“THE CHURCH AT PERGAMUM”
REVELATION 2:12-17

I. Introduction
Is compromise a good thing or a bad thing? Or is compromise, in and of itself complete-ly neutral – neither good nor bad? I would suggest to you that terms like “good or bad” or “right or wrong” can only be applied to compromise when there’s a legal, ethical, moral, or biblical component to it. Doesn’t determining whether compromise is good, bad, right, or wrong, depend solely upon what it is that’s being compromised?

Here’s an example of compromise. I wanted a Porsche. Ginny wanted a Honda. We compromised and bought a Honda. I’ve had this beard for over thirty years. Some time back I wanted to shave it off, but Ginny, remembering what I look like underneath this thing said, “Don’t do that!” We compromised and “voila!” I’m good at compromise.

All silliness aside, we make compromises all the time…even in the church. What exactly is compromise? Webster’s New World Dictionary gives multiple definitions of the word. Here are the first two. (1) Compromise is – “a settlement in which each side gives up some demands or makes concessions.” (2) “an adjustment of opposing principles, systems, etc. by modifying some aspects of each.”

In our daily lives it is not unusual for us to give up certain demands or make various con-cessions if for no other reason than to simply live an uncontentious and peaceful life. This is true in the church as well.

One example I’ve cited before is the frequency with which we serve the Lord’s Supper. That was only one of numerous compromises the founders made when the church was planted. Some thought we might serve Communion weekly. Some thought we might reserve it for special occasions. So the founders compromised and decided to have Com-munion monthly right after the morning service. But as time went on it became clear that another compromise was in order. So it was decided to come together on the first Sunday of every other month, and devote our entire service to the Lord’s Supper.

I think this is an example of Webster’s first definition: “a settlement in which each side gives up some demands or makes concessions.” But what would happen, what would we do if some in this church began to argue for a modification in our belief in biblical crea-tion, or started speaking out against the existence of a literal and eternal hell, or took the position that all “good” people will go to heaven, or began to question the deity of our Lord Jesus Christ? Would we begin to soften our teachings? Would we begin to com-promise our convictions for the sake of peace and harmony within the body? Or would we say, “No compromise on these things, no compromise on the Word of God!”
Such compromise would run us headlong into the second of Webster’s definitions of the word when it says it’s “an adjustment of opposing principles, systems, etc. by modifying some aspects of each.” While we may readily make compromises on issues like seating arrangements or times of services, we will not adjust our biblical principles to conform to the world’s view of the fundamentals of the faith, or adjust the church in some manner so that it will conform to the wishes of unbelievers.

Contrary to much of popular opinion today, adjusting our biblical principles is not what the true Church of Jesus Christ is supposed to be doing. And yet much of the professing church does precisely that. Much of the modern church is willing to compromise with the world so as to grow numerically and/or prosper financially. Much of today’s church, and far too many of today’s Christians, are willing “to go along to get along.” As a result, much of the contemporary church has deteriorated into little more than a lucrative business – in some cases a very lucrative business.

How did this compromise with the world come about? Is it the result of the theological liberalism of the last hundred or so years, or does the problem have deeper and older roots? The answer is that the church’s willingness to compromise with the world had its beginnings in the first century.

The worldliness that exists in today’s church, the same worldliness with which you and I daily struggle, may take a different form that it did in the first century, but the underlying problem is the same. Today we often connect worldliness to things like going to movies or watching too much television, or dancing or playing cards, or social drinking or what-ever. But do those things define the problem of worldliness? I don’t think so.

Let me suggest that there isn’t one among us who can make a list long enough or compre-hensive enough to satisfy everyone else’s definition of worldliness, or compromise with the world. So if you will indulge me, I will attempt to define worldliness, the worldliness that you and I deal with every day.

“Worldliness is anything that preoccupies us with the pursuit of temporal pleasures in this world, and anything that neglects or hinders our pursuit of eternal joys in the next.”

You and I, as Christians, are not a part of this world’s systems. In John 15:19 Jesus said, “…you are not of the world (because) I chose you out of the world…” And one of Paul’s clearest instructions to the church in the NT is…
Romans 12:2
2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.

