation 2:12-17
Gil Rugh

The book of Revelation in your Bibles, chapter 2. This one, that we are alone to worship is the Lord of the church. In Revelation chapter 1 He is revealed in the glory and splendor that is His as the Son of God who has been raised from the dead and one who is coming again to bring redemption to all creation with the establishing of His kingdom. But now His church represents Him on this earth, the church which is the body of Christ. In Revelation chapters 2 and 3 Jesus addresses letters to seven churches that were existence at this time in Asia Minor, an area we now know of as Turkey. These were seven actual churches, and they were selected because they also will convey a message that presents something of the completeness of the church of Christ on the earth, a message that is very pertinent to you and me as we represent Jesus Christ in these days. Because Christ directly speaks to the issues that are pleasing to Him in His church and to the issues that are not acceptable to Him. In each of these letters there is a glorious promise at the conclusion of the letter. To those who are the overcomers, to those who have placed their faith in Jesus Christ, they are promised a secure and glorious destiny in the presence of Christ when He comes to rule and reign over all creation for all eternity.

I want to look with you at Revelation chapter 2 beginning with verse 12, the letter to the church at Pergamum. One of the things we find out in these letters and are reminded of is that the church has been established in the world as a center of light, giving off the knowledge of God and His Son, Jesus Christ, in the midst of the darkness of unbelief, sinful conduct and behavior. But the church is to be a burning, bright light of the knowledge of God. This is an important reminder. Each of these churches has been established by God in a certain place in a certain locality, and it is a difficult world. We see this as we look at the church at Pergamum and its circumstances. We sometimes lose heart because we think the world is getting worse and worse and our country is deteriorating. Yet it comes out as we move from church-to-church things have always been bad. God did not plant the church to be light in the midst of grayness, He planted the church to be a light in the midst of darkness. We are here to make Jesus Christ known to people who are lost and without hope in the world, to people who live their lives under the control and domination of satan.

Back up a few pages to the first letter of John, just before the book of Revelation the epistles of John. Look at I John chapter 5 and verse 19, “We know we are of God and that the whole world lies in the power of the evil one.” You see that the whole world, this whole world system and the people of this world are in the control and grasp of satan himself. That’s why Jesus said to the religious leaders of His day in John chapter 8, “you are of your father the devil,” and that means you always want to do what your father wants done. The world today lies in the power of the evil one. We sometimes get the sense that we are going to be overwhelmed by the vileness of the world around us. But take hope, the church has been planted to be a light in the midst of darkness. Revelation tells us the last chapter. We win. We are victors in Jesus Christ. The world will not be overwhelmed by sin and destroyed, there won’t be some kind of cataclysmic event and all things will end. A comet is not going to come out of nowhere and destroy this planet. Jesus is Christ is going to come back to rule and reign; and more amazing than that, you and I are going to rule and reign with Him.

The churches in Revelation chapters 2-3 are portrayed as lampstands, giving off the light of the knowledge of God. God is light and in Him there is no darkness at all. We give off the light of the glorious gospel of Jesus Christ so that light might shine into the darkness of human hearts and by the grace of God men, women and young people might turn from their sin to believe in the Savior. As such it is absolutely crucial that the church not in any way be conformed to the world, the world not be allowed to shape the church and turn it from its appointed position.

Verse 12 of Revelation 2, “And to the angel of the church in Pergamum write.” This is Jesus Christ the Savior, the Lord dictating a letter to the church at Pergamum. “The one who has the sharp, two-edged sword says this.” Pergamum, one of the churches that I mentioned is in what we know of as Asia Minor. You can get out a Bible encyclopedia, some commentaries will have pictures. The ruins are there, the great amphitheater on that hillside in Pergamum, the ruins of temples there to be visited. In John’s day it was a great city. It was not a commercial center like some of the other cities, like Ephesus or Smyrna. It was not on the coast. But it was a major city, nonetheless. It was a city of about 200,000 so we can identify with a city that size. It was a great literary center. It had a library of 200,000 volumes. Now that’s a large library by any standard, but you keep in mind at this time there were no printing presses so every single one of these volumes was a handwritten work. Books were a treasure at this time. So, to have a library of 200,000 volumes made you a literary center. It was second only to the library in Alexandria, Egypt, and it is destined to become a part of that library. We are all familiar with the story of Anthony and Cleopatra. Anthony sent the library at Pergamum to Cleopatra as a gift. So, it became part of the Alexandrian library.

