A Revelation Invitation

(The Altar of Pergamum,  Pergamon Museum, Berlin, Germany.)

“And to the angel of the church in Pergamum write: ‘The words of him who has the sharp two-edged sword.

“‘I know where you dwell, where Satan’s throne is. Yet you hold fast my name, and you did not deny my faith even in the days of Antipas my faithful witness, who was killed among you, where Satan dwells. But I have a few things against you: you have some there who hold the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the sons of Israel so that they might eat food sacrificed to idols and practice sexual immorality. So also you have some who hold the teaching of the Nicolaitans. Therefore repent. If not, I will come to you soon and war against them with the sword of my mouth.’”(Revelation 2:12-16 ESV)

Why did Jesus say that Satan’s throne was in Pergamum? Was this city more corrupt, more wicked than the others? Probably not. Jesus may have made that statement because the city had a history of deifying their rulers. For example Pergamum had erected temples enshrining Caesar Augustus and Emperor Trajan. It may have also been because this city had built an altar and temple to Zeus, the king of the gods. This temple, Zeus’ throne, dominated the city’s acropolis and was visible from anywhere in Pergamum. Is it any wonder that Jesus said Satan’s throne was located in Pergamum?

Those temples and many others were more than ornaments beautifying the city. They were not simply works of art to be admired. Their prominence in the city’s life shaped and regulated all aspects of society and culture. Many in the church had worshiped at these sites and participated in their rituals at home and in the public square … until they became Christians. Their denial of the gods, their withdrawal from community festivals and practices, probably cost them socially and economically. They stood out as being at odds with their friends and neighbors.

Not surprisingly there were some in this church who advocated compromising with the pagan rituals which involved animal sacrifices and immoral sexual behavior. One might have argued that because the gods weren’t real, it didn’t matter if you went along with the pagan practices. Because Jesus saw this as corrupting his body, the church, those who promoted and tolerated such false teaching were subject to his wrath. The church should deal with these people as decisively as Moses had addressed Balaam’s influence in the wilderness (Numbers 22-25). If the church didn’t purge these false teachers from their fellowship, Jesus would confront the issue personally with the sword of his mouth. He would not be passive regarding their corrupting influence. Imagine the alarm that these teachers must have felt when they realized that Jesus’ wrath was directed at them.

In today’s western churches we are also pressured to conform to cultural norms. For example, there are immoral sexual behaviors that our society not only tolerates but esteems. While the church today is accused of being uptight about sex as well as hateful of alternative lifestyles, those behaviors nonetheless will have a corrupting influence on the church if tolerated. Marriage, the joining of one man and one woman, is a prominent theme in Revelation symbolizing the coming together of heaven and earth, Christ and his church. We need to love everyone, but anyone who promotes those immoral practices should be removed from our fellowships.

This is not a call for a witch hunt to root out those whose beliefs are different than ours. It is a call to confront those wolves in sheep’s clothing who would draw the weak into their factions and divide the church. It is a call to insure that our witness reflects the glory of God. Sometimes we simply need to say no to the culture. We must see our churches as Jesus does. He will act decisively and even harshly (“war against you”) so that we reflect the glory of God to the world.

Lord Jesus, the world I live in challenges me at every turn. I confess that I am sometimes influenced by it in ways that compromise the truth and your honor. I ask for strength of conviction so that I can see the threats to your body that you see. I ask for wisdom, courage and love to address each situation as you would. Amen.