And James 4:4b says, “…friendship with the world is hostility toward God.”
And the author of Revelation, the Apostle John, also made this truth crystal clear.
*1 John 2:15-17
15 Do not love the world, nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world.
17 And the world is passing away, and also its lusts; but the one who does the will of God abides forever.
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II. Text
This morning, as we delve into our Lord’s words for the Church at Pergamum, the third of the seven churches, we will see a church that was beginning to love the world and the things of the world. And what did John say the things of the world are? They are the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life. You will recall that those are the three things the serpent used to lure Adam and Eve into sin.
Genesis 3:6
6 When the woman saw that the tree was good for food (the lust of the flesh), and that it was a delight to the eyes, (the lust of the eyes), and that the tree was desirable to make one wise (the pride of life), she took from its fruit and ate; and she gave also to her husband with her, and he ate.

As we listen to Jesus speak to the Church at Pergamum we need to understand that when a church begins to embrace worldliness, it embarks on a downward spiral that will lead it into biblical and spiritual compromise. To paraphrase Webster, it will alter or make adjustments in its core principles so as to get along with the world around it. So here is the pertinent question for us this morning – Are we doing that?
*Revelation 2:12-17 (Please stand with me in honor of reading God’s Word.)
12 “And to the angel of the church in Pergamum write: The One who has the sharp two-edged sword says this:
13 ‘I know where you dwell, where Satan’s throne is; and you hold fast My name, and did not deny My faith, even in the days of Antipas, My witness, My faithful one, who was killed among you, where Satan dwells.
14 ‘But I have a few things against you, because you have there some who hold the teaching of Balaam, who kept teaching Balak to put a stumbling block before the sons of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols, and to com-mit acts of immorality.
15 ‘Thus you also have some who in the same way hold to the teaching of the Nicolaitans.
16 ‘Repent therefore; or else I am coming to you quickly, and 1 will make war against them with the sword of My mouth.
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, and I will give him a white stone, and a new name written on the stone which no one knows but he who receives it.’”

Let me begin with a review of the Church at Ephesus. You’ll remember that they were doing everything right, but they had “lost their first love.” Their fire for Jesus was cool-ing. They were still doing the right things, but they had begun to do them for themselves and their glory rather than for their Lord and Savior and His glory. And as a result, com-promise with the world was just around the corner.

In addressing the Church at Pergamum Jesus follows the same basic pattern of seven points He has used with the churches at Ephesus and Smyrna. He identifies the church and Himself; He commends and indicts the church; He instructs and warns the church; and He leaves the church with an eternal promise of blessing if it will simply obey Him.

Let me give you a little background about Pergamum. It was about 70 miles north of Smyrna. Its name was derived from the Greek words for “married twice.” Just as “…no servant can serve two masters (Luke 16:13),” and “a house divided against itself shall not stand (Matthew 12:25),” the marriage of the church and the world cannot work!

In Pergamum we see the beginning of compromise as the church tries to unite itself with the world. You know – “Going along to get along.” The inevitable result will come to full fruition and be clearly seen in Thyatira where idolatry and full-blown paganism will take hold. But I’m getting ahead of myself. The Church at Thyatira is for next time.

By the time the church was established in Pergamum, it had already been the political capital of the Roman province of Asia Minor for 250 years. Therefore it’s no surprise that it was also home to the cult of Caesar worship. In fact Pergamum was the first city to build a temple specifically for the worship of the Roman emperors.

While Ephesus was a seat of government, and Smyrna was a center of commerce, Perga-mum was dominated by satanic religion. In fact, v. 13 will tell us that Satan’s throne in Asia was there. The bottom line is this: The Church at Pergamum was completely sur-rounded by evil. (Today it’s the Turkish city of Bergama.)
The Description
*Revelation 2:12b
12 “The One who has the sharp two-edged sword says this…”

The sharp two-edged sword that comes from Jesus’ mouth identifies Him as the very Word of God Himself. The word “Word” is “lŏgŏs” in the Greek. It means “expression of thought.” So when God expresses Himself it IS His Word. This is true whether such expression is found written in the Bible or spoken in the person of Jesus Christ.
Hebrews 4:12
12 For the Word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.

John 1:1
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

And whether the Word of God is written or spoken, it is alive and it accomplishes all that God intends for it to accomplish.
Isaiah 55:11
11 So shall My Word be which goes forth from My mouth; it shall not return to Me empty, without accomplishing what I desire, and without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it.