It was also a famous religious center. There are temples in this city of 200,000 to at least four major deities. This incidentally is the place where we get the symbol still used medically of the two serpents entwined around the pole from a worship of a god here, from the center of serpent worship in the world. Not only did it have at least four major temples to gods, various gods, pagan Greek deities, it also was the center of emperor worship. In 29 A.D., about 60-65 years before John wrote the book of Revelation, the first temple dedicated to the worship of the divine Augustus was constructed in Pergamum. It became a center of emperor worship. This made Christians’ lives much more difficult because part of what was required…Rome ruled the world, everybody had to be submissive to the Roman Caesar. What was required was that you come annually and take a pinch of incense, put it on the fire and acknowledge as you did that act of worship, Caesar is lord. But what can Christians do? We have records of Christians who were martyred because they could not do that. To declare that Caesar is God was something they could not do. This a church that is in a world center of pagan worship. Ephesus has a worship of Diana, but Pergamum is its own center permeated with pagan worship of one kind or another. Jesus appears and presents Himself to this church as the one who has the sharp, two-edged sword. Now Pergamum would appreciate the symbolism of the sword. Rome had given Pergamum a unique opportunity—they were free to exercise capital punishment. In most cities any capital offense had to be carried out under direct Roman authority. But in Pergamum the city was made a free city with the right of capital punishment. As Christ appears here with the sword it displays His absolute authority, His power to mete out judgment. What’s interesting to me, that Christ here is not addressing the city of Pergamum, He is addressing this local church, which may not have been substantial in numbers compared to what we’ve gotten used to today. But to this church He appears as the one with the two-edged sword, the one with absolute authority and the power of judgment and the meting out of ultimate punishment. It will be a church that gets commendation and condemnation.

When Jesus Christ returns to earth in chapter 19 of Revelation, turn over there. Revelation chapter 19 verse 15, “from His mouth comes a sharp sword so that with it He may strike down the nations and He’ll rule them with a rod of iron.” Verse 21, “and the rest were killed with the sword which came from the mouth of Him who sat on the horse.” Here we are at the climax of Armageddon, the heavens open and Jesus Christ descends in glory and power to destroy His enemies. The sword coming out of His mouth, the sword represented in His hand in chapter 1 is the Word of God. Hebrews chapter 4 verse 12 tells us that the “Word of God is alive and powerful and sharper than any two-edged sword.”

II Thessalonians chapter 2 verse 8, when Christ returns to earth, the antichrist will move from being the leader of the western world arising out of the federated nations, the ten-nation confederacy in Europe, to become world ruler. He will be destroyed with the breath of His mouth. This picture comes from the book of Isaiah, in Isaiah chapter 11. You can turn there, or you can listen as I read it to you. Isaiah chapter 11, the first part of this section is familiar. “The spirit of the Lord will rest on Him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and strength, the spirit of knowledge and fear of the Lord. He will not judge by what His eyes see nor make a decision by what His ears hear, but with righteousness He will judge” and so on. The end of verse 4, with the breath of His lips He will slay the wicked. You see that picture. He is bringing judgment. The breath of His lips pictured as a sword coming from His mouth. It’s His Word that comes out to destroy His enemies. The sword He holds is His Word. He said when He walked this earth, His Word would judge them, and indeed it will.

