Jesus’s Letters To The Churches
Chapter two begins with the first of seven letters to the churches. In the Bible, seven often represents completeness. So in choosing seven churches, it includes the complete church. All Christians, individually and as a whole. These letters are not for the benefit of the world but us, His followers.
The Church at Ephesus
Ephesus was world-famous as a religious, cultural, and economic center of the region. It had the notable temple of Diana, a fertility goddess worshipped with immoral sex. The temple was regarded as one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. Satan had a stronghold on Ephesus. Many evil things, both satanic and superstitious, were practiced.
Ephesus was a famous city in ancient times, with an equally famous church. Paul ministered in Ephesus for three years. ( Acts 19:1, 10, Acts 20:31)
Vs. 1; To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: These are the words of Him who holds the seven stars in His right hand and walks among the seven golden lampstands.
The letter was addressed to the angel or the church pastor, but it was also to the whole Church, the body of Christ.
In Rev. 1:20 Jesus explained the mystery of the seven stars and the seven lampstands.
He repeats it because He wants us to know for certain that He is the authority in the church and that He is present in the church. He is central in the church and should be recognized as such. The churches belong to Him, not the leaders of the church or the people of the churches.
Vs. 2-3; I know your deeds, your hard work, and your perseverance. I know that you can not tolerate wicked men, that you have tested those who claim to be apostles but are not, and have found them false. You have persevered and have endured hardships for my name, and have not grown weary.
The condition of the church is not hidden from Jesus. He looks at His church and sees the secret sin or corruption hidden there in the congregation. “I know your works: He would say the same thing to His church today, and He speaks not only to the congregation but to the individuals.
There are also working Christians who do not approach to laboring, yet a lifetime of such work as theirs would not exhaust a butterfly. Now, when a man works for Christ he should work with all his might.
Charles Spurgeon
Jesus first points out what the church is doing right. He saw their deeds, their hard work, and their steadfast patience. They endured hardships in Jesus’ name. They didn’t grow weary. He knew they could not bear evil among them. They tested the claims of apostles and found them false.
When Paul was preaching to the Ephesians, he said this in Acts 20:29-31;
” For I know this, that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. Also from among yourselves men will rise up, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after themselves. Therefore watch, and remember that for three years I did not cease to warn every one night and day with tears.”
Because he said to the Ephesians that He knew they could not bear evil and tested apostles’ claims, we know they took Paul’s message to heart. Could it be the church today has forgotten Paul’s words? Are we testing the claims of the “savage wolves” who have come among us? Or are we letting them tear us apart? Are we listening to them “speaking perverse things”? Are we being drawn away from Jesus and being drawn to them? These are serious questions each of us should be asking ourselves right now, and we should answer truly to ourselves. Jesus knows the answer, do you? The greater the evil, the more deceptive its cloak.
Charles Spurgeon had this to say about the church of Ephesus:
“This was grand of them: it showed a backbone of truth. I wish some of the churches of this age had a little of this holy decision about them; for nowadays if a man be clever; he may preach the vilest lie that was ever vomited from the mouth of hell, and it will go down with some.”
What Jesus Has Against Them
Vs. 4-5; Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken your first love. Remember the height from which you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place.
Despite the church had a lot going for them; they worked hard without growing weary; they had great outreach; they protected the integrity of the gospel, Jesus had something against them. All their good did not cancel out the bad.
They forsook their first love. At one point, they had a love they no longer have. They didn’t lose it; they left it. When something is lost, it’s by accident but leaving something is deliberate. This is a serious problem. Without love, all is in vain.
As Christians, we are told to love Jesus and to love one another. We can’t say we love Jesus and not love His family. We can’t really love His family if we don’t love Him first. So the love Jesus speaks of here is probably both because they go together.
A church has no reason for being a church when she as no love within her heart, or when that love grows cold. Lose love, lose all.”
Charles Spurgeon
Jesus said in verse two that He saw their hard work. When we focus solely on working for Jesus, we forget to tend to the love relationship we have with Him personally. We can be so focused on what we do for Jesus that we lose sight of who we are in Him. We can go to church, then leave Him there as His parents did. (Luke 2:45-46)
The church at Ephesus was doctrinally pure. Focusing on doctrinal purity can make us grow cold, suspicious, and intolerant of diversity.
When love dies orthodox doctrine becomes a corpse, a powerless formalism. Adhesion to the truth sours into bigotry when the sweetness and light of love to Jesus depart.
Charles Spurgeon
Have you lost your first love? We shouldn’t expect the excitement we had when we were new Christians to stay the same, but the newness’s excitement should grow into a deeper, stronger love for Jesus, our first love. If we are growing in our Christian faith, our love will mature as well. If it hasn’t, then you have left it somewhere; go get it back.
Jesus Tells The Church What They Need To Do
Jesus is talking to the church at Ephesus, but the message is to all Christians as a whole. And I believe, as Christians living in 2020, we’ve never needed to hear this message more. We have left our first love. Jesus is screaming out for us to remember our first love for Him.
