THE BOOK OF REVELATION CONTAINS AN UNMISTAKABLE AND CLEAR MESSAGE TO EACH OF THE SEVEN CHURCHES. THE LETTERS CONTAIN A MIXTURE OF CRITIQUE, COMMENDATION, CRITICISM, EXHORTATION, AND CALLS TO REPENT AND CHANGE. WHETHER IT WAS PRAISE OR REBUKE, ALL THE CHURCHES HEARD THE CHALLENGE TO “LISTEN TO WHAT THE SPIRIT IS SAYING!”
I HAVE ALWAYS BEEN THANKFUL FOR FRIENDS, MENTORS AND SUPERVISORS WHO HAVE HELPED ME KNOW WHAT “RIGHT” LOOKS LIKE AND WHAT “WRONG” LOOKS LIKE. I GREATLY APPRECIATE GUIDANCE SO THAT FAILURE IS NEVER AN OPTION.
IN REGARD TO THE CHURCH, THE BIBLE, ALONG WITH OUR DENOMINATION, THEY ARE CLEAR IN WHAT A CHURCH SHOULD BE AND WHAT IT SHOULDN’T BE. WE ARE WITHOUT EXCUSE AS ANY FAILURE TO BE THE CHURCH IS STRICTLY ON US. WE OWN THAT!
I LIKE THE DEFINITION OF “CHURCH” AS STATED BY THE FREE METHODIST CHURCH FOUND IN OUR 2019 BOOK OF DISCIPLINE IN PARAGRAPH 121. IT STATES: “THE CHURCH IS CREATED BY GOD. CHRIST JESUS IS ITS LORD AND HEAD. THE HOLY SPIRIT IS ITS LIFE AND POWER. IT IS BOTH DIVINE AND HUMAN, HEAVENLY AND EARTHLY, IDEAL AND IMPERFECT. IT IS AN ORGANISM, NOT AN UNCHANGING INSTITUTION. IT EXISTS TO FULFILL THE PUPOSES OF GOD IN CHRIST.
IT REDEMPTIVELY MINISTERS TO PERSONS. CHRIST LOVED THE CHURCH AND GAVE HIMSELF FOR IT THAT IT SHOULD BE HOLY AND WITHOUT BLEMISH. THE CHURCH IS A FELLOWSHIP OF THE REDEEMED AND THE REDEEMING, PREACHING THE WORD OF GOD AND ADMINISTERING THE SACRAMENTS ACCORDING TO CHRIST’S INSTRUCTION.
THE FREE METHODIST CHURCH PURPOSES TO BE REPRESENTATIVE OF WHAT THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST SHOULD BE ON EARTH. IT THEREFORE REQUIRES SPECIFIC COMMITMENT REGARDING THE FAITH AND LIFE OF ITS MEMBERS. IN ITS REQUIREMENTS IT SEEKS TO HONOR CHRIST AND OBEY THE WRITTEN WORD OF GOD.”
OUR EXISTENCE IS TO FULFILL THE PURPOSES OF GOD IN CHRIST AND TO HONOR CHRIST AND OBEY THE WRITTEN WORD OF GOD. 2 CORINTHIANS 5:20, “SO WE ARE CHRIST’S AMBASSADORS; GOD IS MAKING HIS APPEAL THROUGH US. WE SPEAK FOR CHRIST WHEN WE PLEAD, “COME BACK TO GOD!”
WE REPRESENT JESUS CHRIST TO THE WORLD. WE DO NOT DEVIATE FROM THIS MISSION NOR CHANGE COURSE TO RIDE ALONG WITH THE WORLD. WE NEVER COMPROMISE SCRIPTURE TO SEDATE OUR GUILT AND TO JUSTIFY BEING WORLDLY AND SINFUL. WE GUARD SECURELY OUR MISSION FOR THERE TO BE MORE CHURCH IN THE WORLD THAN WORLD IN THE CHURCH.