Back in Revelation chapter 2, Christ begins by declaring that He has knowledge. In the letter to the church at Ephesus in verse 2 of chapter 2, “I know your deeds and toil and perseverance,” and so on. The letter to the church at Smyrna in verse 9, “I know your tribulation and your poverty.” Remember this is the Lord of the church walking among the churches, the candlesticks. Now He says to the church at Pergamum in verse 13, “I know where you dwell,” I know you’re living in a difficult place. I know your church has been established at the center of worldwide wickedness. You want to know how bad this place is? He says, “I know where you dwell,” note this, “where satan’s throne is.” Look at the last statement of verse 13, “where satan dwells.” You have the worst of all possible neighbors; you live in the worst of all possible neighborhoods. Of course, the whole world lies in the power of the evil one, the whole world is influenced by the god of this world (small “g” referring to satan), the one who is the prince of the power of the air. But this promoter of evil, this censor of wickedness, the person who is opposed to God in every way, has chosen to establish his residence in a special way in Pergamum. You’ll remember satan is a created being, he is not like God. He is trying to be like God, but he is a created being. He can only be in one place at one time. His influence through the world is not carried out because he is omnipresent, present everywhere. It is carried out because he has a host of innumerable demonic beings who do his will. But as Christ addresses this letter to Pergamum, He says satan dwells in your city. His throne has been set up there. Satan is ruling the world from Pergamum, and this is where you have to shine brightly as a light for me.

We sometimes think we’re under pressure, we sometimes think that things are getting vile and difficult, and opposition is strong. Think of what this church had to face in the city of Pergamum. His throne is here. No wonder there are four major temples to Greek deities, because remember all false worship is the worship of the devil. There is a temple here for worshipping the divine Augustus, as though that mere mortal man, subject to death and decay, could ever be called God. There is a temple here and all it requires to declare that Caesar is God.

In the midst of that I know where you dwell. God knows exactly all our circumstances and situations. We say Lord you know how difficult it is, Lord, you know it is impossible for me to be faithful here, Lord this is and the Lord says I know. I know where you live. It’s where satan’s throne is. He knew more than they knew. “And you hold fast my name.” What a testimony. Here they live on satan’s doorstep in the city where satan’s throne is, where he has setup is a special way, the center of his kingdom, “and you hold fast my name.” They were faithful. In the face of intense opposition and persecution, here was a church that held fast to Christ, who He is.

How bad did it get? Verse 13, “You did not deny my faith, even in the days of Antipas, my witness, my faithful one, who was killed among you.” Here was a church that knew what it was like to stand in the face of burning persecution. We don’t know how large this church was. Again, in all probability not anywhere this large. They had had one of their number pay the price of his life for his testimony for Christ. You know the pressure that put on the church. If Antipas had to give his life for his faith in Christ, that means anyone of us could be next. We don’t know what it would be like if someone from our number were martyred in this city because of his faith. We’d begin to think anyone of us could be next. That’s the context. Jesus said “you hold fast to my name, you did not deny my faith,” your faith in me, the truth concerning me, even when Antipas had to die for that faith. This is a church that stood strong. What a testimony.

You know these names come and go. We don’t know anything else about Antipas. It’s just a name that appears here. It’s easy to read that he gave his life as a martyr. I wonder how that impacted his wife and children (I don’t know that he had them, I don’t know that he didn’t). his parents, friends, the other members of the church. You know I’m such a joyful person. Since I’m not a morning person I read the obituaries in the morning. Seems fitting. It’s always interesting to see how old people are when they die, and I realize some a lot more their age than I used to be. I like to see where the service is held, where they’re doing it. It gives you an idea of whether they might have known Christ or not. But I often think, there are families that have been dramatically impacted by this death. I read it, it’s a notice on a piece of paper. I turn the page and go on to read sports or something else. But some people’s lives will have been dramatically changed by this death. They list the relatives that are left and so on. I think there are people who this is a tremendously personal event. You can be sure when Antipas had to go and die as a martyr, the church at Pergamum would have been shaken. But they were not moved. You didn’t deny my faith, you were ready to die too. Quite a church.

Verse 14, but… I mean if you’re willing to die for your faith, could there be any buts? “But I have a few things against you.” I would think a church that was willing to die for their testimony for Christ had pretty well cleaned house. I mean if you’re willing to die what else is there? But you know, sometimes the pressure allows us to make compromises, even when we are willing to pay the ultimate price. So, it was at the church at Pergamum. They had failed to maintain purity within doctrinal purity.

