Nurturing Christian Ideals-Part 2

NURTURING CHRISTIAN IDEALS-Part II—Revelation 2:12-17

Giving Life/Animating to improper/non-christian ideals

Jesus cautioned the Pergamum Church about not maintaining an atmosphere which nurtures Christ’s ideals.

The church of God must maintain an atmosphere which is conducive to Christian ideals.

What atmosphere is conducive to Christian ideals?

6 elements of an atmosphere which is conducive to Christian ideals.

An atmosphere conducive to Christian ideals nurtures the...

1. SWORD(:12)—Sovereign/Judgemental/Determinative/ Standard of God’s word

2. FAITH(:13)—Jesus’ faith

3. HARBOR(:14-15)—Provide place for Jesus’ ideals only

4—An atmosphere conducive to Christian ideals

NURTURES THE WAR(:16)

—Explanation:(:16) Truth

“ ‘Repent therefore; or else I am coming to you quickly, & I will make war against them with the sword of My mouth.”

“Therefore”—As a result of your new knowledge/ information.

“Repent”—metanoew— ‘With Understanding’—‘To change one’s mind, i.e. to repent for better, heartily to amend with abhorrence of one’s past sins.’—Perceived need for forgiveness.

Ephesus—Rev. 2:5—“‘Remember therefore from where you have fallen, & repent & do the deeds you did at first; or else I am coming to you, & will remove your lampstand out of its place--unless you repent.”

“Quickly”—tacu—Quickly, speedily.—Tachometer

“Make War”—polemoV— war the whole course of hostilities; as opposed to mach, battle, a single engagement.’—Not a battle but the war!

“Against them”—Real war is against evil.

“With the sword of My mouth.”—Christ’s battle is waged with truth or salvation by grace thru faith in Christ.

The narrow earnestly sought path & not the coattail highway.

—Argumentation:

One sin’s dissolution is not the war!

Rom. 7:14-15, 21-25—“For we know that the Law is spiritual; but I am of flesh, sold into bondage to sin. For that which I am doing, I do not understand; for I am not practicing what I would like to do, but I am doing the very thing I hate.”....“I find then the principle that evil is present in me, the one who wishes to do good. For I joyfully concur with the law of God in the inner man, but I see a different law in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind, and making me a prisoner of the law of sin which is in my members. Wretched man that I am! Who will set me free from the body of this death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, on the one hand I myself with my mind am serving the law of God, but on the other, with my flesh the law of sin.”

—Illustration:

WWII/Everything directed toward supporting the war with the incentive of winning good vs. evil/NURTURES the WAR

—Application:

?Our atmosphere nurture JESUS’ WAR/Truth?

?Is our atmosphere conducive to Christian ideals?

5—An atmosphere conducive to Christian ideals

NURTURES THE SUSTENANCE(:17a)

—Explanation:(:17)

“‘He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, to him I will give some of the hidden manna,....’”

“Overcomes”—nikaw—from nikh—meaning victory.

“Hidden manna”—manna tou kruptw—“Manna” 1)Nourished the Israelites 40yrs. 2)In the ark of the covenant, 3)Symbolic spiritual food. “Hidden”—Hide, conceal, escape notice.

—Church in John’s time obliged to ‘flee into the wilderness’

—Opposite of “Things sacrificed to Idols”

—Only available to those chosen of God.

—Wholly hidden from carnal & unregenerate men.—Gill

—Argumentation:

Jn. 4:31-34—“In the meanwhile the disciples were requesting Him, saying, “Rabbi, eat.” But He said to them, “I have food to eat that you do not know about.” The disciples therefore were saying to one another, “No one brought Him anything to eat, did he?” Jesus said to them, “My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me, and to accomplish His work.”

—Illustration:

Kid’s Cereals/Buzz Blasts-Cocoa & Fruity Pebbles-Cinnamon Toast Crunch, etc./Sugary/Loaded with added vitamins/NURTURES The SUSTENANCE

—Application:

?Our atmosphere nurture JESUS’ SUSTENANCE?

?Is our atmosphere conducive to Christian ideals?

6—An atmosphere conducive to Christian ideals

NURTURES THE CHARACTER(:17b)

—Explanation/Argumentation:(:17b)

“...& I will give him a white stone, & a new name written on the stone which no one knows but he who receives it.”

“White stone”—Pure & Stable

Romans used White stones to grant absolution/acquittal & Black stones to condemn the accused.

Ps. 18:2—“The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, My God, my rock, in whom I take refuge; My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.”

Ps. 62:2—“He only is my rock and my salvation, My stronghold; I shall not be greatly shaken.”

“New name”—Descriptive of

1)One’s character in/to Christ.

OR

2)Christ’s character in/to us.

Olympians given white stones with name engraved & value of their prize.

“Which no one knows...”

“...But he who receives it.”—Personal/private

—Not for bragging rights but for reward.

Isa. 56:5—“To them[faithful] I will give in My house and within My walls a memorial, And a name better than that of sons and daughters; I will give them an everlasting name which will not be cut off.”