CONTAINED IN THE DESTINTIVE PRINCIPLES OF OUR FREE METHODIST “BOOK OF DISCIPLINE” STATES, “FREE METHODISTS MAINTAIN A LIFE OF DAILY DEVOTION TO CHRIST THAT SPRINGS FROM INWARD HOLINESS AND SEPARATES THE CHRISTIAN FROM THE WORLD, EVEN WHILE HE/SHE LIVES IN THE WORLD. THEY BELIEVE THE BEST WAY TO KEEP WORLDLINESS FROM INVADING THE CHURCH IS FOR THE CHURCH TO INVADE THE WORLD WITH REDEMPTIVE PURPOSE.”
HEARING THESE WORDS, IT CAN’T BUT INSPIRE US TO SOUND THE MESSAGE TO ALL THE CHURCHES AGAIN: AWAKE, EVALUATE YOUR CONDITION, LOOSEN YOUR WELCOMING-GRASP ON THE WORLD, LET GO, REPENT AND BECOME SOLD-OUT TO THE KINGDOM OF GOD.
THE DECREES WENT OUT TO THE CHURCHES OF ASIA MINOR TO TAKE THE NECESSARY ACTIONS TO: NEVER FORESAKE THEIR FIRST LOVE, JESUS CHRIST; NEVER FEAR SUFFERING AND BE FAITHFUL EVEN TO THE POINT OF DEATH; REPENT OF ALLOWING WORLDY NORMS INTO THE CHURCH; STOP TOLERATING AND LETTING THE STANDARDS OF THE WORLD INFLUENCE AND THWART BIBLICAL TRUTH; WAKE UP AND STRENGTHEN YOUR FAITH; KEEP GOD’S WORDS AND COMMANDS, NEVER DENY HIM, ENDURE PATIENTLY IN TIMES OF TRIAL, AND FINALLY, DON’T LIVE SPIRITUALLY INDIFFERENT BUT BE SOLD OUT AND ENTHUSIASTIC ABOUT THE THINGS OF GOD.
I FIND IT QUITE MEDICINAL AND HEALTHY WHEN REBUKE IS WARRANTED, YET GRACIOUSLY DELIVERED WITH ROOM ENOUGH TO MAKE NEEDED CHANGES AND FOR GROWTH TO TAKE PLACE. I AM GLAD WE CAN LEARN FROM THESE SEVEN CHURCHES.
THERE ARE TWO STATEMENTS MADE IN THE LETTERS TO EPHESUS, SMYRNA, PERGAMOS, AND PHILADELPHIA THAT WE CAN LEARN EVEN MORE FROM TODAY. THOSE STATEMENTS ARE IN REGARD TO NICOLAITANS AND THE SYNAGOGUE OF SATAN.
FIRST, THE NICOLAITANS, WHOES TEACHINGS WERE NOT ONLY HATED, BUT REJECTED. WE FIND ANOTHER INSTANCE OF “LOVING THE SINNER BUT HATING THE SIN.” SADLY, THE ENEMY, HERE, IS NOT FROM OUTSIDE, BUT INSIDE THE CHURCH ITSELF.
THE OVERALL CONCERN THAT I SEE ADDRESSED HERE IS A DISTORTION OF SCRIPTURAL TRUTH AND A DEVIANT ATTEMPT TO CHANGE THE MESSAGE OF CHRISTIANITY. THE CHURCH WAS FACED WITH A CHALLENGE TO CONFORM THEIR FAITH TO THE CIVIC, RELIGIOUS, AND POPULAR CULTURE OF THEIR DAY.
EXPLAINING THIS EVEN MORE SIMPLY, I WOULD SAY THAT THE NICOLAITANS WERE BELIEVERS WHO HAD COMPROMISED THEIR FAITH IN ORDER TO BLEND-IN WITH THE WORLD AND ENJOY SOME OF THE SOCIAL AND SINFUL PRACTICES OF THEIR LOCAL SOCIETY.
THIS COMPROMISE GAVE BIRTH TO AN ENTANGLED MESS OF GREEK PHILOSOPHIES, JEWISH LAWS, PAGAN BELIEF-SYSTEMS THAT THEY WERE TRANSFORMING MORE INTO A CIVIL RELIGION.