“I have a few things against you because you have some there who hold the teaching of Balaam.” He’s the one who kept teaching Balak (we’ll say more about this in a moment) to put a stumbling block before the sons of Israel to eat things sacrificed to idols, and to commit acts of immorality. This doesn’t sound like a church that has held fast to Christ and wouldn’t deny the faith even if they had to put their life on the line. Now as Christ examines the church, He has something against you. I want you to note. Not everybody in this church was guilty of these sins. He says, “there are some who hold the teaching of Balaam.” But He addresses the church and says, “I have a few things against you, the church, because you have tolerated in your midst some who hold the teaching of Balaam.” This church at Pergamum has become accountable before God for not cleaning house. They are commended for putting their lives on the line and not denying the faith, but at the same time they have tolerated the teaching of Balaam; that involves false worship and immorality. How can you do that?

Let’s back up and look at Balaam quickly, Numbers chapter 22. Balaam is a significant figure. Numbers chapter 22, chapter 23, and chapter 24 are all about Balaam. He gets some of the greatest revelations from God concerning Israel that are given anywhere in the Bible. He is a puzzling figure because he is a godless man on his way to hell. Yet God talks to him, God speaks through him. He becomes a major example in the Bible of a false prophet. The setting, and I just overview it, Israel is in the wilderness wandering, God is destroying people before them, the Moabites believe they are next. So the king of the Moabites calls for Balaam. Balak is the king, verse 2, Balak the son of Zippor saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites. Moab was in great fear. The Moabites and the Midianites are going to join forces and Balak is the king of Moab, at the end of verse 4. They send for Balaam, a prophet. They want Balaam to come and curse Israel so God will destroy them. The representatives of the king, the elders of Moab, verse 7, come and they bring gifts as you would bring to a prophet to Balaam so he will curse Israel. He tells them in verse 8, spend the night. I’ll bring word back what the Lord tells me to do. The Lord came to Balaam, verse 9, and says who are these men. Balaam says they’ve come to get me to go curse Israel. Verse 12, “God said to Balaam do not go with them. You shall not curse the people for they are blessed.” God appears to Balaam. God talks to Balaam. God told Balaam what to do, what not to do. Don’t go. Balaam was obedient. He went back and told the elders, the representatives of the king, I can’t come with you, God said no. They go back and tell the king he can’t come. The king sends back verse 17, “I will indeed honor you richly, give you whatever you want. Come and curse the people.” Listen to what Balaam said, this really is good. “Though Balak were to give me his house full of silver and gold I could not do anything, either small or great, contrary to the command of the Lord my God.” I admire the man. You just don’t tell the king no and not put yourself in danger. He says, stay the night. I’ll see if God had anything more to say. God tells him in verse 20, “if men have come to call you, rise and go with them. But only the word which I speak to you shall you do.” So, he gets up and goes with them. God tells him, all right go ahead and go and note what happens in verse 22. God was angry because he was going. But God said go ahead and go; and the way the story unfolds Balaam evidently always wants to go in his heart and God is giving Balaam permission to do what he wants. God is angry that he doesn’t want to do what God wants to do. You know sometimes we are praying Lord whatever you want me to do I’ll do. But in our hearts, we know what we want to do, and it when we become convinced that God hasn’t given us the answer, we want we begin to look for reasons why we should do what we want to do anyway. This is not so surprising that he would act this way. But this goes on. There is an element about Balaam. You know Balaam never curses Israel. Every time he gets up to speak, he gives a blessing.

We have the account here of the donkey. The angel of the Lord stands in his way and Balaam beats the donkey and then the donkey speaks to him and when his eyes are opened, he sees the angel of the Lord. Here is a man who not only has God spoken to directly, but he sees the angel of the Lord stand before him, and he talks with him.

Then you come to chapter 23, and we don’t have time to read all the blessings that Balaam gives. Each time Balaam gives a blessing Balak says let’s go over here and try a new location. Now try it. Balaam gets up and gives a blessing again. He gives a blessing again and he gives a blessing again. Come to the end of chapter 24. You know what the end of it is? After he gives another blessing and pronounces destruction on the enemies of Israel, then Balaam arose and departed and returned to his place and Balak went his way, verse 25 of chapter 24. We say wow what a prophet of God. He stumbled a little, but he basically did all right.

