“I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.”
Romans 12:1-2

We must be aware that this world we live in is going to try to conform us to the pattern or mold of the world.
Christians, there will be a temptation for Christians to become worldly. But, as Christians, we are commanded to be transformed.
We are not to be conformed, but transformed.
The word transformed in Greek has the idea of metamorphosis.
Like a caterpillar transforming into a butterfly.
As Christians, we should be transformed by the renewal of our minds.
So, how do our minds become renewed?
The Holy Spirit uses God’s word. This book!
Like Jesus said, “Sanctify them by truth, your word is truth.” John 17:17

Let’s not be conformed to this world. Let’s be transformed by God’s word.

We are going to see Jesus's message to the Pergamum church.
A church that has compromised with the world.
A church being conformed to the world.
Rather than being transformed, they are being conformed.
Rather than the church influencing the culture, the culture is influencing the church.

In Matthew 5:13 Jesus said, “You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how will its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people’s feet.” 

One of the primary uses of salt, especially in Jesus’ day, was as a preservative.
To prevent meat from spoiling. Salt cures meat.
We are to be a preserving agent.
The church should influence the culture, rather than the culture influencing the church.
If the church loses its preserving effect, what use is it?

Let’s be salt and light.
Let’s make a difference in the world around us, rather than allowing the world to influence us.

Paul’s most corrective letters were written to the church at Corinth. The problem in the church at Corinth was the church was allowing the culture to influence the church rather than the church influencing the culture.

In the culture at Corinth, the people loved to argue and debate philosophy. And that cultural influence made its way into the church so that people in the church loved to argue and debate. Of course that caused division in the church.
So, Paul had to write to correct that.

The church at Corinth, in their love for philosophy, added philosophy, man’s wisdom, to the Gospel, So Paul had to correct that.

The pagan culture in Corinth was full of sexual immorality and that was influencing the church into sexual immorality. So, Paul had to write to correct that.

In their culture, wealthy people could do pretty much whatever they wanted because they had money to hire lawyers and take people to court. In Corinth, Church members were taking church members to court. And they did this before unbelieving judges. What a horrible testimony for Christ. So, Paul had to write to correct them about that.

In Corinth, the pagan religion was influencing the churches understanding of spiritual gifts. And their wrong ideas about Spiritual Gifts caused much division in the church. Paul had to correct that and let them know that love is what is most important.

The Corinthian Church had so much division because the church was being influenced by the culture rather than being transformed by God’s word. And the Apostle Paul wrote to correct these things so they could be unified in truth. They were to be united in truth.

We will see Jesus’ message to the church at Pergamum. The church at Pergamum was a divided a church. Some, and probably most, were faithfully following Christ. But there was a group in the church that were being influenced by the culture. And Jesus Himself writes to correct them so that they will be unified in truth.

Here in the book of Revelation, Jesus has given the Apostle John a vision with Messages to 7 churches in Asia Minor.
In this vision, John sees Jesus tending to lampstands to make sure they continue shining brightly with the glory of Christ. These lampstands represent churches.

This lets us know why we exist.
We exist to shine brightly with the glory of Christ.
Let’s be a church shining brightly for the Glory of Jesus.
So brightly that every dark corner of our community will have a crisp clear picture of who Jesus is.
Let’s shine so brightly that the glory of Christ is seen not only here in Annapolis, but to the ends of the earth.

We have been composing a list to help us see the kind of Church Jesus wants. If we are going to be a church shining brightly for Jesus’ glory we will need to be:

• A church working hard for His glory.
• A church patiently enduring for His name. 
• A discerning church.
• A pure church.
• A loving church
• A fearless church
• A church faithful unto death.
  

And today we will add to the list:

• An uncompromising church. 

A church that does not compromise on truth.
A church that is not conformed to the pattern of the world but is being transformed.
A church that transforms the culture rather than conforms to it.

“to the angel of the church in Pergamum”

As we have mentioned before, Angel, or angelos in Greek simply means a messenger. Messengers would have had to take this message John is writing down and deliver it to the churches. And remember, the messengers are in Jesus right hand.

The church in Pergamum.
We have looked at the message to Ephesus, then went north to Smyrna, and now we are going further north to Pergamum.
Pergamum, now known as the city of Bergama, is about 100 miles north of Ephesus.
Even though it was not a port city, it was 15-20 miles inland, and not on a major trade route, it was a very wealthy prominent city.

Pergamum was known for its pagan temples, for its development of parchment and for its library that was second only to the library in Alexandria Egypt at its time.

