Undivided Allegiance

Revelation 2:12–17 ESV

“And to the angel of the church in Pergamum write: ‘The words of him who has the sharp two-edged sword. “ ‘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. 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. So also you have some who hold the teaching of the Nicolaitans. Therefore repent. If not, I will come to you soon and war against them with the sword of my mouth. 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.’

(pause)

A certain wife in Texas likes to have her hamburgers with just the bun the meat. Nothing else. Bun, meat, bun. No ketchup, no mustard, no relish, no pickles, no onions, NO NOTHING!! Just bun, meat, bun.

One evening she sent her husband out to a local restaurant to get her a burger. Not much later, he returned with a burger. She opened it up, finding what most would label the perfect hamburger.

Lettuce, tomato, pickles, mustard, ketchup, onion, relish, bacon, etc, etc, etc. It was a masterpiece! It smelled good, it looked good, it probably would have tasted good.

She put the burger back in the packaging, gave it back to her husband, and sent him back to the restaurant. He was not to return until he brought her a hamburger consisting of: bun, meat, bun.

And only, bun, meat, bun. That's all she asked for. She wanted nothing more, she wanted nothing less. She expected nothing more, and she expected nothing less.

Why is it that man seems to think that he can do whatever he wants in worship and service before God, and that God should accept it? God has told us what He wants of us. He has told us how He wants us to do things, etc.

Should we expect Him to receive that which He has not asked for? We should do as He requests. Not as we think is best. Not what we think should be acceptable, but find out what His "order" is, and give Him what He asked for.

The first two churches to whom Jesus wrote in Revelation were Ephesus and Smyrna. Both of these cities were on the coast.

The road from Ephesus continued along the coast through Smyrna about forty miles and then angled northeast fifteen miles at which point you came to Pergamum, the city of the church to whom Jesus wrote in Revelation 2:12-17.

Pergamum was built on a high hill. The earliest city was built on a hill 1000 feet high. In 133 B.C. the king of Pergamum bequeathed the kingdom to the Romans. Pergamum was the official capital of the Province for two and a half centuries. It was also the center of emperor worship in Asia.

One of the striking characterizations of this city by Jesus was that he called it Satan's throne. There were many pagan temples in this city. Various commentators suggest different temples were the reason for Jesus saying this.

Various temples had been constructed to worship the Roman emperor. There were also temples to various Greek gods: Zeus, Athena, Nikephoids, Dionysius, and Asklepios.

As I understand it, the temple to Zeus was built on on three walls, creating what looked like a massive throne. Satan's throne?

Meanwhile, the pagan god "Dionysius is the same as Bacchus, the god of wine, the goat–god. He is depicted with horns, but with his upper part as a man and his lower part as a goat, with cloven feet and a tail." (Source?)

A goat-god, horns and tail - doesn't that sound like Satan?

The symbol or figure of Asklepios was a snake. This was a religion of healing. They say that you would enter this temple by going down long tunnels. Above you were holes, that appeared to be for ventilation.

They actually were not. Instead, as you walked through the tunnel, sexy voices would speak to you through those holes promising that you would feel better and be healed.

Inside they would give the person a massage and put on a little play about healing. If you still were not better, they would have you stay overnight in the temple. Nonpoisonous snakes would be set loose that would slither over your body.

A temple full of slithering snakes, sexy voices promising lies … Satan, anyone?

One might understand why any one of these pagan temples could be a reason for Jesus to call this city "Satan's throne".

But consider that all three of these temples were located in this city, along with other pagan temples AND with the fact that this city had been given to the Caesar many years before, and was capital of this province… .

Truly, these Christians were living near Satan's throne!

(pause)

Can you imagine then how difficult it must have been to live for Christ in this environment? Can you imagine the temptations to compromise one's faith? Can you imagine how many temptations to sin they faced daily?