THEY HAD SLOWLY WELCOMED A “ONE-SIZE FITS ALL” BLEND OF BELIEFS TO PLEASE EVERYONE, OFFENDED NO ONE, WHILE NOT DOING ANYTHING TO ATTRACT ROME’S ATTENTION. STATUS QUO!
THE CHRISTIANS HAD COMPROMISED THEIR FAITH IN ORDER TO PLEASE THE WORLD, SOCIETY AND GOVERNMENT. THEY STILL WANTED TO ENJOY THE SINFUL PLEASURES OF THEIR SOCIETY, STAY OUT OF LEGAL TROUBLE, AND TO BE SEEN AS OPEN-MINDED AND TOLERANT. THE PHRASE OF THE DAY WAS “LET’S PEACEFULLY “COEXIST!” THE PLAN WAS TO GO ALONG WITH THE TRENDS OF THE DAY IN ORDER TO BLEND IN AND BE LEFT ALONE.
A LESSON HERE IS A STERN WARNING AGAINST ACCEPTING LAWLESSNESS IN THE CHURCH. THE WAYS OF THE WORLD PROVIDE NO AUTHORITY OR JUSTIFICATION TO REWRITE, DISMANTLE, AND REPLACE GOD’S LAW AND COMMANDS WITH OUR OWN.
THE QUESTION REMAINS: HOW DOES THIS APPLY TO US IN TODAY’S CHURCH? EACH CHURCH AND EVERY BELIEVER MUST TAKE ACCOUNT OF WHERE THEY ARE COMPROMISING AND DENYING THEIR FAITH AND MISSION IN ORDER TO REMAIN NEUTRAL AND TO APPEAR “INCLUSIVE” AND “PROGRESSIVE” TO THE WORLD.
WE MUST CHOOSE ON WHOES SIDE WE WILL STAND AS THE WORLD STRIVES TO REDEFINE THE MEANING OF WORDS AND TO MAKE LAWS TO SILENCE THEIR OPPOSITION. WE MUST REJECT ALL FORMS OF PRESSURE TO CONFORM TO A “NEW NORMAL” OF TOLERANCE THAT DEMANDS WE “PEACEFULLY COEXIST.”
EVERYTHING ABOUT OUR FAITH REMAINS, UNWAVERING: DOCTRINE, ABSOLUTE TRUTH, CHRIST ALONE AS THE WAY OF SALVATION, ETHICS, MORALITY, THE DIGNITY AND WORTH OF ALL PEOPLE, SANCTITY OF LIFE, USE OF OUR LEISURE AND POSSESSIONS, FAMILY, AND MARRIAGE…..JUST TO NAME A FEW!
JESUS WAS UTTERLY DISGUSTED BY THE TEACHINGS OF THE NICOLAITANS AND LOATHED THEIR PRESENCE IN THE CHURCHES AT EPHESUS AND PERGAMUM. WHILE HE LOVED THEM AS INDIVIDUALS, HE FOUND THEIR TEACHINGS TO BE ABSOLUTELY REPULSIVE.
ALTHOUGH THE BIBLE INSTRUCTS US TO LOVE EVERYONE, WE MUST THINK LIKE JESUS THINKS WHEN IT COMES TO ANY TEACHINGS THAT RESULT IN A WEAKENED, DILUTED, POWERLESS, COMPROMISED VERSION OF CHRISTIANITY. IF WE ARE TO BE LIKE JESUS, WE MUST THINK LIKE JESUS — AND WHAT JESUS HATES, WE ALSO MUST HATE. ROMANS 12:2, “DO NOT BE CONFORMED TO THIS WORLD…” AND COLOSSIANS 3:5, “PUT TO DEATH THE SINFUL, EARTHLY THINGS LURKING WITHIN YOU!”
NOW, TO THE SECOND STATEMENT REFERRING TO THE SYNAGOGUE OF SATAN. THE WORD FOR “SYNAGOGUE” MEANS “ASSEMBLY” OR “CONGREGATION” AND IS SIMILAR TO THE WORD “CHURCH” THAT WE USE TODAY. SATAN, OF COURSE, USED HERE IMPLIES HIS ATTRIBUTES OF ACCUSER, OPPONENT, AND ADVERSARY.
