Hello and welcome everyone to Deeper Waters where we dive into the ocean of truth. I wish to thank everyone for their prayers as I have been seeing real progress being made in my life. I’m quite pleased with it and am reminded of the blessing of friends and family. I do ask that you pray for my continued Christlikeness and that I will be the man that I need to be. I also ask that you pray for me in the area of my finances as there are going to be some expenses for me this year. Finally, I ask for prayer in a specific related area in my life. God knows what it is. Tonight, we will continue our Trinitarian commentary in the book of Revelation looking at Revelation 2:12.
12“To the angel of the church in Pergamum write:
These are the words of him who has the sharp, double-edged sword.
Pergamum was an interesting church. They are said to be where satan has his throne, but they are true to his name. This church was in the midst of the darkness and yet they were doing what they could to hold to the light. How many churches are like this today?
However, the church was still tolerating false teaching. We’re not told if these people are in leadership or not. Does it really matter? They are in the church and a little bit of false teaching in the church can be a deadly cancer that easily spreads throughout the body. Christ’s command is for them to remove that. Church discipline was something he took seriously and we should as well.
What does Christ have to say in all of this? He is the one who has the double-edged sword. We saw it in chapter one, but in case we forgot it, John repeats what Christ says in that the sword is coming out of his mouth. The voice of Christ is the voice of judgment. Let us not think that this is Jesus meek and mild. Oh he has kind words for repentant sinners, but he’s tough as nails on those who don’t repent.
Jesus as judge is a concept that has been lost. Now we can think of him judging those outside of the church maybe, but do we really stop to consider that he judges those that are within as well? Each of us is in a position where we could be judged and that should be taken seriously by us. As I write this, I have to pause and realize that too often, and maybe even now, I don’t take that seriously. James gave a strong warning especially to those of us who teach. Our judgment will be more severe.
Keep in mind that in the OT, judgment of the people of God was done by YHWH. In the NT, we see that it belongs to Christ. This is what speaks to us of his position in relation to his people. It is not a concept that would have been lost on the new church.
Tomorrow we look at the letter to the church in Thyatira.
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