Pergamum, like Smyrna, was a free Roman city. Before becoming a Roman city, for a span of 250 years, Pergamum was the capitol city of Asia. In 137 BC the King of Pergamum handed the city over to Rome. And like Smyrna, the cult of Emperor Worship was huge. However, in Pergamum, the cult was even more prominent and more dangerous. Pergamum was home to the first temple to the cult of the Emperor in Asia. The Christians in Pergamum were in even more danger than in Smyrna. In Smyrna, everyone was required to offer sacrifice to the emperor every year. One day a year, the hostility towards Christians was at its worse. In Pergamum, the danger for Christians from the cult of the emperor, was every day.

Not only was Pergamum the home of a temple to the emperor, but temples to other false gods. Athena, Asklepios, Dionysos, and Zeus. So, as you see, pagan religion was rampant.

We do not have historical records on how the church at Pergamum was planted, but it was most likely during Paul’s ministry in Ephesus as He taught daily in the hall of Tyrannus.
Acts 19:10 says: “This continued for two years, so that all the residents of Asia heard the word of the Lord, both Jews and Greeks.” 
The Gospel spread, even to this extremely pagan City, and a church was formed.
We know the author of this letter is Jesus himself.

“The words of Him who has the sharp two-edged sword.”

If someone rang your doorbell, and you look through the peep and see them carrying a sharp two-edged sword, would you unlock the door? That sword would be a big red flag. A warning to you that trouble is coming. Jesus is letting the church at Pergamum know that trouble is coming if the church does not repent.

If you remember in John’s vision in chapter 1, Jesus is described as having a sharp two-edged sword. An instrument of war. What a terrifying way for Jesus to introduce Himself!

Next, let’s see what Jesus knows. Remember those eyes that see every detail in the life of the churches. Every circumstance, every situation. Jesus sees and He knows. So, what does Jesus reveal about what He knows.

This “I know” is like the “I know” the Smyrna church got.
 
I know where you dwell, where Satan’s throne is.

The permanent residence of the church at Pergamum was also the permanent residence of Satan’s throne.

What is Jesus referring to as Satan’s throne? There are a few options.

Jesus could be referring to the huge temple to the false god Zeus. The Pergamum’s acropolis was dominated by a huge temple to Zeus. This temple was considered the greatest of Greek art depicting a great battle of the gods.

Or, Jesus could also be referring to the temple to the false god Asklepios. Asklepios was a false god in the form of a serpent; thought to be the god of healing. In fact, the temple of Asklepios was full of snakes. And when someone was in need of healing, they would sleep in the temple in hopes that the snakes would touch them while they were sleeping and heal them of their diseases.

I hate snakes! I don’t think I would get a wink of sleep. And there is no way I’m going to let one slither over me.

OR, Jesus could be referring to the temple to the Roman Emperor as “Satan’s Throne.” The cult of the emperor represented the greatest threat to the Christians in Pergamum. Pergamum’s temple to the emperor was the leading center of Emperor worship in Asia. And a great source of persecution for Christians.

Jesus may just be grouping all these satanic pagan influences together and calling this place the Throne of Satan. All these pagan religions were a great source of hostility to the Christians in Pergamum.

“I know where you dwell, where Satan’s throne is. Yet you hold fast my name.”

Even though at Pergamum, the church faced much hostility, the majority of the Christians in Pergamum, held fast to Jesus’ name. Many at the church at Pergamum were patiently enduring for the name of Christ this city hostile to Christians.

“I know where you dwell, where Satan’s throne is, yet you hold fast my name and you did not deny the faith even in the days of Antipas my faithful witness.”

Like Polycarp in Smyrna, there were believers in Pergamum willing to give their lives for their faith. Antipas, one of the pastors at Pergamum, was executed primarily because of his refusal to worship the emperor. He was roasted alive inside a bronze bull. Notice what Jesus calls Antipas. “My faithful witness”. What better thing to hear from Jesus about you than, “my faithful witness.” Even with such horrific persecution, some in the church did not deny the faith. There were Christians in Pergamum fearlessly and faithfully enduring for the name of Christ.

However, unlike the church at Smyrna, the church at Pergamum was in need of more than just encouragement. Jesus knew, and could see, some things needed correcting. He gave them a “pat on the back” “job well done” for some things He saw in the church at Pergamum.

In Numbers 22-25 we find Balaam.
King Balak was afraid of the people of Israel, so He wanted Balaam to come and curse the people of Israel.

God however had different plans for Israel.
His plan was to bless the nation of Israel.
Three times Balaam tried to curse Israel but failed.
Rather than cursing Israel, Israel was blessed.

Since he could not curse Israel, Balaam used the Moabite women to tempt the Israelites into sin. The nation of Israel, instead of remaining separate from the Moabites, began to intermarry with the Moabite women. Rather than influencing the Moabites, the Moabite women influenced them into Baal worship.