(pause)

In this city which was the symbol of the Roman Empire's authority we see a church facing a crisis of authority - a question of loyalty: would they continue to submit to Christ's authority in every area of their lives or would they compromise their faith and submit to Satan's dominion?

This question of whether we will have an undivided allegiance to Christ runs throughout this letter.

1. Christ’s reminder - He only is Lord, v. 12.

We see this question first in Christ’s reminder. Jesus told the apostle John to write to the church in Pergamum…

Revelation 2:12 ESV

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

Why did Jesus describe Himself as having a sharp two-edged sword to this church? One reason is that it backs up His threat of judgment later in the letter.

However, there was also a special meaning for the Pergamum church.

“In Roman estimation the sword was the symbol of the highest order of official authority with which the Proconsul of Asia was invested. The ‘right of the sword’ … was roughly equivalent to what we call the power of life and death.” (BBC, 501)

Do you see what Jesus was trying to tell Pergamum church? He was saying that He only is Lord. The problem in this church - the need for turnaround in this church - was an issue of allegiance.

Therefore, Christ first reminded the church that He only is Lord. This concept of Christ’s lordship may seem extremely simple to us. It’s like spiritual ABCs. But what does it mean for us to live under the lordship of Christ?

(pause)

The New Testament refers to God’s Word, the Bible, as a sword. In Ephesians 5:17, the apostle Paul urges the Christian to take up the Sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

Hebrews 4:12 ESV

For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.

It is true that God speaks to us and directs our lives in various ways. Sometimes, God will impress upon our spirit something we should do. At times in the past, God has spoken audibly to people.

But the primary way God has chosen to speak to us and to tell us how to live is through his written word, the Bible. We live by the rule of “sola scriptura”. What is “sola scriptura”? Wikipedia is an online encyclopedia and it has this definition of this phrase:

Sola scriptura (Latin ablative, "by scripture alone") is the doctrine that the Bible is the only infallible and inerrant authority for Christian faith, and that it contains all knowledge necessary for salvation and holiness.

Consequently, sola scriptura demands that only those doctrines are to be admitted or confessed that are found directly within or indirectly by using valid logical deduction or valid deductive reasoning from scripture.

However, sola scriptura is not a denial of other authorities governing Christian life and devotion. Rather, it simply demands that all other authorities are subordinate to, and are to be corrected by, the written word of God.

It is tempting for us to think that the Church should have no problems with recognizing God’s Word as the authority for our lives

Yet to think this is naive. In truth, some try to go outside the Bible to understand life and then conform God’s Word to that understanding.

Theologically, there are two different ways God has revealed truth to our world - general revelation and special revelation.

General revelation refers to truth that we can discover by observation and science. We have discovered all sorts of truth by general revelation.

This sort of revelation begins by observation. We then duplicate our discoveries and eventually recognize various things to be true. But there are many discoveries about our natural world that we are still in the process of understanding. Sometimes, our understanding of these truths changes.

Special revelation, in contrast, refers to the inspired, infallible Word of God. The truths that God’s Word establishes about our world do not change.

Furthermore, if a supposed truth from general revelation conflicts with a truth of God’s Word, we must discard the “truth” of general revelation as incomplete, for the Word of God does not change.

We must remember that Christ only is Lord. Therefore, we must be careful to follow his leadership.

We follow the leadership of Christ by remaining true and faithful to God’s Word. We must not allow other philosophies or doctrines to determine how we interpret or apply God’s Word. Rather, we must allow God’s Word to define how we live this life.

2. Christ’s recognition - He values our loyalty, v. 13.

Revelation 2:13 ESV

“ ‘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.

Do you see the reasonableness of Christ in this verse?

(pause)

Christ is not some ruler in the cosmos who has no idea of the suffering we go through in His name.

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Hebrews 4:15 ESV

For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.

As we noted earlier, Pergamum was described as “Satan’s throne”, because this city was the center of emperor worship for Asia.

Can you imagine the demonic, occult oppression the Christians must have felt in such an environment?

