Friday, September 07, 2007

The Church in Pergamum

"To the messenger of the church in Pergamum, write: 'The one who holds the sharp, two-edged sword, says this: 'I know where you live. Satan's throne is there. Yet you hold on to my name and have not denied your faith in me, even in the days of Antipas, my faithful witness, who was killed in your presence, where Satan lives. But I have a few things against you: You have there some who hold to the teaching of Balaam, the one who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the people of Israel so that they would eat food sacrificed to idols and practice immorality. You also have some who hold to the teaching of the Nicolaitans. So repent. If you don't, I will come to you quickly and wage war against them with the sword of my mouth. 'Let the person who has an ear listen to what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who conquers I will give some of the hidden manna. I will also give him a white stone. On the white stone is written a new name that no one knows except the person who receives it.' (Rev 2:12-17 ISV)

DESCRIPTION:
Even though she lives where Satan dwells, and has personally seen the persecution of faithful Christians, she has not denied her faith. But, she has been deceived through false teaching into practicing idol worship and immoral living, thinking that it wouldn't harm her faith. She is also listening to teaching that is using evil to teach good. She believes that she is free to worship God the way she wants to and that will lead to her death in the war.

OTHER EXAMPLES IN SCRIPTURE:
They have left the straight path and wandered off to follow the path of Balaam, the son of Bosor, who loved the reward he got for doing wrong. But he was rebuked for his offense. A donkey that normally cannot talk spoke with a human voice and restrained the prophet's insanity. These men are dried-up springs, mere clouds driven by a storm. Gloomy darkness is reserved for them. By talking high-sounding nonsense and using sinful cravings of the flesh, they entice people who have just escaped from those who live in error. Promising them freedom, they themselves are slaves to depravity, for a person is a slave to whatever conquers him. For if, after escaping the world's corruptions through a full knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled and conquered by them, then their last condition is worse than their former one. It would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness than to know it and turn their backs on the holy commandment that was committed to them. The proverb is true that describes what has happened to them: "A dog returns to its vomit," and "A pig that is washed goes back to wallow in the mud." (2Pe 2:15-22 ISV)

Her destiny is to be a conquerer in the Kingdom, if she repents and starts listening to the right teachers who will train her to be a soldier for King Jesus.

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