They were conformed to the pattern of the Moabites. Because of the Idolatry, God had to curse Israel with a plague. As a result of the plague on the nation of Isarel, the nation of Israel lost 24,000 people.

We must not conform to the world.
There is great danger in being a church like the world.
We must be transformed by God’s word.
Some in the church at Pergamum were being conformed to the pattern of the world.
They were intermixing with the culture of Pergamum.
And because of this, they brought the church at Pergamum great danger.

So also you have some who hold the teaching of the Nicolaitans.

The way this reads in the Greek text, connects the teaching of the Nicolaitans with the teaching of Balaam. It’s the same kind of thing. The teaching of Balaam was an Old Testament example of someone leading God’s people astray. And the teaching of the Nicolaitans is an example of someone from the New Testament leading people astray into sin. Intermixing with the culture rather than being a change agent in the culture.

If you remember from the letter to the Church at Ephesus, Jesus commended the Ephesian Church for hating the works of the Nicolaitans. The church at Ephesus was a pure church. A church not conforming to the world. A church being transformed by God’s word.

We find Nicolaus in Acts 6:5. He was one of the men chosen to take care of the overlooked widows in the Jerusalem church. Evidently, he used his influence in the church to lead people astray, conforming to the world rather than being transformed by God’s word. His followers, Nicolaitans, went as far as teaching Christians is was ok to participate in pagan sexual immorality and idolatry.  

Jesus hates it when his people conform to the world. Intermix with the culture rather than being a change agent of the culture. Jesus hates it when His church is led into false teaching and into sinful compromise.

Most of the church at Pergamum were fearlessly faithful to Christ. Patiently enduring persecution. It was only a small group that had been compromised. But even a small group in the church can cause great harm to the church if it is tolerated. It only took a few Israelites intermarrying with the Moabite women to warrant the punishment of God where 24,000 people died.

It only takes a few people being conformed to the world to do great harm to the church.

Next see Christ’s instruction. His word of instruction for the church at Pergamum.  

Therefore repent.

Repentance is a change of mind that changes our behavior. See how damaging conforming to the world can be. And allow God’s word to transform you into His image.

“If not, I will come to you soon and war against them with the sword of my mouth.”

That sword Jesus spoke about when He introduced himself to the church at Pergamum, he knows how to use it! If the church at Pergamum does not repent, then Jesus promises to come use it on them. I will come to you soon and war against them with the sword of my mouth.

The nation of Israel lost 24,000 people.
This sword coming from Jesus’ mouth.
We see it again later in Revelation.
In Chapter 19, the kings of the earth with their armies gathered to make war against Christ.

"From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and He will rule them with a rod of iron."
 
"And the rest were slain by the sword that came from the mouth of Him who was sitting on the horse, and all the birds gorged with their flesh."

I also find it interesting to read that the word of God Is like a sharp two-edged sword.
For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and spirit, of joint and marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. Hebrews 4:12

A sword has the power to separate and divide. I remember what Jesus said in Matthew 19:34.
“But do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter in law against her mother-in-law. And a person’s enemies will be those of his own household.”

Jesus has a sword and he knows how to use it.

To the one who conquers….

The ones who conquer are the ones who listen and obey. Who repent. Who, rather than being conformed to the world, are transformed by the word of God. To those who conquer he gives these promises.

To the one who conquers I will give some of the hidden manna.

Manna is a reference to the bread from heaven God gave the Hebrew children as they wandered in the desert. God provided food to sustain them.

The hidden manna was placed in the Ark of the Covenant in the Tabernacle.

Then during Jesus earthly ministry, He declared, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.”

Jesus was letting us know that He is the one who sustains us to give us life. Not just temporary filling. But never to be hungry again. It’s a promise of eternal life.

And I will give him a white stone, with a new name written on the stone that no one knows except the one who receives it.

In the Greco-Roman culture of Pergamum, a white stone was given to an athlete who was victorious in an athletic contest as a ticket to enter a special award banquet.

Jesus is using this a way to describe eternal life.
Eternal life is for the victors.
It will be an eternal victory celebration.

It talks about a new name.
In Christ, we get a new family.
We belong to the family of God.
We are adopted.
And we get a new name.
"But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God" John 1:12

A name in the bible often describes a person’s character.
In Christ, we are a new creation.  
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, He is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold the new has come. 2 Corinthians 5:17

A name that no one knows except the one who receives it.
But, as it is written, “What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him” 1 Corinthians 2:9

He who has an ear, let him hear what the spirit says to the churches.”

Each and every message to each of the seven churches, Jesus gives the command to listen.
Do you have an ear to hear? Listen!
 
Let's be a uncompromising, non conforming church!
A church that refuses to conform to the world.
A church that takes sin seriously and will not tolerate it.
Let’s be a church shining brightly for the glory of Christ.