The Changing Church - Part - 3

The Changing Church

Part Three

Revelation 2:12-17

“And to the angel of the church in Pergamos write, “These things says He who has the sharp two-edged sword: I know your works, and where you dwell, where Satan's throne is. And you hold fast to my name, and did not deny my faith even in the days in which Antipas was my faithful martyr, who was killed among you, where Satan dwells. But I have a few things against you, because you have there, those who hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols, and to commit sexual immorality. Thus you also have those who hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which thing I hate. Repent, or else I will come to you quickly 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 to eat. And I will give him a white stone, and on the stone a new name written which no one knows except him who receives it.”

            The church in Pergamos was a thriving example of many of the churches today.  So many of them were firm in their belief of God and his Apostles and were strictly following what they had learned. Many became leaders and some of these leaders soon added parts of Balaam rituals, such as sexual sins, into their leaders who were called Nicolaitans.  The Nicolaitans meant the leaders of the Church had gained a triumphal victory or conquest over the Believers. Members were compelled and forced to submit to the dominion of men who had become that thing which God hates. The Apostle Peter warned that those who were leaders among God's people were NOT to dominate over the faith of others, but rather exhort them to do right.

            The churches were quickly changing and falling away from what the Apostles and teachers had taught them. It rather like the denominational churches acceptance of the LGBT.  Yet, the Bible does not accept it.  Read Romans 1:24-27 “Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves, who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.  For this reason God gave them up to vile passions. For even their women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature. Likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust for one another, men with men committing what is shameful, and receiving in themselves the penalty of their error which was due.”  Let me add this, just because churches and people have given into it doesn’t make it right.  We must adhere to the Word of God.

Many of you have heard about the Hyper-Grace movement. “The term hyper-grace has been used to describe a new wave of teaching that emphasizes the grace of God to the exclusion of other vital teachings such as repentance and confession of sin. Hyper-grace teachers maintain that all sin, past, present, and future, has already been forgiven, so there is no need for a believer to ever confess it. Hyper-grace teaching says that, when God looks at us, He sees only a holy and righteous people. The conclusion of hyper-grace teaching is that we are not bound by Jesus’ teaching, even as we are not under the Law; that believers are not responsible for their sin.”  The above scripture tells us opposite; it says Repent. Revelation 2:5-6 says to the church in Ephesus, “remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works, or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from its place--unless you repent.”   

What does REPENT mean?  Ask God to forgive you from any wrong doing and don’t do it again.  This is so opposite of the Hyper Grace movement.  God does not expect for us to be perfect, but He expects us to strive to be like Jesus.  Though we fail again and again, if we ask, he will forgive. Galatians 5:19-21 explains it all.  “Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.”.

            Churches that believe in the Kingdom of God and are being led by the Holy Spirit, cannot allow all these sins to become a part of their church.  If they do they will be in danger of falling into the doctrine of Balaam which leads its followers into the pit of Hell.  The Church is changing so fast, we must hurry and not let it be overtaken by the enemy of our soul.  Wake up! See what is happening right in front of you and hold fast to what you have.

Part 4  

Coming next week shows us how we can stop our churches from becoming a part of the Changing Churches of today.