Then you read chapter 25. It starts out, “while Israel remained at Shittim the people began to play the harlot with the daughters of Moab. For they invited the people to the sacrifices of their god and the people ate and bowed down to their gods.” You know what happened? God destroys thousands of the Israelites, 44,000 down in verse 9 we’re told. You know why this happens? Before Balaam left, he had a conference with Balak, and you know what he told Balak? God won’t let me curse the Jews to destroy them, but I’ll tell you how you can get God to destroy them. You get your women to go and invite the Israelite men to your sacrifices. Get them involved in you worship and immorality with your women and God will destroy them for you. Now, you want to pay me now? How do we know that happens?

Turn over to chapter 31 of Numbers. When the Jews do destroy the Moabites and the peoples, Balaam is destroyed with them. Look at verse 16 of Numbers 31, “behold these (these women, coming out of the previous verse) caused the sons of Israel,” now note this, “through the counsel of Balaam to trespass against the Lord in the matter of Peor. So, the plague was among the congregation of the Lord.” Can you imagine? Here is a man who claims to be a prophet, one to whom God speaks, one who is told directly by God you cannot curse Israel because they are blessed and has the audacity to recommend to the king of the Moabites here is how you can get God to destroy the people He wants to bless. Lure them into idolatry and immorality and God will destroy them. You know what? Balaam is right. He knew what would bring the judgment of God. What did he think he was bringing on himself by such counsel? The New Testament uses him as an example in II Peter 2 of godless false prophets. One thing I want you to note here, false prophets can be very convincing, very confusing. Here is a man who can proclaim the Word of God and does, but he’s not genuine; and he becomes the example. Jude uses him as an example as well of false prophets who have infiltrated the church. That’s what Peter is talking about, too.

So, you come back to Pergamum. How easy it is. Here you have those who are promoting the doctrine of Balaam. How do they do that in Pergamum and get away with it? Well, look. We’re standing firm against the world. Now there are some in our numbers who believe it is acceptable. You can offer that little bit of incense to Caesar and declare Caesar as Lord because in your heart you remain pure. When you declare Caesar as Lord you don’t mean in your heart that he is God, you’re just acknowledging that he is the divinely appointed ruler that God has put in place, which is Biblical. We may get involved in some of the things they do, but how are we ever going to reach the pagan city of Pergamum if we isolate ourselves behind these walls and are known for what we are against and we’re against everyone and everything. So there has to be room for some differences in this church. People begin to think well they do proclaim…I mean they paid a price, these Balaamite kind of people. They’re identified with the church at Pergamum. They’re proclaiming allegiance to Christ at the same time they are bringing in the doctrine of Balaam. Why didn’t the church clean house? Because they went through the same thing the church does now. Well, they profess to be Christians, I think they are genuine people, I don’t think the difference between us is great enough to split the church over. I mean we have all these enemies, all these pagans, all these false deities being worshipped around us. The last thing we need is a division and split in our church now. I just don’t think we ought to be making an issue of this. We look back on it and read it and say how could the church at Pergamum tolerate Balaamites, Nicolaitans. But we find the church tolerating things every bit as bad today in evangelical churches.

Well, you know we have to have our core things we agree on. Here we have the whole Word of God but let’s first decide what are the core issues we agree on. We agree on sin, on the deity of Christ, His death and resurrection. Those are our four essentials. The other things are open to difference. Says who? You think God says four essential things and the rest of the things here are up for grabs, take it or leave it? What kind of arrogance are we to say well I have about…, this here is the good stuff. The rest is good, but we can differ. You can believe it or not believe it, that’s okay. Who says? This is my core. It starts with the first chapter of Genesis, and it ends with the last chapter of Revelation. According to the law and prophets, if they don’t speak according to this there is no dawn, they have no light, Isaiah 8. He didn’t say according to these 3 things. Nope. Everything in the law and everything in the prophets. That’s what they had, the Old Testament. The book of Revelation will conclude “anybody who adds to this book or takes away anything is cursed.” This idea of well we have the essentials you have to agree on. But we wonder how could they tolerate the Balaamites? We’ve had church splits over the Biblical doctrine of sanctification and people think it’s something to battle over. Let’s take Romans 6, 7, 8 out of the Bible, give it to psychologists. I visited with a pastor in another state, we were personally in the same place together. We spent time together. His church is many times bigger than this and he was familiar with our position on sanctification. He said Gil, I agree with you, but I have a problem. I have people in my church that hold it strongly different. What am I going to do? I said you have to confront them and they’ll either change or leave. Oh, I can’t do that, I just don’t have the heart for that kind of thing. They were just dear people to me; I couldn’t do that. Well, if you love people more than you love the Lord, you’re in trouble.

