The third letter is to the believers in  Pergamos, which was a beautiful and art-filled city in the province of Asia built along two tributaries of the Caicus River. Pergamum was a center for the worship of Dionysus, Zeus, and other pagan gods. The message was from the Lord Jesus Christ, specifically addressed to the“messenger”of the church:‘These are the words of him who has the sharp, double-edged sword. This was not John’s message to the believers at Pergamum; it was a message from Jesus Christ. The depiction of Jesus holding a sharp, two-edged sword refers to the Lord’s readiness to bring judgment Heb 4: 12-13. First, Jesus affirms the church’s positive actions: I know where you live—where Satan has his throne verse 13. 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”.
The Pergamene believers lived in a difficult place, surrounded by pagan influences, yet they held fast to Christ’s name and did not deny Him during difficult times. We should do likewise when hard time come. A Christian brother in Pergamum named Antipas, is mentioned as a faithful witness who was falsely accused of been disloyalty to Caesar, and he was  condemned to death, Antipas was placed inside a copper bull, which was then heated over a fire until it was red-hot. The  church was not perfect, this was why Jesus confronted them with their sin. Nevertheless, 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. Likewise you also have those who hold to the teaching of the Nicolaitans. The“teaching of Balaam”is explained in the context, as Christians were eating food that had been sacrificed to idols (religious compromise) and committing sexual immorality (moral compromise). The original Balaam’s deceitful work is described in Numbers 25: 1-3 and Numbers 31: 15-16. The Nicolaitans are mentioned only in this letter and in the letter to the Ephesian church (Revelation 2: 6). They were likely a group similar to those who held the teachings of Balaam, though the exact nature of their doctrine and practice is unknown.
Jesus then issues a clarion call to repent of their sin:“Repent therefore”Revelation 2: 16. Our Lord hates religious and moral compromise. He calls His people to live differently. Jesus notes the judgment that would take place if the church of Pergamum did not repent: I will soon come to you and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth. The Nicolaitans and those who were teaching Balaam’s error would be destroyed, along with their followers, from the congregation at Pergamum. Jesus desires purity among His people, and we have a responsibility to remove false teachers from the church. 1Jh 3: 5-11 and you know that Jesus came to take away our sins, and there is no sin in him. Anyone who continues to live in him will not sin. But anyone who keeps on sinning does not know him or understand who He is.
Dear children, don’t let anyone deceive you about this: When people do what is right, it shows that they are righteous, even as Christ is righteous. But when people keep on sinning, it shows that they belong to the devil, who has been sinning since the beginning. But the Son of God came to destroy the works of the devil. Those who have been born into God’s family do not make a practice of sinning, because God’s seed is in them. So they can’t keep on sinning, because they are children of God. So now we can tell who are children of God and who are children of the devil. Anyone who does not live righteously and does not love other believers does not belong to God. This is the message you have heard from the beginning: We should love one another. Only the believers that overcome Jesus promised will receives these beautiful things, to eat of the hidden manna, and a white stone, with a new name. (Re 2: 7, 11, 17, 26; 3: 5, 12, 21. Don’t believe in the lie once you save you always saved, if you would like to be a overcomer repent of your sins and live righteously before the Lord Jesus. Then and only then the promises are yours. To Jesus belong all the praises. Amen.
APOSTLE 💯% ❤

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