(pause)

The oppression from such demonic influences can almost be physical. A number of years ago my father went to the country of Myanmar in the Middle East, to teach Christian students about ministry. Buddhism is the dominant religion in Myanmar.

While my dad was there, he had trouble breathing at night. It may have simply been a physical condition, but it seemed like a spiritual oppression that was manifested physically.

(pause)

Back to our scripture, the faith of these Christians in Pergamum was in direct opposition to these false religions - and that often resulted in persecution. The Romans would require the Christians to say, “Lord Caesar,” but the Christians would respond, “Lord Jesus.”

(pause)

There was no separation of church and state. If you believed in Jesus, you could be considered an enemy of the state. And so Jesus commends the Pergamum church in this verse for their loyalty to His name. They refused to call Caesar Lord. Only Jesus is Lord.

According to church tradition, Antipas was fried to death for his faith in Christ. One commentator says that he was put inside a bronze bull and then burned to death.

(pause)

Regardless of exactly how he was killed, reading this scripture suggests Antipas' stand for God was one of those defining moments for the early Christians in understanding what it meant to serve Christ.

Antipas’ stand for Christ was a shocking, vivid memory - and reality - for the Christians. It was scary, but they remained faithful to the authority of Christ.

3. Christ’s revelation - He allows no competition, vv. 14-15.

Revelation 2:14–15 ESV

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

Verses fourteen and fifteen note two problems Jesus had with Pergamum church. Some in the church held “the teaching of Balaam.” Also, some held the teaching of the Nicolaitans.

(pause)

The story of Balaam is told in the Old Testament. As the Israelites were nearing the Promised Land, Balak, king of the Moabites, sent a delegation to a prophet who was known for speaking the words of God. He wanted Balaam to curse the Israelites.

It is interesting to note that Balaam was not an Israelite. Furthermore, the scripture indicates he used sorcery. Yet, the Old Testament account does not discount the idea that he actually talked to God and received messages from God.

God refused to allow Balaam to curse the Israelites. Finally, God allowed him to go with Balak as long as he spoke what God told him to do. Balaam angered King Balak as he ended up blessing the Israelites several times.

(pause)

Scripture tells us that Balaam then went home. Later, the Moabites and Midianites enticed the Israelites to idolatry and sexual immorality. 24,000 Israelites died by a plague sent by God in judgment.

(pause)

God then told the Israelites to attack the Midianites. One of the results of that battle was … Balaam the prophet was killed.

This letter implies that, after Balaam blessed the Israelites instead of cursing, Balaam advised the Moabites and Midianites to have their women seduce the Israelites into sin so that the Israelites would fall under God’s curse.

The Pergamum church appears to have had some who were instructing the Christians to worship idols and to commit sexual immorality in order to avoid persecution.

Worshipping idols and then eating meat sacrificed to idols was a part of daily life at that time. It was a part of the business lunch and the family gathering.

You may remember that Paul also talked about eating meat offered to idols in both Romans and 1 Corinthians. In those passages, Paul told the Christians not to judge one another if one ate meat that had been offered to idols.

He also told those who felt like they could eat such meat not to encourage Christians who felt this was wrong to do so. So … the question is … how do these different passages of scripture harmonize together?

(pause)

The simple answer is that the issue of eating meat offered to idols that Paul addressed was different than what Jesus addressed in this letter to Pergamum.

The practice of the pagan temples of that day was to sell unused cooked meat that had been offered in their sacrifices to idols in the marketplace later on. My understanding is this meat was cheaper than other meat on sale.

Some Christians felt like such meat should not be eaten because of its association with idols, even though they were not actively worshiping idols as they ate the meat.

Other Christians understood that idols are false gods. They were not participating in the worship of idols by eating this meat. They were just enjoying good bar-b-que!

(pause)

The issue in Pergamum Church was much different. Those who held to Balaam’s teaching were instructing the Christians to participate in the worship of false idols so that they might escape the ridicule, wrath, and disgust of those opposed to Christianity.