Step 1
First, we must remember from where we have fallen and what our love used to be for Him and each other. At a crucial time in history, we are asking ourselves some fundamental questions.
And here are just a few example questions. From where have I fallen? Have I lost my first love? Has my heart grown cold, unforgiving, or judgmental? Am I listening to my Savior’s voice above anyone else’s? Has the love I once had for my fellow brothers and sisters in Christ been diminished? Do I worry more about myself than I do the welfare of my neighbor? Am I more concerned with being right than I am with being kind? Is Jesus talking to me when He says; nevertheless, I have this against you?
Because I often ask myself these questions, I know how hard it is to be brutally honest with oneself, but the times in which we are living demands our utmost honesty. If we do not repent and change our hearts and our deeds, our lamp will be removed.
Step 2
The second thing we must do is repent. What does repent mean? The dictionary defines it this way; to feel or express sincere regret or remorse about one’s wrongdoing or sin. Repent is an action word. Meaning, if you are truly repenting, you want to change the action, the thought, the view, or whatever you are doing wrong that needs changing. When we repent, something changes within us, our minds, and our hearts.
Jesus is talking to His Church and telling them to repent. He doesn’t want them to feel sorrow or regret over their misdeed but to change or stop it altogether. And it seems His message is urgent. He said He would come quickly and remove the lampstand.
Christians’ time to mature has come; our time is running out like sand through an hourglass. If we do not get back to our first works, our candlestick will be removed if this persists.
Step 3
Do the “first works.” That’s what we must do to show our repentance. “First works” are to abound in us. Patience, kindness, godliness, humbleness, forgiveness, self-control, charity, and love are just a few of the first works we must get back to.
This little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine. Do any of you remember that song from childhood? Well, the source of our light as Christians is Jesus, and part of our “first works” is to let that light shine. We are to illuminate Jesus and bring Him glory. We are to shed the light of Jesus onto the world. If we fail to continue to do this until Jesus returns, our light will be removed.
Removing Of The Lamp
If you will remember, in Rev. 1:20, Jesus explained the seven stars and the seven golden candlesticks. He said He walked in the midst of the seven candlesticks and tended to their flame. When our candlestick is removed, Jesus has left the building.
When Jesus makes the statement that He is coming to remove their lampstand if they do not repent, He is essentially saying they will no longer have the right to shed His light to the world. They will be disqualified from shedding the Light of Life, Him being that light.
The Pulpit commentary states it this way: The “removing” of the candlestick is not the deposition of the bishop, but the dethroning of the church, canceling its claim to the kingdom, severing its union with Christ.
In essence, they will remain an organization but no longer as a true Church, claiming the coming kingdom. This church will not be known by Jesus when He returns.
Wow! As Christians, we tend to walk around so self-assured, but this tells us we better be positive the “knowledge” we’re spreading is His knowledge and the light we’re shining is His light. Let’s pray this hasn’t already happened to our modern-day churches. Let’s pray His glory has not already departed. (1st Sam. 4:21)
Phil. 1:9; And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in real knowledge and all discernment,…
If we lack the “first works,” then we dry up and become unfruitful with our Lord Jesus Christ’s knowledge. Our witness of His knowledge gets removed by Him every time we speak so that others will not hear us without the “first works” abounding in us.
1st Cor. 13:1; If I speak in tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.
To stress the point, to drive it home, we can have all knowledge and understanding of Jesus, but without the “first works,” no one will hear or understand our testimony of Him because He, Himself, will remove His light from us.
Vs. 6-7: But you have this in your favor: You hate the practices of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the Churches. To him who overcomes, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.
Who Were The Nicolaitans?
The Importance Of Knowing Who They Were
In verse 6, Jesus said they “have this in their favor,” He was proud of them. Why was He proud of them? For their hatred. Hatred of what? Their deeds. Whose deeds? The deeds of the Nicolaitans, which He also “hated.”
The word hate comes from the Greek word miseo, which means to hate, pursue with hatred, detest. Jesus didn’t just dislike these people’s deeds. He “hated” them. So knowing that, shouldn’t we be a bit more curious as to what these people’s “deeds” were? I believe, yes. If Jesus felt utterly repulsed by these people’s deeds, we should know or try to find out what these deeds were.
Nicolaitans
To better understand this, we must consult the letter to the congregation in Pergamos as well, since this is the only other place that Nicolaitans are mentioned:
“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.” (Rev. 2:14-15)
So it seems Jesus’ problem with the Nicolaitans was that they held to the teachings of Balaam. You can find the story of Balaam and Balak in the Old Testament, Numbers 22-23. Balaam could not curse the Israelites as Balak wanted, but he told him how to get them to sin by enticing them with sexual immorality and food sacrificed to idols. The Israelites fell into transgression due to these traps, and God sent a deadly plague to them as a result. (Num.:31:16).
The Nicolaitans lived lives of unrestrained indulgence. They taught it is a matter of indifference to practice adultery and eat things sacrificed to idols. Within each of us, God made the desire to worship something or someone. This desire is so strong some will seek out material things or political/religious leaders and create gods of their own making.
Romans 1:22-23 Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles.
