PERGAMOS - THE COMPROMISING CHURCH - Revelation 2:12-17

 

Pergamos – The Compromising Church

Revelation 2:12-17

 

PERGAMOS – A.D. 312 – 606.

THE SALUTATION

“And to the angel of the church in Pergamos write,

‘These things says He who has the sharp two-edged sword (2:12).

 

This was John’s fifth command to write.

Sharp two-edged sword – Refers to the Word of God (Ephesians 6:17). The sword is two-edged depicting the Word’s potency and power in exposing and judging the innermost thoughts of the human heart. The Word never wields a dull edge. The description of the Lord Jesus pictures Him as a judge and executioner.

This is the first negative introduction of Christ because the Pergamum church faced imminent judgment. It was but a short step from compromising with the world to forsaking God altogether and facing His wrath.

THE COMMENDATION

“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 (2:13).

 

Know your works (εἴδω eídō, Gk) - This refers to the sense of “to perceive, be aware of, and understand.”  It expresses the knowledge which comes from one’s state of being, intuitive knowledge, and refers to the absolute knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ. He knows everything about the church, both good and bad.

Satan’s throne – This is identified as the magnificent altar of Zeus that dominated Pergamum’s acropolis.

Others connect Satan’s throne with the worship of the god Asklepios that was prevalent in Pergamum.

Others point out that Pergamum was the leading center of emperor worship in the province of Asia.

Satan’s throne could easily be understood as a reference to the might of Rome under the “god of this world” (2 Corinthians 4:4).

Hold fast – They did not deviate from fidelity to Christ or to the central truths of the Christian faith. The faithful believers at Pergamum exemplified the truth of Christ’s words in Matthew 16:18. They “hung in there.”

Antipas (Against all) – According to tradition he was roasted to death inside of a brass bull during the persecution instigated by the Emperor Domitian. Witness (μάρτυς mártus, Gk.) is translated into the English word “martyr.” Antipas was a man who paid the ultimate price for his refusal to compromise. He represents any true believer who is willing to stand for true faith in the name of Christ, even if it costs him his life.

THE COMPLAINT

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 (2:14).

 

Doctrine of Balaam – The story of Balaam (Not of the people), a notorious Old Testament prophet for hire, is found in Numbers 22-25. He tried to curse Israel unsuccessfully three times, and when that plan did not work, he plotted to use Moabite women to lure the Israelites into sexual immorality and idolatry. God intervened and severely chastened Israel, executing 24, 000, people (Numbers 25:9).

Like the Israelites who were seduced by Balaam’s false teaching, some in the church at Pergamum were lured to mix with the pagan system (Jude 10-11). Peter rebuked the Balaamites in 2 Peter 2:15-16. They believed one could attend pagan feasts with all their debauchery and sexual immorality, and still join the church to worship Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians 6:14-17). The only time Christians have the unlimited power of the Holy Spirit at their disposal is when they are obedient to the will of God.

Thus you also have those who hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which thing I hate (2:15).

 

Nicolaitans - Derived from two Greek words, (νικάω nikáō, Gk) meaning “to conquer, overthrow” and (λαός laós, Gk) meaning “the people, laity.” In the early days of the church the followers of Nicolai held two serious heretical views: They practiced sensuality by completely separating one’s spiritual and physical nature, thus giving them license to sin. In the second heretical view they also tried to establish an ecclesiastical order, which is known as “Nicolaitanism.” The second heresy reveals the Nicolaitans as the forerunners of the clerical hierarchy (bishops, archbishops, cardinals, and popes) superimposed upon the laity (pastors, teachers, evangelists) and robbing them of spiritual freedom. This is an unscriptural idea, which causes the local church to become enslaved by one man or a small group of men whose spiritual life can determine the spiritual success of the church. It is a most dangerous principle, since every human being is dependent on an abiding relationship with Jesus Christ to maintain their spiritual growth and vitality. Another evil of this practice is that it causes the local church to look to human beings for the solution to their problems rather than to the Holy Spirit. The Lord Jesus said that He would send the Holy Spirit, who “will guide you into all truth” (John 16:13). What in Ephesus was “deeds” (Revelation 2:6) had become in Pergamos a “doctrine.” This teaching has ruined more churches and denominations than any other.

THE WARNING

Repent, or else I will come to you quickly and will fight against them with the sword of My mouth (2:16).

 

Repent – The only remedy for any sinful behavior. Repent (μετανοέω metanoéō, Gk.) is a word used in Scripture to describe a change of mind that results in a change of behavior. Theologically, it involves regret or sorrow, accompanied by a true change of heart toward God. In context here, it means to repent and turn to God from idolatry. “Repent or be judged by the Word of God!”

Sword of my mouth – The entire church faced the battle sword of Christ’s judgment, the heretics for practicing their heresy and iniquity, and the rest of the church for tolerating it. Sinning believers should be made to feel miserable in the fellowship and worship of the church by being confronted powerfully with the Word of God. The church is not to provide an environment where unbelievers feel comfortable; it is to be a place where they can hear the truth and be convicted of their sins so as to be saved (Romans 10:13-17; 2 Timothy 2:24-26).

THE PROMISE

“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give some of the hidden manna to eat. And I will give him a white stone, and on the stone a new name written which no one knows except him who receives it” ’ (2:17).

 

What the Spirit says to the churches – Stresses the vital importance of Christ’s words and the believer’s responsibility to hear and heed them.

Him who overcomes – We overcome, by God’s grace and power, the damning control of the evil world system (1 John 5:4-5).

