The Compromising
Churches
Dealing
with Compromise
•Compromised teaching
(
• Compromised
leadership
(Thyatira)
• Compromised
holiness (Thyatira)
To the
Church in Pergamum
12"To the angel of the church in
These are the words of him who has
the sharp, double-edged sword. 13I know where you live—where Satan has
his throne. Yet you remain true to my name. You did not renounce your faith in
me, even in the days of Antipas, my faithful witness, who was put to death in
your city—where Satan lives. 14Nevertheless, I have a few things
against you: You have people there who hold to the teaching of Balaam, who
taught Balak to entice the Israelites to sin by eating
food sacrificed to idols and by committing sexual immorality.
15Likewise you also have those who hold
to the teaching of the Nicolaitans.
16Repent therefore! Otherwise, I will
soon come to you and will fight against them with the sword of my
mouth. 17He 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. I will also give him a white stone with a new name written on it,
known only to him who receives it.
To the
Church in Thyatira
18"To the angel of the church in
Thyatira write:
These are the words of
the Son of God, whose eyes are like blazing fire and whose feet are like
burnished bronze. 19I know your deeds, your love and
faith, your service and perseverance, and that you are now doing more than you
did at first. 20Nevertheless, I have this against
you: You tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess. By her
teaching she misleads my servants into sexual immorality and the eating of food
sacrificed to idols. 21I have given her time to repent of
her immorality, but she is unwilling. 22So I will cast her on a bed of
suffering, and I will make those who commit adultery with her suffer intensely,
unless they repent of her ways. 23I will strike her children dead. Then
all the churches will know that I am he who searches hearts and minds, and I
will repay each of you according to your deeds. 24Now I say to the rest of you in
Thyatira, to you who do not hold to her teaching and have not learned Satan's
so-called deep secrets (I will not impose any other burden on you):
25Only hold on to what you have until I
come. 26To him who overcomes and does my will
to the end, I will give authority over the nations—
27'He will rule them with an iron
scepter;
he will dash them to pieces like
pottery'[a]— just as I have received authority
from my Father. 28I will also give him the morning
star. 29He who has an ear, let him hear what
the Spirit says to the churches.