Today’s Reading: Revelations 2:12-29

Anyone with ears to hear must listen to the Spirit and understand what he is saying to the churches. – Revelation 2:17

There are five more messages to five more lampstand churches. Let’s look at two more this morning. Lord, show us if one of these “performance reviews” describes where we are at spiritually. Protect us from false guilt but open our hearts to the truth as revealed by your Spirit. Amen.

Pergamum is the COMPROMISING CHURCH. God recognized that they were living in a culture where sin was glorified. He described Perganum as “the city where Satan has his throne.” One of the believers had been killed for his faith, yet the church remained loyal to God during this difficult time of persecution. They continued to praise the name of Jesus, but they had also begun to tolerate false teaching in the church. They continued to call themselves Christ-followers, but they were compromising the standards of holiness by eating food offered to idols and by allowing sexual sin in the church.

They remained loyal during times of persecution but they had also become tolerant of false teaching. They had a choice set before them – repent of your sin or I will come and fight the false teaching myself with the sword of my mouth. Don’t miss that God called their tolerance sin. Don’t miss that his desire was for them to repent so that they could experience everything He had for them.

To everyone who is victorious I will give some of the manna that has been hidden away in heaven. And I will give to each one a white stone, and on the stone will be engraved a new name that no one understands except the one who receives it. – Revelation 2:17b

The Church in Thyatira had a similar problem – they had been the OVERLY TOLERANT CHURCH. God had seen their love, faith, service and patient endurance. In the presence of constant improvement, they had unfortunately allowed teaching that permits sexual sin and the eating of food offered to idols. When given the opportunity to repent, they had chosen immorality over God’s plan. To this church God is saying – I know the thoughts and intentions of every person and I will give to each of you whatever you deserve. If you choose to obey me to the very end, you will be given victory and authority (2:18-29).

“To everyone who is victorious I will give fruit from the tree of life in the paradise of God.” – Revelation 2:7b

I believe the church in America is at risk of making the same mistakes as the church in Pergamum and in Thyatira. We live in a culture that no longer appreciates our faith and no longer uses biblical teaching as a standard of morality. The truths found in scripture are now defined as hate speech, and our response has been tolerance on several different issues. We have forgotten how to extend grace and show love, while also speaking truth. We have softened our stance in order to fit into the culture of the day. We continue our routine of faith but we have watered down the word of God. In our efforts to show the love of Christ, we have instead become OVERLY TOLERANT of sin; we are a COMPROMISING CHURCH.

Father God, forgive us for getting off track. Show us how to respond in love to the world around us without watering down the gospel. Give us the right words to show others the plan you have for their life, offering them freedom from sin rather than freedom to sin. Give us the heart to authentically love them so that they see our concern for their future as genuine.