How does it get into the church? We find reasons not to deal with it. How did Pergamum end up with people teaching the doctrine of Balaam and the Nicolaitans? Verse 15, “so you also have some who in the same way hold the teaching of the Nicolaitans.” You know what this word hold, verse 14 and then down in verse 15. Up in verse 13, “you hold fast my name,” the commendation, you hold fast my name. That’s the same word as down in verse 14, “who hold fast the teaching of Balaam.” What a church. You tolerate the Nicolaitans, those who teach the doctrine of the Nicolaitans. Look back in verse 6 of chapter 2. He commended the church at Ephesus, “Yet you do have this. You hate the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.” Now you have a church that tolerates those who hold fast to that which Christ hates. Any wonder He says I have something against you? You can’t hold fellowship in the church with those who hold the things that Christ hates. But they’re my friends, they’re good people, I know them. We put our sentimental feelings over the Word of God, then we expect God to approve because He understands. I mean, we’re sincere. I’m sure the church at Pergamum knew pressures that we’ve never experienced. We’ve had some conflicts and divisions in our church, as most churches have at one time or another. We haven’t had any martyrs come out of here, nobody has been executed on the streets of this city out of this church. We haven’t experienced the kind of pressure Pergamum did. We’re ready to give up and compromise much sooner than they were. So that’s what I had against you. I commend you for your stand, I condemn you for your compromise.

What’s the solution? Verse 16, repent. Repent. This pastor I was talking with said well, I had someone come in to try to help. He represents the same position you hold. But the only thing he would tell the men teaching this doctrine that you condemn is that you have to repent. We couldn’t make any headway. What can you do with false doctrine, if those promoting it won’t repent? What do they have to do? They have to go. What do we want to do? Find some way to get along with those who want to hold onto their false doctrine. That’s how the church at Pergamum got in trouble. “Repent or else I am coming to you quickly, and I will make war against them.” Now note, he doesn’t come to make war against the church. He comes to make war against those who are doing the false doctrine. But He is holding the church accountable, not that they were teaching false doctrine, but they were being tolerated in the church. You may not be able to stop them from teaching false doctrine, you can stop them from doing it in the church. Repent or I am coming to you quickly and I’ll do the housecleaning and you’ll be accountable for your unfaithfulness.

“He who has an ear let him hear what the spirit says to the churches.” When Jesus Christ addressed the churches, He never expected that everyone in every church would pay attention. Only those who have ears to hear the speaking of the Spirit of God through the Word of God will pay attention. It’s to him who overcomes. Keep in mind that he’s writing to churches. We’re not even out of the first century and already the church is a mixture of believer and unbeliever, and to the church at Pergamum he addresses the Word to those who are the overcomers. “And who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God” in I John 5. The church already had unbelievers in its midst. Those are the ones teaching the doctrine of Balaam and they might be very good. They might be some of the best teachers. How do you know? Because there are areas where their doctrine is not Biblical, or their lifestyle is not Biblical. I listen to false teachers and at certain times I’ll come away and say you know they presented the gospel as clearly as anyone I have ever heard. But they have to be false because they deny portions of the Word of God, or their life has things in it that do not fit.

What will we do? I’ll give some hidden manna; I’ll give a white stone and I’ll give a new name. Three promises here, three gifts. The hidden manna….we don’t have time to develop each of these, and some of it we’re not fully familiar with. The hidden manna, in John chapter 6 Christ compares Himself to the manna given to Israel in the Old Testament. God gave manna from heaven to feed the Israelites in the wilderness. Christ said, “I am the bread that comes down from heaven, you must feed upon me.” There was manna hidden, placed in the jar, in the container in the tabernacle. Now here is that which is reserved for those who belong to Him, a unique relationship with Him. That white stone. Several possibilities. Some connect all three of these with the priestly ministry of Christ. It could be with the stones and the vest that the high priest wore, denoting that they belonged to him and their special position with him as their high priest. Could also refer to the fact that with the voting in judgment the white stone meant you were found innocent, the black stone meant you were found guilty. Here they are found innocent because of His work. “And on this stone their name is written, and it’s a secret name,” it’s a name especially for them in their relationship to Him.

