Steve Grant
Series in Revelation
Performance Review Of The Churches, Part 3: Pergamum
Revelation 2:12-17
4 June 2017
Christ is the Lord of the Church. He is evaluating us, even as He evaluated the Pergamum church in Revelation.
The city of Pergamum was known for religion, having idols on every street corner. But it was a city of false religion, and God calls it "Satan's throne." Still, God had a light there - the church in Pergamum. Even in the midst of pressure to offer sacrifices to Caesar or die, they did not deny their faith.
Jesus' words to the church reveal that He is concerned with the heart, not merely appearances. For this reason, He instructs them to rid themselves of the false teachers that had entered, enticing the congregation to adopt pagan practices. God also owns us today, and we cannot live in a state of compromise. We must serve either God or Satan; let us be faithful to God.
Jesus commands the church to repent, and not tolerate the false teachings. He instructs them to listen and pay heed, then ends with a promise: the one who overcomes will be rewarded for faithfulness.
Nobody is immune to compromise. It is a subtle, and silent decline that starts when we compromise one truth at a time. Instead, let us hold fast to God's Word.