On Immorality The church at Thyatira

  On Immorality The church at Thyatira 

Here in the book of Revelations we read a letter to the church at Thyatira 

“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.  

I know your deeds, your love and faith, your service and perseverance, and that you are now doing more than you did at first. 

Nevertheless, I have this against you: You tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess. By her teaching she misleads my servants into sexual immorality and the eating of food sacrificed to idols.  

I have given her time to repent of her immorality, but she is unwilling.  

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.  

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.  

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): Only hold on to what you have until I come. 

To him who overcomes and does my will to the end, I will give authority over the nations— ‘He will rule them with an iron scepter; he will dash them to pieces like pottery’— 

just as I have received authority from my Father.  

I will also give him the morning star.  

He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. Revelations 2:18-29

The church at Thyatira is commended for their love, faith, service and perseverance in the faith. That they were even doing more than when they first believed in Christ.

That being said, Jesus states,

“...I have this against you: You tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess. By her teaching she misleads my servants into sexual immorality...” 

This church is tolerating a woman named Jezebel. Some say that may be a real name or a nickname equating her to Jezebel in first and second Kings in the Old Testament. Either way it doesn’t matter if it was her name or a nickname. What this person is doing is teaching falsely and leading people into sexual immorality. 

As believers in Christ Jesus we cannot tolerate sexual morality in any form.

Sadly for many years churches and denominations have covered up sexual immorality in their ranks. This should not be so. 

Our church congregations, denominations, our pastors, evangelist and teachers should as far as is humanly possible be examples of good moral behavior.

The apostle Paul tells us,

“Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth. 2Timothy 2:15.

The apostle Paul also makes it clear,

“What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge those inside?  God will judge those outside. 

  Expel the wicked man from among you.” 1 Corinthians 5:12,13.

James the half brother of Jesus wrote,

“Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you.” James 1:21.

The reward for following the moral path and keeping our faith strongly rooted in Christ Jesus is that we will rule with him. Jesus saying the Church at Thyatira 

 “To him who overcomes and does my will to the end, I will give authority over the nations” Revelations 2:26.

Thus I would ask this question. 

Do you or your church tolerate immorality in any form?

Please think about it.

Response to a Comment

Response to a comment

I got the following response to one of my postings that argued for God and against atheism. The person is right in part. He said,
“Well death's the actual end for an atheist, so our lives are worth more than you theists who flood the market with "immortality".?
Before I go on however let me preface things with this note. I am a Christian and therefore can only comment on what I see from a Christian perspective.
So that being said, if death is an end then I have nothing to fear. So if  I’m wrong about God then so be it. But he states theist flood the world with immorality.
The first thing that came to my mind was who sets the rule with regards to immorality. I believe God does. I cannot believe early man suddenly put together a universal moral code.
If science is to be believed, and I firmly believe it is, there were various early tribes all over the world. Scattered in such a way as it would be difficult, if not impossible for them to communicate directly with each other.
Even at the time the ten commandments were given there were groups around the world that couldn’t possibly communicate with each other that had to have had at least a very similar moral code, such as do not kill, do not steal, etc. otherwise society in those early civilizations would be in a state of anarchy at best.
It would be survival of the fittest. Violence would prevail if violence became the norm early man would potentially drive himself to extinction.
Thus I believe on the heart of every man and woman that has ever lived God has written His moral code.
I would however agree that it seems like theist flood the market with immorality.
I as a Christian can probably list pages of names of men and women who called themselves Christians or the world seen as Christians that were immoral. Everything from Popes, to evangelist to pastors to various individuals sitting in the pew of every church in the world.
How do I know these people are immoral because God set a standard and these people have fallen short quite often in a very public way.
Mahatma Gandhi said,
“Jesus is ideal and wonderful, but you Christians - you are not like him.”
                                                                                               Mahatma Gandhi
 Gandhi has a point but Gandhi I believe only seen those who called themselves Christians.
Jesus said,
“Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’  
Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’”
                                                                                                  Matthew 7:22,23.
The church has been around along time and many people with their own agenda’s have entered it. Many people who are immoral who are in it to make a fast buck have set themselves up as Christians. These people I believe will, as Jesus said be turned away from heaven.
One thing I am certain of however is that at true Christian will not force his morality on anyone outside the church the Apostle Paul said,
“What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge those inside?  
God will judge those outside. “Expel the wicked man from among you.” 
                                                                                    1 Corinthians 5:12,13.
The church unfortunately is a trusting organization by nature thus it doesn’t do a very good job of policing itself. Then that can be said of every organization in the world. Everything from the government to corporations big and small have had people within them who were immoral.
I do not believe the church “floods the market with immorality”
If it seems that way, perhaps its because people within the church are being caught in immorality, because of the high standards the true church and for that matter society outside the church demand Christians to live by.
In world war two German U-boats use to see ships silhouetted against the lights of American cities. The lights caused the ships to stand out thus making them targets.
If it seems like Christians produce more than it’s fare share of immoral people, perhaps, just perhaps it’s because they are standing in the light of God that shows their immorality and other sins.
The writer of Ecclesiastes said,
“Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole  duty  of man. 
For God will bring every deed into judgement, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil.” 
Ecclesiastes 12:13,14 
If there is no God then those who commit any kind of immoral act on this earth have nothing to fear but if there is they indeed have a lot to fear be they Christians or not.
Think about it.