Letters to the Seven Churches, Pergamum

“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.’” (Revelation 2:12-17 ESV)

This is Jesus Christ speaking to the church in the city of Pergamum, so this was to all believers in Jesus Christ in the entire city, who may or may not have met all in one place, since the early church met daily, and from house to house and in the temple courts (prior to the destruction of the temple). And Jesus is the one who has the sharp two-edged sword with which to bring judgment on the unrepentant, the rebellious, the hypocritical, the self-indulgent, the idolatrous, the sexually immoral, and all who are disobedient to the Lord.

I believe that Satan’s throne is the whole earth. But Satan has no power above God, and God limits what he can and cannot do (example: book of Job). So God is still completely sovereign (in control) over all things, including over Satan. So, even though Satan has his throne on the earth, God is still above all, and Satan has no control over our lives unless our lives are still under his control, which many people’s lives are. Even many who profess faith in Jesus Christ are still living under the control of Satan.

This letter begins like 3 of the other letters, acknowledging the good that the church was doing in spite of the fact that Satan has his throne on the earth. But then it moves right to the issue, and to a chastisement against those who were adhering to false teachings, and against those who were allowing this to go on without doing anything about it, much like in the situation we read about in 1 Corinthians 5. There a man was sleeping with his father’s wife and the church wasn’t doing anything to stop this from happening.

Now this false teaching was giving its adherents permission to be idolatrous and to walk in sexual immorality. And that is happening BIG TIME in the church at large (the majority) in America today. For so many are teaching a cheapened rendition of the gospel of Christ which is not demanding death to sin and walks of obedience to our Lord’s commands for genuine salvation from sin and for eternal life with God. But Jesus and his NT apostles taught we must deny self, die daily to sin, and follow Jesus in obedience to him.

But we have many false shepherds of the people within the gatherings of the church (or the false church) here in America who are teaching lies to the people which are giving them the liberty to keep on in deliberate and habitual sin. And so we have many professers of faith in Jesus Christ who are living in idolatry and in sexual immorality, and who are addicted to sin, living in enslavement to sin, and who know that is wrong, but who refuse to take the way of escape provided by Christ, because they love their sins.

So, just like with the church in Pergamum, the Lord is calling to his church here in America with a very similar message, I believe, and with a similar warning, as well, that if they do not repent of their idolatry and immorality, and if they do not get rid of those charlatans who are leading the people astray and those who refuse to repent of their sins who are infecting the rest of the church, then he will come in judgment against the American church with that sharp two-edged sword of his, to bring them to repent.

And then we need to pay close attention to the wording of what is said next. We must conquer sin and rebellion and idolatry and immorality and all that is opposed to God in our lives via genuine repentance (change of mind followed by change in behavior) and via walks of obedience to our Lord and to his commands. Then we have the hope of salvation from sin and eternal life with God. But should we refuse to repent and to obey our Lord, we will not inherit eternal life with God, regardless of what faith our lips profess. Take to heart!

[Matt 7:13-14,21-23; Lu 9:23-26; Jn 10:27-30; Ac 26:18; Rom 2:6-8; Rom 6:1-23; Rom 8:1-14; Rom 12:1-2; 1 Co 6:9-10,19-20; 1 Co 10:1-22; 2 Co 5:10,15,21; Gal 5:16-24; Gal 6:7-8; Eph 2:8-10; Eph 4:17-32; Eph 5:3-6; Col 1:21-23; Col 3:1-17; Tit 2:11-14; Heb 3:1-19; Heb 4:1-13; Heb 10:23-31; Heb 12:1-2; 1 Pet 2:24; 1 Jn 1:5-10; 1 Jn 2:3-6,15-17; 1 Jn 3:4-10]

Letters to the Seven Churches, Pergamum

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December 9, 2024

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Songs in the Night  

An Original Work / December 18, 2013

“About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them.” Acts 16:25 NIV ‘84

Lord, I praise You forevermore.

You, my Savior, I now adore.

Hope in heaven awaiting me,

Because You died at Calvary.

I have been forgiven,

And I’m bound for heaven.

Jesus set me free from

All my sin, I say.

I will praise Him always!

Lord, I love You for all You’ve done:

Overcame death, my vict’ry won!

Jesus saved me, and now I’m free!

I rejoice in His love for me.

I will walk in vict’ry!

My sin is but hist’ry!

I am free to please Him

With my life today.

I will love Him always!

Lord, I thank You for giving me

A new life bought at Calvary.

Loving Jesus, I meet with Him.

Tender mercies now flow within.

Lord, I am so thankful;

Through my Lord, I’m able

To sit at His table;

Fellowship with Him.

I will thank Him always!

https://vimeo.com/379484387