The Church of Compromise

Revelation 2:12–17 NKJV

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. 16 Repent, or else I will come to you quickly and will fight 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 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.” ’

The third church out of the seven that Jesus addresses is the church at Pergamos.

It sits north of Smyrna about twenty miles from the Mediterranean Sea.

The Revelation of Jesus Christ The Letter to Pergamos: The Church in Compromise (2:12-17)

a wealthy city with many temples devoted to idol worship and full of statues, altars, and sacred groves. It was an important religious center where the pagan cults of Athena, Asclepius, Dionysus, and Zeus were prominent. This city was the official residence of the Attalic princes. A university was also located there. Among its famous treasures was a large library of two hundred thousand volumes, later sent to Egypt as a gift from Anthony to Cleopatra. One of the products for which this city was famous was paper or parchment, which seems to have originated here, the paper itself being called pergamena. One of the prominent buildings was the magnificent temple of Esculapius (also spelled Asklepios), a pagan god whose idol was in the form of a serpent.

Now,like the way He addresses the first two churches (Ephesus and Smyrna), Jesus uses a different description of Himself that is indicative of that church.

The Lord Jesus addresses this church as “He who has the sharp (the) two edged (the) Sword.

There is much emphasis placed on each word, denoting judgment.

Because the sword protrudes from His mouth, we take this to be the Word of God.

It is with His very word that He will judge, and what he says He means!

As we have seen with the two previous churches, He begins by commending them for the good works.

I know your works

I know where you dwell, where Satan’s seat is.

You hold strong to My name and to My faith.

Even in the days of Antipas (Stands against everything)

Who was a faithful martyr slain where satan dwells.

Possibly was killed as a satanic offering in the temple of Esculapius!

He now moves to their indictment:

I have a few things against you!

There are those who hold to the doctrine of Balaam. (Numbers 22-25)

Balaam taught Balak of the Midianites to put a stumbling block before Israel.

Numbers 31:14–16 NKJV

14 But Moses was angry with the officers of the army, with the captains over thousands and captains over hundreds, who had come from the battle. 15 And Moses said to them: “Have you kept all the women alive? 16 Look, these women caused the children of Israel, through the counsel of Balaam, to trespass against the Lord in the incident of Peor, and there was a plague among the congregation of the Lord.

To eat things sacrificed to idols

To commit sexual immorality

And those that hold to the doctrine of the Nicolaitans

These people hold to this sin. Jesus holds the seven stars in His hand, the same way these hold to this error.

“Repent,or else I will fight against you with the sword of my mouth”.

To the church at Ephesus He said He would remove their lampstand, but here, He is going to fight against them?

Why do churches compromise when it comes to sin?

The church at Pergamos had many good qualities like so many good churches today! but they allowed other things, sinful things to go on.

Many good churches today, turn a blind eye to certain things, and it is sinful.

I. The reasons for compromising.

A. It is done intentionally

1. We don’t want to rock the boat.

2. It will chase people away.

3. It will cost us financially.

B. It is done ignorantly

1. Forgive and forget.

2. Love covers a multitude of sins. (1 Peter 4:8)

Proverbs 10:12 NKJV

12 Hatred stirs up strife, But love covers all sins.

Proverbs 17:9 NKJV

9 He who covers a transgression seeks love, But he who repeats a matter separates friends.

3. It’s culturally different today.

Yet, Whether done intentionally or ignorantly, the same remedy applies to both...

II. The remedy for compromising.

It is accomplished individually and introspectively

Most Christians seem to be satisfied with confession or being sorry for their sin.

Now as you know how it says in 1 John 1:9, that to confess our sins literally means to say the same thing about them, God is faithful...

1 John 1:9 NKJV

9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

But, are we understanding confession properly?

To confess one’s sins is to say that we agree with God that my sin is as God’s sees it.

But if we speak the same thing (confess) about our sin, aren’t we saying that we take it seriously and will take action as we change our mind (repent) and turn from it?

You see, we confess Christ the same way.

Romans 10:9 NKJV

9 that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.

Philippians 2:11 NKJV

11 and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

What are we saying in these verses?

We are agreeing with God (saying the same ) but, we also back that up in deed.

James 1:22 NKJV

22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.

Since the words are identical in both cases, when we confess our sins, we back it up in action.

III. The reward for overcoming.

Overcomers will receive some of the hidden manna.

John Walvoord says...

The Revelation of Jesus Christ The Letter to Pergamos: The Church in Compromise (2:12-17)

Just as Israel received manna from heaven as its food in the wilderness replacing the onions and garlic of Egypt, so for the true believer in the Lord Jesus there is the hidden Manna, that bread from heaven which the world does not know or see which is the present spiritual food of the saints as well as a part of their future heritage. This seems to refer to the benefits of fellowship with Christ and the spiritual strength that is afforded by that experience.

Overcomers will receive a white stone with a new name written on it just for them.

This shows the intimacy the believer has to the Lord, and just how secure His promises are.

The old Hymn written by Charles Austin Miles in 1910

Sing it!