Remember that a two-edged sword cuts both ways. Thus the Word of God is both an instrument of salvation for believers and an instrument of condemnation for unbelievers. Pergamum was home to both true and false religion. So to the Christians in Pergamum Jesus identifies Himself as the One having a two edged sword coming from His mouth. It is His Word that will separate the sheep (true believers) from the goats (false believers and all pagans).

And let’s be clear. There are only sheep and goats, the saved and the lost, the true and the false, the genuine Christians and everyone else. In the end it is only the Word of God that identifies them, distinguishes between them, and, in the end, will separate them.
Matthew 25:31-34 (judgment at the Second Coming)
31 “But when the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, then He will sit on His glorious throne.
32 “And all the nations will be gathered before Him; and He will separate them from one another, as the shepherd separates the sheep from the goats;
33 and He will put the sheep on His right, and the goats on the left.
34 “Then the King will say to those on His right, ‘Come, you who are blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.’
41 “Then He will also say to those on His left, ‘Depart from Me, accursed ones, into the eternal fire which has been prepared for the devil and his angels.’”

Listen, Jesus is pulling no punches as He presents Himself to the Church at Pergamum. He is telling them that He is the Prosecutor, the Judge, the Jury, and the Executioner. They (and we) need to be reminded that a church that is willing to compromise with the world is a church that is playing with fire. (No pun intended.)
There is a historical aspect to this. In 313 A.D., after more than 250 years of the persecu-tion and martyrdom of countless Christians, the Roman emperor Constantine issued the “Edict of Milan” (“Edict of Toleration”) giving Christians state-sanctioned religious free-dom. Good news? No, not at all! It was bad news. It was terrible news, because Con-stantine went further and made Christianity the official religion of the Roman Empire.

So the church was merged into the state. Overnight pagan priests became “Christian” priests. Heathen temples became “Christian” churches. Godless and idolatrous festivals became “Christian” holy days. And real, true, sacrificial, and persecuted Christianity went from being a personal matter of hearts and minds to a national matter of govern-ments and laws. And the groundwork was laid for the birth of Roman Catholicism, but again, I’m getting ahead of myself.
The Commendation
Jesus has identified Himself in no uncertain terms. How does He commend the Church at Pergamum?
*Revelation 2:13
13 “I know where you dwell, where Satan’s throne is; and you hold fast My name, and did not deny My faith, even in the days of Antipas, My witness, My faithful one, who was killed among you, where Satan dwells.”

Satan’s throne was in Pergamum? The idea that Satan is in hell is simply wrong. He is not now in hell nor has he ever been in hell. Ultimately he WILL be in hell but now he is here on this earth. He is the god of this world, is he not? Satan is here. Isaiah 14:12 says that he has “…been cut down to the earth.” When Satan finally takes the form of antichrist he will claim that he has the right to the Jesus’ throne in Jerusalem.

The presence of the cult of Asklepios in Pergamum was also evidence that Satan’s throne was in this city. Asklepios was the pagan god of healing and medicine. He was depicted as a serpent. His form is still seen today in the caduceus, the serpent-wrapped and winged staff of the modern medical profession. Pergamum was Satan’s earthly “headquarters.” In the OT Satan’s “headquarters” had been in Babylon. But Jesus says that in the first century they were in Pergamum. I wonder where Satan’s earthly headquarters are today.

In Revelation 2:13 Jesus has two commendations for the Church at Pergamum. First, He commends them because they “…hold fast (to His) name.” Second, He commends them because they “…(do) not deny My faith…” They have done these things even though they have suffered persecution because of them.

Jesus mentions “…Antipas, My witness, My faithful one.” Antipas’ identity is uncertain, but many think he was Pergamum’s pastor. It’s worth noting that the word translated “witness” here is the Greek word “martoos,” from which we get the word “martyr.” Those who refused to deny their witness for Christ became martyrs.
It is said that Antipas was roasted alive inside of a hollow brass bull. No compromise! The Indictment (two indictments)
But here is where the compromise with the world comes in.
*Revelation 2:14-15
14 “But I have a few things against you, because you have there some who hold the teaching of Balaam, who kept teaching Balak to put a stumbling block before the sons of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols, and to com-mit acts of immorality.
15 “Thus you also have some who in the same way hold to the teaching of the Nicolaitans.”

