DIGGING DEEP NO. 862 – December 22, 2020 CHRIST AND THE CHURCHES (PART 3) THE COMPROMISING CHURCH Rev 2: 12- 17

Pergamos is called the greatest city in Asia Minor. Pergamos had the first temple dedicated to Caesar. This is probably what is meant by “Satan’s seat”. The city also had a temple dedicated to Aesculapius, the god of healing; whose insignia was the entwined serpent on the staff (this is still a medical symbol today). 

Approval (Vs.13) – like their brothers and sisters in Smyrna, the believers in Pergamos had suffered persecution, and one of their men had died for the faith. In spite of intense suffering, this church had remained true to God. 

Accusation (Vs.14- 15) – Despite their courageous stand against persecution, the believers in Pergamos were not faultless before the Lord. Satan had not been able to destroy them as a roaring lion, but he is making inroads as the deceiving serpent. A group of compromising people had infiltrated the church fellowship, and Jesus Christ hated their doctrines and their practices. What they taught is called the doctrine of Balaam. 

Understanding the story of Balaam helps us interpret this insidious group more accurately (Numb.22- 25). Balaam was a true prophet who prostituted his gifts in order to earn money from King Balak, who hired him to curse the people of Israel. God prevented Balaam from actually cursing the nation; instead God turned the curses into blessings; but Balak still got his money’s worth. How? By following Balaam’s advice and making friends with Israel, and then inviting the Jews to worship and feast at the pagan altars. The Jewish men fell right into the trap and many of them became “good neighbors”. They ate meat from idolatrous altars and committed fornication as part of heathen religious rites. Twenty-four thousand people died because of this disobedient act of compromise Numb.25: 1- 9. Why did this ancient history apply to the believers at Pergamos? Because a group in that church said “There is nothing wrong with being friendly to Rome. What harm is there in putting a pinch of incense on the altar and affirming your loyalty to Caesar?” Antipas refused to compromise and was martyred, but others took the easy way and cooperated with Rome. 

The Lord accused the Christians in Pergamos of sinning of committing spiritual fornication by saying Caesar is Lord. Of course, this compromise made them welcome in the Roman guilds and protected them from Roman persecution, but it cost them their testimony and their crown. Believers today also face the temptation to achieve personal advancement by ungodly compromise. The local church is engaged to Christ and must be kept pure 2Cor.11: 1- 4. In the book of Revelation, this present world system is pictured as a defiled harlot, while the church is presented as a pure bride. The congregation or individual Christian that compromises with the world just to avoid suffering or achieve success is committing “spiritual adultery” and being unfaithful to the Lord.

Admonition (Vs.16- 17) – Antipas had felt the sword of Rome, but the church at Pergamos would feel the sword of Christ Heb.4: 12, if they did not repent. 

The closing appeal is to the individual “He that has an ear let him hear”. God fed the Israelites with manna during their wilderness travels, and a pot of the manna was placed in the Ark of the Covenant Ex.16: 32- 36; Heb.9: 4. Instead of eating things sacrificed to idols Rev.2: 14 the believers in Pergamos needed to feast on God’s holy food; the bread of life found in Jesus Christ through the Word Matt.4: 4.

In those days a white stone was put into a vessel by a judge to vote acquittal for a person on trial. It was also used as a ticket to gain admission to a feast. Both would certainly apply to the believer in a spiritual sense; we have been declared righteous through faith in Christ, and we feast with Christ today Rev.3: 20 and will feast with Him in glory Rev.19:6- 9.