1600-5 Church

REVELATION 2:12-17
C. Pergamos: The taught Balac to cast a stum- Balaam: It has infil-
Corrupted Church, blingblock before the child- trated the church
2:12-17 ren of Israel, to eat things sa-
crificed unto idols, and to
commit fornication.
1 The recipients 12 And to the angel of the 15 So hast thou also them b. The doctrine of the
a. The messenger of the church in Pergamos write; that hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans: It has infil-
church

These things saith he which Nicolaitans, which thing I trated the church
b. The Pergamos church
DS1
hath the sharp sword with hate.
2 The speaker—Jesus two edges; 16 Repent; or else I will 5 The counsel: Repent
3 The commendation 13 I know thy works, and come unto thee quickly, and 6 The warning: God will
a. For loyalty to Christ’s where thou dwellest, even will fight against them with come, oppose, & fight
name where Satan’s seat is: and the sword of my mouth. against
b. For doctrinal purity thou holdest fast my name, 17 He that hath an ear, let 7 The promise: To the
and hast not denied my faith, him hear what the Spirit saith overcomers
even in those days wherein unto the churches; To him
c. For facing martyrdom Antipas was my faithful mar- that overcometh will I give to
tyr, who was slain among eat of the hidden manna, and a. The hidden manna
you, where Satan dwelleth. will give him a white stone,
4 The complaint: False 14 But I have a few things and in the stone a new name b. A white stone with a
doctrine & worldliness against thee, because thou written, which no man know- new name written on it
a. The doctrine of hast there them that hold the eth saving he that receiveth
doctrine of Balaam, who it.

THE CHURCH: SEVEN CHURCHES OF REVELATION

C. Pergamos: The Corrupted Church, 2:12-17

(2:12-17) Introduction: worldliness corrupts a church. Four things cause a church to become worldly.
g159 The church and its members begin to participate in worldly functions.
g159 The church and its members allow worldly activities to take place in the church and in the homes of its members.
g159 The church begins to baptize and accept people as members who have not truly repented and turned from the
world to Christ.
g159 The church and its members allow false teaching and preaching.
Nothing corrupts a church any quicker than worldliness. Pergamos was a corrupted church, a worldly church. Pergamos is
the picture of the corrupted church that is married to the world.
1. The recipients (v.12).
2. The speaker—Jesus (v.12).
3. The commendation (v.13).
4. The complaint: false doctrine and worldliness (v.14-15).
5. The counsel: repent (v.16).
6. The warning: God will come, oppose, and fight against (v.16).
7. The promise: to the overcomers (v.17).

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(2:12) Minister—Church: there is the recipient of this letter. The letter is addressed to the minister of the church. If a
church becomes worldly, the minister is responsible. Christ has called the minister to lead believers to a life of self-
denial and holiness, to deny the possessions and pleasures of this world and live a pure and godly life. He has called the mi-
nister to lead believers to focus upon heaven and to live sacrificially. He has called the minister to teach believers to give all
they are and have to reach the lost and to meet the desperate needs of the needy. Therefore, if the minister is not leading his
people to live spiritual lives—if he is allowing them to follow after the pleasures and possessions of the
world—if he is allowing the church to become corrupted with worldliness—the minister is responsible. This is the reason
this letter is sent to the minister. It is the task of the minister to proclaim the truth of sanctification and separation to a
worldly church.

DEEPER STUDY # 1
(2:12) Pergamos: the city had three overriding claims to fame that seem to have had a bearing upon the message to the
church.
1. Pergamos was a beautifully situated city with an air of royalty about it. It sat on top of a huge mountain, arising ever
so steeply and majestically out of a beautiful valley. The city’s citizens could see the Mediterranean Sea some fifteen miles
away. To the approaching traveller the city struck him with a sense of stately awe and royal authority. The church had a
ready picture of “Satan’s seat,” (v.13) of what it was to suffer persecution at the hands of a royal city under the power of the
prince of this world.
2. Pergamos was one of the cultural and religious centers of the world. It had been a capital city for some 400 years.
Its library was second only to Alexandria, Egypt. But the city’s most prominent feature was its acropolis, rising
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