Pergamum had a lot of issues. They were one messed up church. This was a result of being in the place where Jesus says that Satan's throne was. There was definitely a lot of demonic warfare going on in the area and thus influencing the church there. We see this even today in many places around the world, where churches are influenced by by the fleshliness around them. We are all born with a fleshly nature. We have the sin nature of fallen Adam. The flesh nature is selfish by nature. Like I had written before, with the empty soul, apart from Jesus, people look for anything to fill up the emptiness they feel. Remember, the empty soul was intended to be the place where Jesus would create a New Creation. If they don't know or have never heard this, then they are always seeking for anything to comfort the void they feel in their lives. Pergamum have a variety of all these negatives influences. With Satan's throne being there, this influence had to be very invassive. This is why it is important for all believers to realize that they are in a spiritual battle. There are two opposing forces in the spiritual realm. There is the kingdom of darkness and the Kingdom of Light. The Apostle Paul wrote in his letter to the Ephesians in Chaper 5, verses 8,
" For you were formerly darkness, but now you are light in the Lord; walk as children of the light( for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness and righteousness and truth ), trying to learn what pleases the Lord. And do not participate in the unfruitfull deeds of darkness, but instead even expose them".
We are all born under the power of the kingdom of darkness and apart from Jesus that is where we dwell. When a person comes to Jesus, they are delivered from the kindom of darkness and transferred into the Kingdom of God ( Light ). All believers had once dwelled in the kingdom of darkness and therefore satan knows all their weaknesses. He is aware of all the things that that person use to use to try and fill the void. Satan uses these things against a believer to tempt them into doing things that would not be aligned will how a Saint should conduct their lives. Then he floods them with guilt. Jesus will only convict a believer with a soft word in their spirit. This is why the Apostle John wrote in his first letter in Chapter 1, verse 9,
" If we confess our sins then He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to clense us from all unrighteousness."
So there is no reason for a believer to get rapped up in guilt, or even waiste their time with it. One important thing to understand is this, there is a fundamental difference between religion and truth. Religion is mans attempt to be worthy to God, so they do all the things that they think God wants them to do. They polish up the outer man to look good on the outside, but their soul is still dead. The Truth is totally opposite. When you allow Jesus to come into your heart, He becomes your Righteousness and therefore you are worthy before God, apart from anything else you may do. The New Creation starts out as a baby , you might say, as it grows it pushes to the surface sins ( things of the fleshly man ) that we didn't even know we had. You might even act on it, or it might just be an improper thought. This is why as you recognize it, all you have to do is confess it and you are clensed of it. For a believer, at first the outer actions are usually the first things that are brought under control, but as the fleshly man is being pushed outward by the spiritual man, it is usually the deeper things of the heart and mind that come up. The solutions is still the same, just confess it.
Getting back to the letter Pergamum,
Jesus is:
The One who has the Sharp two- edged sword.
This is very fitting for Pergamum's condition. Jesus is the Word of God, and that Word gives life. Also, a good thing to note is that all scripture is the God inspired Word. This is why the writter of Hebrews wrote in his 4th Chapter, verses 12 and 13,
" For the word of God is living and breathing and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division between soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart. And there is NO creature hidden from His sight, but all things are open and laid bare to the eyes of Him of whom we have to do".
Jesus is letting Pergamum and any future fellowship of Saints know that nothing is hidden from Him. So don't get complaisant in your walk to where you are not aware that Jesus is there to lead you into all Truth. With the Word you can resist the darkness and it's deceptions.
Praise:
Jesus let them know that He was aware that the place where they have their church is a challenge because satan's throne was there. The apostle Paul wrote in his letter to the Ephesians in Chapter 6, verses 10-13,
"Finally, be srong in the lord, and in the power of His might. Put on the full armor of God, that you may be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood ( Man ), but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore, take up the full armor of God, that you may be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm".
With Ephesus knowing these things, you notice in the letter sent to them that they didn't have the issues that Pergamum had. It was vital to Pergamums success as a church to be able and willing to confront deception and exspose the darkness and lies. They were probably more concerned with loving people, but part of loving people is not wanting them to live in ways that are harmful to their spiritual existence. Even though Ephesus was able to deal better with fighting the darkness, they had been loosing their focus on what was really important, and that would be their first love, Jesus. We need both, the willingness to fight against darkness and the love for Jesus and people.
Peramum held fast to His name. Which means that they are not ashamed or afraid to confess the name of Jesus. Also they did not deny the faith, even though one of the apostle was killed there because of his witnessing about Jesus.
Warning:
They had some who were holding to the teachings of Balaam, who kept teaching Balak.
This was a teaching that continued from before the cross, but with a new twist. Before the cross Balaam was an enemy of Israel and he was always cursing Israel, tempting them to eat things sacrificed to idols, and to commit acts of immorality. Now satan was using the same hatred towards the Christian churches as against Israel. Satan also tried to get believers to hate Israel for putting Jesus to death. Israel did not put Jesus to death. They could not have stopped it if they wanted to. Jesus came to earth to lay down His own life as a sacrificial Lamb. Any Christian church, even today, that holds to such a thing, should be held in question.
They also had some who held to the teachings of the Nicolaitians.
This was the practice of having a hiararcy, where some are held in higher esteem than others, because they have a higher position. This is opposite of Jesus way, since the greatest is the least among you. The greatest is the servent of all. Jesus did not come to be esteemed by men, but laid down His life.
Action Needed:
Repent or Jesus will come quickly to make war against them with His mouth.
Overcomers Reward:
They will be given some of the hidden manna, and Jesus will give him a white stone, and a new name written on the stone which no one knows but he who recieves it.
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