Our Lord began his letter to the church at Pergamos as he did all his letters to the churches, “I know thy works, and where thou dwellest” (Revelation 2:13). Nothing can ever be hidden from the eyes of our Savior, “but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do” (Hebrews 4:13). He commends them “thou holdest fast my name, and hast not denied my faith” but also adds “I have a few things against thee” (Revelation 2:13). We are often unlike Christ in that he praises that which is good and censors that which is bad. We on the other hand are often quick to condemn someone for their faults yet never take the time to laud their well-doing. Sadly parents are frequently guilty of this with their children.
The Lord rebuked the believers at Pergamos because they had “there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balac to cast a stumbling block before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed unto idols, and to commit fornication” (Revelation 2:14). Balaam was a false teacher who taught Balac, the king of Moab, how he and his people might destroy the Israelites. Balaam counseled Balak to encourage the Moabite women to seduce and marry the Israelite men. This led to the disaster of adopting their false gods and worshiping their idols. “And Israel abode in Shittim, and the people began to commit whoredom with the daughters of Moab. And they called the people unto the sacrifices of their gods. And Israel joined himself unto Baal-peor: and the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel” (Numbers 25:1-3). In short, the game plan was to draw the Israelites into the culture around them ultimately leading them to embrace that culture’s gods.
False teaching chips away at truth by elevating falsehood and its destructive practices. If Balaam were alive in our day, he would say it is fine to immerse yourself in the culture that surrounds you, to learn their ways, and adopt their doings. And modern Christianity to a large extent has done just that. We’ve adopted the world’s dress, entertainment, worship style, language and value system. We must remind ourselves of John’s admonition. “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth forever” (I John 2:15-17).
Christianity has been and always will be a “called out” religion. Paul reminded the Galatian believers that Christ “gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world” (Galatians 1:4). Paul’s admonition to the Corinthians (who lived in a society characterized by idolatry and immorality) should guide us today. “Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? And what communion hath light with darkness? And what concord hath Christ with Belial? Or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? For ye are the temple of the living God…Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you” (2 Corinthians 6:14-17).
Child of God, let us remember that we have been purged from our old sins (2 Peter 1:9).
