The Church of Pergamum

The Church of Pergamum

“To the angel of the church in Pergamum write: 
These are the words of him who has the sharp, double-edged sword.  
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, even in the days of Antipas, my faithful witness, who was put to death in your city—where Satan lives. 
Nevertheless, I have a few things against you: You have people there who hold to the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to entice the Israelites to sin by eating food sacrificed to idols and by committing sexual immorality.  
Likewise you also have those who hold to the teaching of the Nicolaitans.  
Repent therefore! Otherwise, I will soon come to you and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth. 
He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, I will give some of the hidden manna. I will also give him a white stone with a new name written on it, known only to him who receives it. 
Revelations 2:12-17
Pergamum was the ancient capital of Asia. The centre of emperor worship in Asia. Antipas, the first martyr of Asia was murdered their in the reign of Domitian
The fact it was the centre of emperor worship is probably why it’s referred to “where Satan has his thrown.
Here Jesus commends the church for holding true to his name even when people were martyred.
Never the less he notes that there are people among them who are teaching wrong doctrine. Referring to them as those who “hold to the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak” who led the Israelites astray and those who hold to the teachings of the Nicolaitans who compromised the teachings of Christ with the world.
This is a call to the churches today.
While there are many interpretations of things within Christianity we must never compromise our core beliefs.
Sadly I as someone who attends an evangelical church, I see there is too much wrong teaching. Not only that no one seems to be standing up to this wrong teaching.
Frauds, false teachers, abound in what has become known as the evangelical church in North America.
The so called mainline churches are not that much different. They are watering down the message of Christ or have instituted ways of doing things that have taken them away from the true teachings of Christ.
We as Christians need to sit down with the Bible and forget what church we attend. We need to be studying the scriptures and look for the unadulterated truths of the scriptures.
We need to make sure what we are teaching and saying about Jesus and the way to heaven is correct.
At the same time. We need to wherever possible be correcting those who are not preaching sound doctrine.
We even need to be pulling our support from any Christian organization that is not teaching the scriptures correctly, be that a church or and evangelist.
Think about it.