They were not telling the Christians to buy meat from the marketplace offered to idols.

No, they were telling the Christians to participate in the worship of idols so they would not “offend” their family or the world! They were telling Christians to participate in pagan worship so they would not cause trouble for the church!

(pause)

Remember… sacrifices to idols were part of everyday life - business lunches, family gatherings and more.

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Can you see the difficulty those Christians had living in the world but not being part of the world in everyday life? What would their boss or client say if they refused to eat at the pagan temples? Wouldn’t they think they were really weird?

What would the family think if they refused to join in worshipping an idol as part of a family get-together? Wouldn’t they be viewed as traitors?

It would be so much easier just to participate in the idolatry and maybe even the sexual immorality, but of course they would not really “mean” it. They would compartmentalize their life in to sacred and secular spheres. They could live for God, yet avoid the reproach of the world.

The Christians’ attempt to compromise with the world so that they would not be persecuted led to gross sin. They wanted to serve Christ as Lord … while it was convenient. They would control their lives the rest of the time.

The apostle Paul wrote, 2 Corinthians 6:14-16

2 Corinthians 6:14–16 ESV

Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness? What accord has Christ with Belial? Or what portion does a believer share with an unbeliever? What agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; …

(pause)

The Nicolaitans are only mentioned in Revelation 2. Therefore, not much is known about them. The fact that they are connected closely with those who follow the teaching of Balaam here suggests that they may have taught the early forms of what later became known as Gnosticism.

Gnosticism was a false cult that taught that our flesh - what makes us human - is evil, but that we all have a spirit that is good within us. Becoming spiritual was in getting in tune with our spirit.

But because the flesh is not one's true "identity", many taught that a person could live any way they wanted and it didn't really matter because that was the flesh in action, not the spirit.

Do you see the connections between the choices these Christians had to make and the choices that we face today?

(pause)

Sometimes, Christians have sought to live totally separate from the world. But we recognize that 1) Jesus did not ask his Father to take us out of the world but to keep us while we remain IN the world, 2) we cannot be faithful to God in fulfilling the Great Commission if we remain aloof from the world, 3) the many attempts to remain separate from the world were counterproductive.

At the same time, we must be careful that we do not become so comfortable and content with the world and its sinfulness that we begin to excuse sin and compromise the Bible’s teachings on morality.

The temptation to participate with the world instead of standing out as different comes from many different avenues: the media we watch and listen to, sports and other forms of entertainment, politics, business practices, and even our dining habits.

The world calls for us to compromise our singular allegiance to Christ… so that we don’t stick out, so that we don’t offend, so that we are not ridiculed.

(pause)

The question we must ask is: at what point are we becoming more like the world than like Christ?

(pause)

What was the problem in this church? What was there need of turnaround? As we mentioned earlier - it all revolves around the idea of allegiance.

Some in the church were trying to demonstrate a loyalty to the world so they would not be disliked by the world, while also expressing a loyalty to God so they have hope for eternity.

Jesus’ message to this church was that He allows no competition.

Someone has written:

The Church of God apart from the Person of Christ is a useless structure. However ornate it may be in its organization, however perfect in all its arrangements, however rich and increased with goods, if the Church is not revealing the Person, lifting Him to the height where all men can see Him, then the Church becomes an impertinence and a sham, a blasphemy and a fraud, and the sooner the world is rid of it, the better. (Morgan)

4. Christ’s remedy - He requires total submission, v. 16.

Revelation 2:16 ESV

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

What does it mean to repent?

(pause)

Repentance is a 180-degree change of direction.

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When you repent, you stop immediately doing what you are doing and begin doing the opposite. You stop following your own ideas; you begin following God’s Word.

Those who were committing sins of idolatry and immorality must stop immediately, confess that they had sinned, and make a complete break with that kind of living - no matter what the world would say, do, or think.