ONE OF THE HALLMARKS OF SATAN’S TRICKS IS DECEPTION BY COUNTERFEITING THE THINGS OF GOD. SATAN IS THE MASTER OF MAKING THE UGLY APPEAR BEAUTIFUL; THE DEADLY SEEM LIFE-GIVING; THE DANGEROUS TO APPEAR SAFE; AND THE ADDICTIVE AS HARMLESS AND MANAGEABLE.
HORRIBLY SPEAKING, HIS DECEPTIVE PRACTICES IS TO ROCK SLEEPY CHRISTIANS TO SLEEP WHILE FILLING THEIR HEARTS WITH FALSE CONTENTMENT THAT “ALL IS WELL.” HE USES UNIQUE AND INVITING WAYS TO DISTORT GOD’S WORD TO MISGUIDE AND RUIN US. HE WILL EVEN USE GUILT AND ACCUSATION IN HOPES OF CONVINCING US TO GIVE IN, QUIT AND EVEN END OUR LIVES. SATAN HAS NO INTENTIONS OF LETTING YOU SUCCEED OR BEAR FRUIT TO GLORIFY GOD.
SATAN USES THE SAME MASTERY WITHIN THE CHURCH. THE LAST THING SATAN WANTS IN ANY CHURCH IS FOR IT TO BE GODLY, HOLY, HEALTHY, AND THE AVENUE THAT LEADS PEOPLE TO SALVATION IN JESUS CHRIST AND GENUINE DISCIPLESHIP.
HIS PLAN IS TO INSPIRE HER LEADERS TO BETRAY SOUND DOCTRINE TO LEAD AS MANY ASTRAY AS POSSIBLE. HIS HATRED FOR ALL THAT IS HOLY IS TO DESTROY AS MANY CHURCHES AND PEOPLE WITHIN THROUGH “IMPLOSION” BY CREATING HOSTILITY, HATRED AND ANIMOSITY AMONGST THE CONGREGATIONS.
LAST, BUT NOT LEAST, HIS VILE ARROGANCE LEADS HIM TO PERSECUTE THE CHURCH, UNIVERSAL, IN ALL FORMS OF BETRAYAL. MATTHEW 10:16-22, “LOOK, I AM SENDING YOU OUT AS SHEEP AMONG WOLVES. SO BE AS SHREWD AS SNAKES AND HARMLESS AS DOVES. BUT BEWARE! FOR YOU WILL BE HANDED OVER TO THE COURTS AND WILL BE FLOGGED WITH WHIPS IN THE SYNAGOGUES. YOU WILL STAND TRIAL BEFORE GOVERNORS AND KINGS BECAUSE YOU ARE MY FOLLOWERS.
BUT THIS WILL BE YOUR OPPORTUNITY TO TELL THE RULERS AND OTHER UNBELIEVERS ABOUT ME. WHEN YOU ARE ARRESTED, DON’T WORRY ABOUT HOW TO RESPOND OR WHAT TO SAY. GOD WILL GIVE YOU THE RIGHT WORDS AT THE RIGHT TIME. FOR IT IS NOT YOU WHO WILL BE SPEAKING—IT WILL BE THE SPIRIT OF YOUR FATHER SPEAKING THROUGH YOU.
“A BROTHER WILL BETRAY HIS BROTHER TO DEATH, A FATHER WILL BETRAY HIS OWN CHILD, AND CHILDREN WILL REBEL AGAINST THEIR PARENTS AND CAUSE THEM TO BE KILLED. AND ALL NATIONS WILL HATE YOU BECAUSE YOU ARE MY FOLLOWERS. BUT EVERYONE WHO ENDURES TO THE END WILL BE SAVED.”
WE HEAR COUNTLESS STORIES OF COUNTRIES AND TERORIST GROUPS TARGETING CHRISTIANS AND THEIR CHURCHES KILLING THEM AND BURNING DOWN THEIR CHURCH, HOMES AND VILLAGES. MARTYRDOM IS A KNOW RISK THE ACCEPT FOR LOVE OF JESUS.
