CHAPTER II
The Evolution Of A Failed Church, Cont.
"This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts, Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith. But they shall proceed no further: for their folly shall be manifest unto all men, as theirs also was." (2nd Timothy 3:1-9 KJV)
There is no need to interpret the words of Paul, sometimes they may be hard to understand but they are spoken in a straightforward manner. Unlike John's writing in Revelation filled with signification and symbols, Paul uses the common language of his time to send forth a clear prophecy of the degradation of humanity in the last days. The way of Christ was cast aside, what followed in Revelation 2,3 is an indictment issued by Christ not only of the church but of those who proclaim to be messengers of God. The indictment begins with I know your works, I know where you dwell and I have a few things against you. The light is shown of the hypocrisy of Christianity who has adopted the lust of the heretic.
Oh, Men and Women of God, you have been indicted. The book has been open. I hear your voice, but where was your voice when the Holy Bible was downgraded, proclaimed a racist book and laws were enacted that was contrary to God's word? Where was your voice when the trashing of Christianity took place on a national stage and yet, you yearned for a leader, a heretic who would continue to blame Christianity for the problems of the world? Where was your voice when our children exposed to a type of evil that contributed to the loss of hope causing them to accept suicide as the answer? Where was your voice when the debate of the color of a supernatural being was allowed to proceed? Where was your voice when sin was justified through the twisting and shaping of the scripture? Yes, today I hear your voice loud and clear. The social media and the airways resonate with your hypocrisy, and your created words. I cringe at your hate-filled rhetoric, knowing that your words will cause many to stumble. Men and women of God when your hate is so great that it clouds your ability to process facts, or even the Bible in a rational manner, you have a problem.
The message of Revelation is not to the unbelievers, it is to those who believe. Jesus said, that it is better a millstone would be placed around your neck and cast into the sea than to offend, but in today's society, to offend is godly. Jesus often spoke of forgiveness, but we have followed the path of, God forgives, humanity does not forgive. We are a people a church that our righteous exist with our own eyes and the righteous of God is second nature.
Revelation 2:12 And to the angel of the church in Pergamos write; These things saith he which hath the sharp sword with two edges;
Men and women of God, these words are spoken to you.
Revelation 2:13 I know thy works, and where thou dwellest, even where Satan's seat is: and thou holdest fast my name, and hast not denied my faith, even in those days wherein Antipas was my faithful martyr, who was slain among you, where Satan dwelleth.
You profess the faith, but Jesus is saying I know your works.
Revelation 2:14 But I have a few things against thee because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balac to cast a stumblingblock before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed unto idols, and to commit fornication.
Revelation 2:15 So hast thou also them that hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which thing I hate.
The Nicolaitans came into the church for the purpose of ruling over the church.
Revelation 2:16 Repent; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth.
Revelation 2:17 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it.
In these verses is contained the third epistle, which John by direction had written and sent to the church of Pergamos, in which (as in the former) we have,
1. A description of Christ, as having a sharp two-edged sword in his mouth; denoting the word of God, and that piercing power which accompanies it to conquer the lusts and corruptions of men. He speaks in a voice that is indicative of an indictment direct from the throne.
As also, 2. A commendation of what was good and excelling in that church, I know thy works; that is, with a knowledge of intelligence and observation, as also with a knowledge of approbation and acceptation. I know thee to be good in bad places, and in the worst of times, though thou dwelleth where Satan's seat is. That is, where Satan bears sway by idolatry and persecution: yet dost thou hold fast my name, that is, the doctrine of the gospel preached in my name, and by which I am made known to the world as a man is by his name; and hast not denied my faith, but openly professed it in a time of persecution, even then when blood and slaughter attended the professors and profession of it, namely, when Antipas was slain, (who probably was a bishop, or some minister in Pergamos, of extraordinary piety; for upon such the storm of persecution generally falls;) who died a faithful witness to the truth of my gospel; even then and there, I say, hadst thou the courage to profess my name, and bear witness to the truth.
Mark here, What an honorable mention Christ makes of the services and sufferings of his people; nothing we either do or suffer for Christ, but it is recorded, and shall be remembered to our commendation and honor in this life, and to our consolation and happiness in the next.
Yet note farther, The holy impartiality of our blessed Lord; at the same time when he commends this church for what was commendable and praiseworthy, he reproves her for what was faulty and blameworthy. Many who seek to justify their sins find comfort in the fact that Christ recognizes the good before reproves the bad.
But I have a few things against thee, because thou hast them that hold the doctrine of Balaam, and the Nicolaitans; that is, the doctrine of the impure Gnostics, who teach men now to eat things (or use things) offered to idols, and to commit fornication, (both natural and spiritual), even as Balaam of old directed Balak to ensnare the Israelites, by committing fornication with the Moabitish women, and to eat of what they sacrificed unto idols then.
Here observe, That it was not the being of those heretics and heresies among them that Christ blames them for, but the tolerating of these in their midst, who made light both of adultery and idolatry of mind and spirit. They ought to have executed church discipline upon them, and denounced the church censures against them, as had been done by the church of Ephesus before them, that Christ might have said of them, as he did of those, v. 6. Thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.
Observe next, The counsel which Christ gives this church, Repent; that is, be humbled for this thy connivance at and tolerating of this wicked sect and damnable doctrine, and amend, or verily I will come quickly upon thee and them in a way of judgment; and fight against them with a two-edged sword, that is, with my holy word, convince, wound, and condemn them, The want of zeal and severity against sin and incorrigible sinners, is very displeasing to Christ, and provokes him to anger greatly.
Observe lastly, The conclusion and close of this epistolary letter, which is partly exhortatory, He that hath ears, let him hear, and with his mind ponder and consider what the Spirit saith, by way of counsel and caution, unto the churches; and partly consolatory, To him that overcometh will I give,
Mark, he doth not say, to every one that fighteth; no, not to every one that conquereth in one, two, or more particular acts of resistance; but to him that perseveringly conquers, and finally overcomes both tempter and temptations, both persecutors and persecutions, both false teachers and false doctrines, to them will I give the hidden manna, laid up, not in the earthly tabernacle, but the heavenly sanctuary; by which understand Christ himself, and the joys and consolations of the Holy Spirit, which are hidden from the world, and the peculiar portion of such as sincerely believe in him, and cheerfully suffer for him.
It is added, I will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name; that is, absolution and pardon of sin, together with the privilege of adoption; it is a custom anciently, to give a white stone in token of absolution, and a black stone as a sign of condemnation, on which stones were written the names of the innocent and guilty; accordingly this new name signifies God's pardoned and adopted ones; the sweetness and comfort of which privilege no man knows, but he that is possessed of it: the happiness of God's sons both here and hereafter cannot be expressed; only they that are so, know what it is to be so: and whereas Christ says, I will give the hidden manna, I will give the white stone and the new name, to them that overcome; surely it affords a good argument to convince and prove his divinity; who but a God can pardon sin, and sanctify and save sinners.
No comments:
Post a Comment