Those who had committed acts of sin needed to confess those sins. Those whose nature was corrupted by carnality needed to seek God’s sanctifying grace.

In this verse Jesus gives a stern warning: “If not, I will come to you soon and war against them with the sword of my mouth.”

Note the idea of authority in this verse. The sword was the symbol of ultimate authority. Jesus’ sword was His Word with which He would judge the unrepentant.

(pause)

It is interesting how Jesus addressed the church with this need for repentance and revival. He first commended the church for its faithfulness. Then He noted that some have compromised with sin. Then, He told the church to repent.

Why would Jesus tell the church to repent if it was only some in the church who needed to repent?

It appears that Jesus considered the entire church guilty because it was allowing some of its people to live in sin without being confronted or disciplined.

Church discipline does not seem to be a topic that is often discussed today or enforced. There are extremes in church discipline that must be avoided.

With that said, we can agree that a church that fails to preach against sin or preaches against sin, yet winks its eye at members who are living in sin, is failing to be the Church of God.

Let us teach the Word of God. Let us insist that the church living according to God’s Word. Let us lovingly lead erring members to repentance and conformity to God’s Word.

5. Christ’s reward - He promises personal attention, v. 17.

Revelation 2:17 ESV

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.’

Commentator offers numerous ideas about what “hidden manna” and the “white stone” are. It seems like the first is Jewish imagery and the second Greek imagery.

Manna was provided to the Israelites during their wilderness journeys. God gave them bread each day as they traveled in the wilderness.

Simply, Jesus seems to be saying that He would provide for Pergamum church. Remember, the problem of the Balaamites was that they were trying to avoid persecution.

Persecution to us today may seem somewhat unreal. But in that day, it could mean the loss of one’s job, no money, no food, no home. It could even mean the loss of your head!

The threat of real, sustained persecution is terrifying. The Christians were in danger of intimidation. Jesus wanted them to know that if they purposed to live for Him despite the consequences that He would take care of them. He would give them personal attention.

Commentators gave various explanations for the white stone. In some cases, a jury would use a white stone to signify acquittal of an accused person. Also, a white stone was given for entrance into some feasts or games.

There are other suggestions for what the white stone signified, but the simple explanation of its meaning is that God rewards us for our faithful allegiance to Him. Because we remain loyal to him, we can be assured of our standing with God.

The stone will have a new name written on it that only the one who receives it will know. It is a personal reward from our loving Lord and Savior. Christ promises personal attention for those who overcome sin and Satan.

What is the lesson that we should draw from this story of a turnaround church? It is this:

Big Idea: Incomplete submission to Christ’s lordship leads to compromise.

A number of people within Pergamum church had not totally submitted their lives to Christ. Difficult times came. They continued to call themselves Christians, but they tried to compromise with the world.

Christ was not pleased. He allows no competition. Either He will be Lord of all or He will not be Lord at all.

We understand this truth. We believe this truth, but how should we apply this to our lives? This church was being tempted with temptations to compromise with idolatry and sexual immorality.

Yet the issue before the church was not so much a simple appeal: “Let’s go worship idols and attend an orgy!”

No, the question the church faced was how to live for in a wicked, immoral, dangerous world. The question was can one live in a world without being unnecessarily offensive, yet how can one truly live for Christ if one were not willing to be marked as different from the world?

The question then that our scripture should challenge us to ask is not "What to do about an immoral, evil world?" Rather, the question we must ask ourselves is,

"Have we begun to compromise with the world - if not outright practice, inward heart attitudes? Are we truly wholly submitted to the lordship of Christ, or do we tell God that we can handle our lives throughout the week, but that we will worship Him for a few hours on Sunday?"

The question we must ask ourselves is: will we submit to Christ's lordship or will we bow to Satan's throne? We must be honest with ourselves: incomplete submission to Christ’s lordship leads to compromise.

Have you completely submitted every aspect of your life to Jesus' control?