The first indictment is in v. 14. The Church at Pergamum was allowing false teaching to work its way into their midst. Balaam was a false teacher during the time of Moses. He taught that the way you could corrupt Israel was to promote intermarriage with Moabite and Midianite (unbelieving pagan) women. Numbers 22-25 tells the story. These women brought both idolatry and fornication into Israel. Moses tried to deal with it, but in the end God’s chosen nation was infected anyway. Just as outsiders came into and corrupted the nation of Israel, here in the Church at Pergamum the world was coming into the church and beginning to corrupt it.

Do you remember the Nicolaitans? They were followers of a false teacher named Nico-las. The Church at Ephesus hated his teachings, but the Church at Pergamum was begin-ning to embrace them. Among other things, Nicolas taught that the “clergy” and the “laity” were to be split apart, a concept foreign to the NT. But as a result, it was here in the Church at Pergamum where the priesthood of believers began to be diminished, there-by ignoring what is so clearly taught by Peter: “But you (Christian) are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession (1 Peter 2:9a).”

Nicolas also taught that the “sins of the flesh” were perfectly all right because the flesh and the spirit were separate. Therefore, whatever the flesh did caused no harm to the spirit. Embracing this teaching led to replacing Christian liberty (freedom in Christ) with a license to sin. Can you see how easily the world works its way into the church? Can you see why we (not just me, not just Jeff and Tim), can you see why all of us must be vigilant and protect the purity of our church? False teachers like Nicolas are always just outside the door. They would love nothing better than being invited to come in.

It is in Pergamum that the world came into the church! Speaking of this time in church history, John Walvoord said, “It became increasingly difficult to maintain a clear distinc-tion between the church and the world and to preserve the purity of biblical doctrine…”

Ask yourself: Is that happening today? What about the church that tries to attract unbe-lievers by making herself look and sound like the lost world?
That is what many in the modern church-growth movement advocate and try to do. But is that what Jesus calls His church to do? Or does He call His church to separate itself from the world? Someone has said, “When the church becomes like the world, the world no longer needs the church.” That’s worth thinking about. What does all of this have to say to us here at LBC?

Well, Jesus has commended the Church at Pergamum, and He has indicted the Church at Pergamum. Now He will exhort and warn the Church at Pergamum.
The Exhortation and the Warning
*Revelation 2:16
16 “Repent therefore; or else I am coming to you quickly, and 1 will make war against them with the sword of My mouth.”

Both the exhortation and the warning are straightforward. Neither one of them requires interpretation or hand-wringing over just what it is that Jesus means. He’s being as clear as can be. A church that is slipping towards compromise, or one that is willing to bind itself together with unbelievers, is told to repent, to change its mind and its direction.
2 Corinthians 6:14
14 Do not be bound together with unbelievers; for what partnership have righteousness and lawlessness, or what fellowship has light with darkness?

Let’s be very clear. Paul isn’t talking about our interaction with the world in personal evangelism or loving the lost and trying to win them for Christ. Not at all! He’s talking about the sin of Balaam – the sin of “marrying up” or “climbing into bed” with unbelief.

Jesus says churches that do so need to change both their minds and their direction. If they do not, He will “…make war against them with the sword of His mouth.” In this He reiterates one of the truths we’ve already seen. The same Word that saves can also de-stroy. And even though there were godly people in the Church at Pergamum, Jesus is saying that compromise will lead to the church’s judgment!
The Promise
*Revelation 2:17
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, and I will give him a white stone, and a new name written on the stone which no one knows but he who receives it.”

The overcomers are all true Christians. The hidden manna is symbolic of Jesus. In John 6:41 He said, “I am the bread (the manna) that came down out of heaven.” But the mean-ing of the white stone and the name written on it is unclear. It may represent a reward presented to all overcomers. The name on it may be each Christian’s own eternal name – a name which we do not yet know. That is a reasonable interpretation.
After all, we’re told that Jesus “…has a name written upon Him which no one knows except Himself (Revelation 19:13).”
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III. Conclusion
Do you hear what Jesus is saying to us? As you break into your discussion groups please focus on the issue that plagued the Church at Pergamum – compromise and worldliness and how it may affect us here at LBC.