We don’t have time to go back to the Old Testament. Isaiah 62:2 God promises to the Jews and to the Israelites in the kingdom they’ll be given a new name. Same thing promised in Isaiah 65:15. Now here we find the church also given the promise. We are destined to be part of that kingdom also. We’re not Israel, but we’ll be part of that kingdom as the church and we, too, will be given a new name, identifying us as belonging to Him. These are promises of life, eternal life and an eternal kingdom to those who overcome, to those who listen to what the Spirit says.

What this church, the message of this church…several things. Number one, the Word of God is an instrument of judgment. Some people say I don’t go to church to hear about hell, I don’t go to church to hear about judgment. You know what they’re saying? I don’t go to church to hear the Word of God. I go to church to hear men tell me things I want to hear. They can use the Bible; they can be like Balaam. They can use a lot of the Bible, but don’t tell me from the Bible things I’m not interested in and things I don’t want to hear. But the message of the Word of God is a message of judgment. That’s not all it is, but in the message to these churches it is a significant part of that message.

We must stand fast in the face of satan’s opposition; however, it comes to us, from wherever it comes to us. It was a church that held fast to Christ and their faith in Him. I’m encouraged to know our faithfulness is known by Christ. We don’t know anything about Antipas, Christ knew all about him. He was His faithful witness. He had honor from the Lord. People might have thought about him, it’s sad that he won’t see his kids grow up, isn’t it sad he won’t see his grandkids, isn’t it sad his wife is a widow, isn’t it sad…Perspective, isn’t it glorious that he’s known by the Lord? Isn’t it glorious that he’s commended by the Lord? Our faithfulness is known by Christ.

Compromise brings condemnation. Have it written down in your mind. Compromise brings condemnation. That was in verse 14. There is no compromise in truth. Truth is truth, error is error. When you mix error with truth you don’t have truth. There is no compromise with error. Compromise brings condemnation.

The church is commanded to deal with sin in its midst. We hear from time to time from churches, and they’re in danger of being torn apart. Why? There is sin in their midst but if they deal with it the church will be torn apart. How do I deal with this? What do I do? We have sin, it’s clear sin but these are influential people, they have other friends. If we do this, it’s going to split the church. We’re already a small church, we’ll be torn apart. What do we do? The church is commanded to deal with sin. There is a price to be paid. There is a greater price to be paid for not dealing with sin. The church has to deal with sin. We’re constantly under pressure to lower the standard. Well immorality is not really that bad today, well we have to have some allowance in our doctrine, or everybody will think we are narrow and close-minded and what? We have to be Biblical. That’s where we are. The church is commanded to deal with sin. That would include doctrinal sin, that would include moral sin.

There are great and eternal promises for the overcomer; and that dominates everything. Do you have an ear to hear what the Spirit says to the churches? Are you one who overcomes? Not are you one who attends this church, not are you one who has been baptized here? Are you an overcomer? These in the church at Pergamum who were condemned may have been baptized in the church at Pergamum. They may be teaching a class in the church at Pergamum. But when the Lord of the church comes, He’ll deal with it. Salvation is believing in the one who is the Savior, the one whom we proclaim to a lost and darkened world.

Let’s pray together. Thank you, Lord that Jesus Christ is the Savior. In Him there is life, and that life is eternal life. Thank you, Lord, for the church at Pergamum. Thank you for its faithfulness, the testimony of its firmness and allegiance to Christ. Lord may we be characterized by that same bold, firm commitment to Jesus Christ. Lord, may we learn the lessons of how terrible compromise is. It is in matters of eternal importance that we deal with. This is not our church; this is not just a church for our friends. This is the church that was purchased with the blood of Christ and belongs to Him. Our allegiance is first and foremost, not the family and not the friends, but to the one who loved us and died for us. Lord may your love be manifest as we are faithful to the truth and stand in proclaiming this truth to a world that is lost and without hope. We praise you for such salvation. In Christ’s name, Amen.