The Church in Pergamum
By Jedediah King and Jan Roberson
Pergamum was the provincial capital of Roman Asia, famous and prosperous. Its most important export was parchment, an animal skin writing material, from which the city derives its name. A strongly pagan city, possessing many temples, it was the center of emperor worship in its province. In this pagan city was a small Christian community, a church to which this letter was written.
In Revelation 2:13-17, Jesus speaks to the church of Pergamum: words of affirmation, words of correction, and words of promise to those who overcome.
I know where you dwell, where Satan's throne is. Yet you hold fast to 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 the Balaam, who put a stumbling block before the sons of Israel, so that they might eat the food sacrificed to idols and practice sexual immorality.
Therefore repent. If not, I will come to you soon and war against them with the sword of my mouth. He who has ears 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.
The main downfall of this church was in their compromise. Balaam was a pagan prophet who enticed Israel to immorality with Moabite women who then led the Israelites to worship Baal-Peor. This reference to Balaam implies that the Christians were participating in idol worship possibly with cult prostitutes and pagan feasts with sexual promiscuity, prevalent in their city.
Nicolaitans compromised with the pagan society saying that they had spiritual liberty that gave then leeway to blend in with the idol worshipping pagans and participate in immoral behavior. After all, weren't all citizens were expected to participate in the imperial festivals and feast on all that food and revelry? The teachings allowed for Christians to do what their culture and country was doing. They called for compromise and to see idols as benign or neutral.
Today, the culture that surrounds the Church is similarly corrupted to worship many things and to believe that immorality is normal. Gender confusion and ungodly sexual behavior has crept into the church. Christians must learn to discern these very old lies and deceptions that would lead us away from Jesus.
Revelation of Jesus
The Pergamum church was a very small minority within of culture of affluence, idol worship and extreme patriotism/ emperor worship. The struggle here was to keep from being sucked into the predominant culture that worshiped power, wealth, sex and many gods. The first step in standing against compromise is recognizing its deceptive nature. The definition that Jesus gives to Satan is that he is a deceiver and liar (John 8:44); and they lived where Satan's throne was, amid deceptive influences and liars.
Pressure to conform can come from the society outside of the Church, but it can also come from within as well. The second part of standing against compromise is recognizing who Jesus is, and that in Him we can know the Way, Truth and the Life. Through being in relationship with Him, we will know how to follow Him in all things instead of compromising in any area. We will know the Truth and the Truth will set us free (John 8:32). Jesus is the Truth and wields the sharp two-edged sword (vs 12).
The call here is to stand against incorporation and assimilation into a culture that is not godly. Jesus is calling us to stand strong against the tide and be wholly devoted to Him and Him alone.
"So, we must be diligent. We must be committed to righteousness. We must be in the Word, prayer and community every day, because we cannot fight the world, the flesh, and the devil on our own. As the Apostle John tell us, 'He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world’ (1 John 4:4)
Deceptions, lies and idols can come in many forms. What we give our heart, time and allegiance to shows what things we value most, and if we're are not careful, those things, if not of God, can turn into idols. Our culture and our own fleshly desires are constantly trying to get us to compromise and worship other things than God alone. In what part of your life are you tempted to worship idols?
Some of these Christians in Pergamum were engaging in a "Jesus plus" something scheme...Jesus plus a little of this god and this practice. Jesus plus Zeus. Jesus plus Rome.
Jesus plus sexual promiscuity. What is the "Jesus plus" in your life? How will you repent and change that?
Jesus says, "I am the light of the world, He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life." (John 8:12). He will give us light to see and understanding to know the way in which to walk.
References:
Tsarfati, Amir, and Rick J. Hughes. Revealing Revelation: How God’s Plans for the Future Can Change Your Life Now. Harvest Prophecy, 2022