EVEN HERE IN OUR OWN COUNTRY, DECEPTION FROM SATAN HAS RESULTED IN CHURCHES SPLITTING, DENOMINATIONS DIVIDING AND THE FULL ACCEPTANCE AND EMBRACE OF THOSE THINGS GOD HAS CALLED “UNNATURAL” AND AN “ABOMINATITON” BY HER BISHOPS, PASTORS AND CONGREGATIONS.
THE WORLD, AND EVEN SOME OF OUR CHURCHES TODAY HAVE NO INTENTIONS OF ACCEPTING OR TOLERATING ANYTHING SACRED, HOLY OR GLORIFYING TO GOD. THOSE WHO GO AGAINST THIS MOVEMENT WILL NOT BE TOLERATED AND WILL BE SILENCED AT ALL COST. WE MUST UNDERSTAND THAT THERE IS “NOTHING OFF THE TABLE” IN TERMS OF STOPPING TRUE CHRISTIANITY.
JOHN 15:18-21, “IF THE WORLD HATES YOU, REMEMBER THAT IT HATED ME FIRST. THE WORLD WOULD LOVE YOU AS ONE OF ITS OWN IF YOU BELONGED TO IT, BUT YOU ARE NO LONGER PART OF THE WORLD. I CHOSE YOU TO COME OUT OF THE WORLD, SO IT HATES YOU.
DO YOU REMEMBER WHAT I TOLD YOU? ‘A SLAVE IS NOT GREATER THAN THE MASTER.’ SINCE THEY PERSECUTED ME, NATURALLY THEY WILL PERSECUTE YOU. AND IF THEY HAD LISTENED TO ME, THEY WOULD LISTEN TO YOU. THEY WILL DO ALL THIS TO YOU BECAUSE OF ME, FOR THEY HAVE REJECTED THE ONE WHO SENT ME.”
FROM THIS DAY FORWARD, MAY WE, THE TRUE BELIEVERS IN JESUS CHRIST VOW TO STAND FIRM, STRONG, AND DETERMINED TO REMAIN HOLY, UNDEFILED, AND TRUE TO THE WORD OF GOD, HIS TEACHINGS AND COMMANDS IN LEISURE, CONFLICT, OPPOSITION, BETRAYAL, TRIAL AND EVEN DEATH.
IF WE HAVE FOUND OURSELES CONTENT LIVING THE LIFE OF A “NICOLAITAN” OR HAVE BEEN WASTING TIME IN THE “SYNAGOGUE OF SATAN” MAY WE HEAR THE WORDS OF JEREMIAH 2:19, “YOUR WICKEDNESS WILL BRING ITS OWN PUNISHMENT. YOUR TURNING FROM ME WILL SHAME YOU. YOU WILL SEE WHAT AN EVIL, BITTER THING IT IS TO ABANDON THE LORD YOUR GOD AND NOT TO FEAR HIM. I, THE LORD, THE LORD OF HEAVEN’S ARMIES, HAVE SPOKEN!
THE TIME HAS COME. THE TIME IS NOW, FOR THOSE WHO PROFESS TO BE CHRISTIANS, TO ABANDON THE WORLD AND ITS POLITICALLY CORRECT, PROGRESSIVE AND INCLUSIVE WAYS AND BECOME SOLID, GENUINE, HOLY, SOLD-OUT BELIEVERS WHO ARE PASSIONATELY IN LOVE WITH JESUS CHRIST, THE SON OF GOD.
JOEL 2:12-13, “THAT IS WHY THE LORD SAYS, ‘TURN TO ME NOW, WHILE THERE IS TIME. GIVE ME YOUR HEARTS. COME WITH FASTING, WEEPING, AND MOURNING. DON’T TEAR YOUR CLOTHING IN YOUR GRIEF, BUT TEAR YOUR HEARTS INSTEAD.’ RETURN TO THE LORD YOUR GOD, FOR HE IS MERCIFUL AND COMPASSIONATE, SLOW TO GET ANGRY AND FILLED WITH UNFAILING LOVE….”
