REPENT OF COMPROMISE WITH THE WORLD
Revelation 2:12-29
Repent therefore! Otherwise, I will soon come to you and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth. (16)
chapter 2
12. "To the angel of the church in Pergamum write: These are the words of him who has the sharp, double-edged sword.
13. I know where you live - where Satan has his throne. Yet you remain true to my name. You did not renounce your faith in me, not even in the days of Antipas, my faithful witness, who was put to death in your city - where Satan lives.
14. Nevertheless, I have a few things against you: There are some among you who hold to the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to entice the Israelites to sin so that they ate food sacrificed to idols and committed sexual immorality.
15. Likewise, you also have those who hold to the teaching of the Nicolaitans.
16. Repent therefore! Otherwise, I will soon come to you and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth.
17. Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who is victorious, I will give some of the hidden manna. I will also give that person a white stone with a new name written on it, known only to the one who receives it.
18. "To the angel of the church in Thyatira write: These are the words of the Son of God, whose eyes are like blazing fire and whose feet are like burnished bronze.
19. I know your deeds, your love and faith, your service and perseverance, and that you are now doing more than you did at first.
20. Nevertheless, I have this against you: You tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophet. By her teaching she misleads my servants into sexual immorality and the eating of food sacrificed to idols.
21. I have given her time to repent of her immorality, but she is unwilling.
22. So I will cast her on a bed of suffering, and I will make those who commit adultery with her suffer intensely, unless they repent of her ways.
23. I will strike her children dead. Then all the churches will know that I am he who searches hearts and minds, and I will repay each of you according to your deeds.
24. Now I say to the rest of you in Thyatira, to you who do not hold to her teaching and have not learned Satan’s so-called deep secrets, ’I will not impose any other burden on you,
25. except to hold on to what you have until I come.’
26. To the one who is victorious and does my will to the end, I will give authority over the nations -
27. that one ’will rule them with an iron scepter and will dash them to pieces like pottery’ - just as I have received authority from my Father.
28. I will also give that one the morning star.
29. Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
1. Pergamum was known to be a city of multiple idolatrous cults. These cults included the worship of Roman emperors, the Greek god Zeus, and many other Roman and Greek idols. Thyatira was known for its cloth-making and metalworking industries, both of which were heavily controlled by trade guilds. Belonging to a trade guild was critical to get a job and achieve success, but these trade guilds also had many idolatrous and immoral practices. Whether due to religious and cultural pressure as in Pergamum or job pressure as in Thyatira, Christians are constantly tempted to compromise with idolatry and immorality. Furthermore, there were false teachers in the church who promoted compromise with the world, leading faithful believers to become unfaithful to Jesus. Satan continues to use such tactics today to lead God’s children astray.
2. The only antidote is to hear and accept the sharp, double-edged sword (2:12) of God’s word. We cannot deceive God; Jesus searches our hearts and minds and knows us (2:23). God’s word must lead us to repentance, specifically to repent our compromise with the world. Let Jesus’ words penetrate your heart and lead you to repentance.
Prayer: Father, we are tempted to compromise with idols and sexual immorality. We repent and ask for your Spirit to help us hold on to Jesus’ words.
One Word: Repent based on Jesus’ words