Compromise to Death

Nelson’s Complete Book of Stories, Illustrations & Quotes (“Little Sins”)

“Little Sins”

Little sins are not like an inch of candle, which soon expires, but they resemble a trail of powder, which takes the fire until at last the barrels burst asunder.

—Rev. William Secker, seventeenth-century British minister

Main Text

Revelation 2:12–17 (ESV)

12 “And to the angel of the church in Pergamum write: ‘The words of him who has the sharp two-edged sword.

13 “ ‘I know where you dwell, where Satan’s throne is. Yet you hold fast my name, and you did not deny my faith even in the days of Antipas my faithful witness, who was killed among you, where Satan dwells.

14 But I have a few things against you: you have some there who hold the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the sons of Israel, so that they might eat food sacrificed to idols and practice sexual immorality.

15 So also you have some who hold the teaching of the Nicolaitans.

16 Therefore repent. If not, I will come to you soon and war against them with the sword of my mouth.

17 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who conquers I will give some of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone, with a new name written on the stone that no one knows except the one who receives it.’

Background

Book of Revelation

Author: John the Apostle or Evangelist

Date: AD 81-96 on the island of Patmos

Audience: Prepare and strengthen Christians in Asia Minor

Geography of Pergamum

Huge hill ~1000ft above sea level

Iconic Roman Amphitheater

Capital City - Even though it was inland

History of Pergamum

2nd - 3rd c BC: Height of Prosperity

250 BC: Invention of Parchment Paper

200 BC: Acropolis at Pergamum built (industrial revolution)

133 BC: Pergamum becomes part of Rome

90 AD: Prophetic word spoken to Pergamum

Pergamum was a real city!

NOT figurative. Literal.

About Pergamum

Temples built to false gods

False gods shaped the culture and practices

Temples built for the emperors

Pergamum was the center for the imperial cult. Many today in America, their political views are their religion.

Verse by verse

John F. Walvoord, “Revelation,” in The Bible Knowledge

DESTINATION (v12)

Angel = Greek for messenger

Could be human (church leaders)

Could be heavenly being

Directed to the Church of Pergamum

Jesus, the sharp two edge sword

Symbolic representation of the Word of God’s twofold ability to separate believers from the world and to condemn the world for its sin. It was the sword of salvation as well as the sword of death.

COMMENDATION (v13)

Christ recognized the difficulty of their situation. They lived where Satan has his throne.

Side note: Satan is NOT in Hell!

The atmosphere of this city was adverse to any effective Christian life and testimony.

All the institutions were infiltrated by cultic practices. (Medicine, Entertainment, Markets [meat from idols])

Medicine was influenced by worship to a false god of healing.

A temple that had "water to heal all illnesses." Which later believed to have radioactive properties.

Hospital rooms had openings on the top where priests would offer prayers and intercession over the patient to this god of healing

Something to think about when we reflect how difficult it is to live a life of holiness.

The saints there were commended for being true, even when Antipas (which means “against all”) was martyred.

The Christians at Pergamum had been true to God under severe testing but had compromised their testimony in other ways, as seen in the next two verses.

REBUKE (v14-15)

The Church allowed false teachings and sinful practices

Compromise with worldly morality and pagan doctrine was prevalent in the church. Compromise with pagan morality and abandoning biblical faith corrupted the church of Pergamum.

Two examples are sexual immorality, eating food sacrificed to idols.

Citizens of Pergamum were tempted by worldly ideas and practices like Balaam tempted the Israelites.

Book of Numbers the prophet Balaam was hired by Balak to curse Israel but he could only bless them.

Instead Balaam tempted the Israelites to betray their covenant with God.

Lay with a Moab women / Eat meat sacrificed to idols

Those practices lasted for hundreds of years, plaguing God’s people, affecting Pergamum. Markets filled with idol sacrifices.

The enemy tempts us the same way today. He cannot directly curse us, but he sure tempts us.

EXHORTATION (v16)

Jesus commands the church to repent

If not, He will judge them by His Word

Though only a portion of the church allow the false teachings, all are guilty of not taking action against it.

PROMISE (v17)

Hidden Manna = Provision

The idea of hidden manna reflects a Jewish tradition that the pot of manna that was placed in the ark for a memorial to future generations (Exod 16:32–34; cf. Heb 9:4) was taken by Jeremiah at the time of the destruction of Solomon’s temple (sixth century B.C.) and hidden underground in Mt. Nebo (2 Macc 2:4–7).

In the context of the letter to Pergamum it alludes to the proper and heavenly food of spiritual Israel in contrast to the unclean food supplied by the Balaamites.

Name inscribed on a White Stone = Vindication

Many interpretations =

white stone during a trial in ancient Greece represented the acquittal of the one being tried. The white stone represented innocence whereas a black stone represented guilt.

White Stone was given to the victors in competitions.

In the context of a messianic feast (the “hidden manna”) it seems best to take the white stone as a tessera that served as a token for admission to the banquet.

The stone awarded to the overcomers at Pergamum was white in that it symbolized the triumph of their faith.

Big Idea

How is this Relevant?

The American Church suffers similar to the Church of Pergamum

No we don’t have statues or false gods but there’s no shortage of idols

There are many who believe

There are many who compromise

We have allowed little sins to infiltrate

These little sins become idols.

Entertainment

Behaviors/Habits

Complacency

Turn into false doctrine - perversion

Love is love

“Come as you are, leave as you were”

Its all in moderation

Ultimately not reality

What is a Woman?

Birthing Person

Kids born in the wrong body

Pornographic imagery in elem libraries

We become compromised.

We look like the world

Christianity is no longer compelling

Looses its meaning

Charge

You may not be participating in the sin, but being passive means you are complicit.

Are you shy about your faith? Do you become timid when put in a challenging environment.

Do you have the courage to stand up and fight?

Conclusion

The American Church has permitted what is socially acceptable even when it directly conflicts with Biblical doctrine, teachings and practices.

Sometimes denying truth because it is socially unacceptable. Like the Church of Pergamum, this has negatively impacted The Church's influence and power greatly.

If The Church doesn't speak "The Truth," than how can it be influential?

The paradox is the American Church accepts other "truths" to be more inclusive but it only diminishes its influence. When speaking "The Truth" and rejecting other teachings, The Church becomes more exclusive but gains a mighty influence.

The benefit is, anyone can accept "The Truth" and follow Jesus, making Christianity the most inclusive religion ever.

The Western Church has been compromised by false teachings and needs to repent or we will face judgment.