Hidden manna – Manna was a honey-flavored bread with which God fed the Israelites during their years of wandering in the wilderness (Exodus 16:14). The hidden manna represents Jesus Christ, the bread of life who came down from heaven (John 6:48-51). He provides spiritual sustenance for those who put their faith in him. It symbolizes all the blessings and benefits of knowing Christ (Ephesians 1:3).

White stone – It was the Roman custom to award white stones to the victors in athletic contests. A white stone, inscribed with the athlete’s name, served as his ticket to a special awards banquet. In this view, Christ promises the overcomers entrance to the eternal victory celebration in heaven.

New name – The word new (καινός kainós, Gk.), “not before known,” means new in the sense of “qualitatively new, as contrasted with néos, temporally new.” The new name will serve as each believer’s admission pass into eternal glory. It will uniquely reflect God’s special love for and adoption of every true child of his.

Maintaining the path of compromise ultimately leads to eternal judgment.

The character of the church at Pergamos is a fair outline of the church period from A.D. 312 - 606.  The emperor Constantine is said to have seen a vision of a cross of fire and to have heard a voice saying, “In this sign, conquer.” He was told that the cross was the sign of Christian religion, and that it must mean that the God of the Christians was calling him to be the champion of the Christian religion, that if he obeyed the voice, he would be victor over the hosts of Maxentius and become emperor of the world. He accepted the new doctrine and declared himself to be its God-appointed patron and protector.

Postmillennialism Introduced 

He bestowed honors on the bishops, clad them in costly vestments, and they sat on thrones with the nobles of the empire. As the Church became rich and powerful, it was suggested that the world was getting better and better, that Christ’s kingdom was already ushered in, and that He would come at the end of the thousand-year reign. This demanded a reinterpretation of the status of Israel, which was accomplished by suggesting that Israel had been “cast off forever” and the promises of Israel now applied to the Church. Christian bishops said, “We have been looking for Christ’s reign, but we have been wrong; Constantine’s empire is Christ’s kingdom.”

 In A.D. 313 the emperor Constantine issued the Edict of Milan, granting religious freedom to the Christians and ending two and a half centuries of savage persecution. He adopted Christianity and made it the favored religion of the empire, beginning the process by which Christianity merged with the Roman state. Heathen priests became Christian priest; heathen temples became Christian churches; heathen feasts became Christian festivals. The church married the political system, and worldliness was synonymous with the church.

During this time at the Council of Nicea in A.D. 325, the Arian controversy was fought. The Arian controversy was a Trinitarian dispute that began in Alexandria between the followers of Arius (the Arians) and the followers of St. Alexander of Alexandria (now known as Homoousians). Alexander and his followers believed that the Son was co-eternal with the Father, and divine in just the same sense that the Father is. The Arians believed that the Son shared neither the eternity nor the true divinity of the Father, but was merely the most perfect of the creatures.  For about two months, the two sides argued and debated, with each appealing to Scripture to justify their respective positions.

The Council declared that the Son was true God, co-eternal with the Father and begotten from his being, arguing that such a doctrine best codified the Scriptural presentation of the Son as well as traditional Christian belief about him handed down from the Apostles. Under Constantine's influence, this belief was expressed by the bishops in the Nicene Statement, which would form the basis of what has since been known as the Nicene Creed.

Pagan Practices Introduced Into the Church

 

The influence of paganism on the Church increased over the years step by step. The Church began to shroud itself in “mystery” and ritualism that had a strong resemblance to Babylonian mysticism. The Chaldean tau, which was the elevation of a large “T” on the end of a pole, was changed to the sign of a cross. The rosary of pagan origin was introduced. Celibacy of priests and nuns, which has no scriptural verification but finds a counterpart in the vestal virgins of paganism, was conceived. The following is a partial list of unscriptural changes introduced during this age. Gradually these changes became more prominent than the original teachings of Christianity.

A.D. 300-Prayers for the dead

A.D. 300-Making sign of the cross

A.D. 375-Worship of saints and angels

A.D. 394-Mass first instituted

A.D. 431-Worship of Mary begun

A.D. 500-Priests began dressing differently than laypeople

A.D. 526-Extreme unction

A.D. 593-Doctrine of purgatory introduced

A.D. 600-Worship services conducted in Latin

A.D. 600-Prayers directed to Mary

From A.D. 312 on, the Church became more Roman and less Christian in its practices. The name Pergamum literally means “marriage” or “elevation.” As the Church became married to governmental authority and elevated to a place of acceptance, it declined in spiritual blessing and power.

 

 

 

PARABLE OF THE MUSTARD SEED (Matthew 13:31-32)

The seed represents the humble beginning of the Kingdom. At first the Kingdom was kept relatively small and pure as a result of persecution. With the patronage and protection of the state, it suffered abnormal growth. The birds (Satan’s agents) came and roosted in it. The Kingdom became a nesting place for Satan and his agents (Revelation 18:2).

MYSTERY OF LAWLESSNESS (2 Thessalonians 2:7)

This is a tremendous spirit of disobedience to God already stirring beneath the surface. It is at work in mystery form, but not yet fully manifested. It is not fully revealed as it will be by the one who blatantly opposes God and blasphemously assumes the place of God on earth that He has reserved for Jesus Christ.

The restrainer (Holy Spirit) will be in place until the Antichrist is revealed, at the midpoint of the Tribulation, leaving him 42 months to reign.

 

©2012 Kenute P. Curry. All rights reserved.