The Nicolaitans, like all deceivers which come from the body of Christ, claimed “not that they were destroying Christianity, but that they were presenting an improved and modernized version of it.” (Barclay)
To All Who Will Hear
Vs.7: He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.
Everyone has “an ear,” so this qualifies everyone who will listen. This letter is not only written to the church at Ephesus in the Apostle John’s day. It is written to all Christians throughout time.
Each one of these seven letters applies to all churches and all Christians. We must hear what the Spirit says to us. These letters are meant to speak to us, but we must have an ear to hear what the Spirit says.
The churches of the land are sprinkled all over with bald-headed old sinners whose hair has been worn off by the constant friction of countless sermons that have been aimed at them and glanced off and hit the man in the pew behind.
H.W. Beecher
A Promise
Jesus made a promise to those who overcome. We tend to think overcoming means to overcome sin or spiritual warfare, but here Jesus is speaking of overcoming our coldness of heart and lack of love brought on by leaving our first love.
The promise to the overcomers is a return to Eden, a restoration of eternal life. The first meaning, in the eternal sense of making it to Heaven. In the sense of seeing the effects of the curse, the second meaning rolled back in our own lives through walking in Jesus’ redeeming love.
Originally, the word paradise meant “a garden of delight.” Eventually, it came to mean “the place where God lives.” Where God is, that is paradise.
The Church at Smyrna
Vs. 8-11: These are the words of Him who is the First and the Last, who died and came to life again. I know your afflictions and your poverty- yet you are rich! I know the slander of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. I tell you, the devil will put some of you in prison to test you, and you will suffer persecution for ten days. Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you the crown of life. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes will not be hurt at all by the second death.
A Little History
Smyrna was a large, beautiful, and proud city. It claimed to be the “glory of Asia.” Like Ephesus, it was a city of wealth and commercial greatness. It was deeply committed to idolatry and the worship of the Roman Emperor.
They had magnificent temples built to Apollo, Aphrodite, Cybele, Asklepios, and Zeus. But the worship of these pagan gods was dying out. Their real focus was on the worship of the Roman Emperor.
When I first read these words, my first thought was how it seems like today’s Christians are falling into this type of trap. I hear more Christians talking about their love, faith, and hope in a political leader (both parties) than they talk about their love, faith, and hope in Jesus. If a politician, on either side, does bad or evil deeds, their followers look away, excuse it away, throw blame to the other side, anything other than acknowledging the person is bad and needs to go. It is as if they worship them.
In 196 B.C., Smyrna built the first temple to Dea Roma – the goddess of Rome, the Roman Empire’s spiritual symbol. Once the “spirit” of Rome was worshipped, it wasn’t much of a step to worship the dead Emperors of Rome. Then it was only another small step to worship the living Emperors and then to demand such worship as evidence of political allegiance and civic pride.
The Roman Emperor Domitian (A.D. 81-96) was the first to demand worship under the title “Lord” from the Roman Empire’s people as a test of political loyalty. According to ancient church history, it was under Domitian’s reign that John was banished to the island of Patmos, where he received this vision.
Emperor worship had begun as a spontaneous demonstration of gratitude to Rome; but toward the end of the first century, in the days of Domitian, the final step was taken and Caesar worship became compulsory. Once a year the Roman citizen must burn a pinch of incense on the altar to the godhead of Caesar, and having done so, he was given a certificate to guarantee that he had performed his religious duty.
Barclay
Jesus Describes Himself
Vs. 8; The First and the Last; This was the title Jesus chose in His initial appearance to John (Rev. 1:11, 1:17) to speak of His eternal character. These are titles that belong only to the Lord, Yahweh. (Is. 41:4, 44:6, 48:12) Who was dead and came to life: Jesus wanted the Christians in Smyrna to be reminded that they served the risen Lord, who was victorious over death. Death could not hold Jesus, and it cannot hold His people. We must let this be a reminder to us today as well.
But You Are Rich
Vs. 9; I know your works: Jesus told the church at Ephesus the same thing. He also told the church at Smyrna; He knows their tribulation and poverty. Jesus knew their hardships both in the sense that He saw what happened to them and by His own personal experience.
Smyrna was a prosperous city. Yet the Christians there were poor. The word used for ‘poverty’ is the word used for abject poverty. The word ‘abject’ means the most miserable, humiliating circumstances imaginable. They were robbed and fired from jobs in persecution for the gospel. This kind of economic persecution was one important reason why the Christians in Smyrna were poor.
Those suffering abject poverty are often faced with finding enough food to eat, clean water, and a warm, dry place to sleep. Early Christians joyfully accepted the plundering of their goods, knowing they have an enduring possession in Heaven. (Heb. 10:34) They were rich despite these conditions. Jesus reminds them of this when He says, Yet you are rich! Our estimation of ourselves is far less important than God’s estimation of us.
We need to be reminded that there is nothing inherently spiritual in being rich, and there is nothing inherently spiritual in poverty. Material riches are an obstacle to the Kingdom of God, one that some do not overcome. (Mark 10:23-25) Often, material riches are acquired and maintained at the expense of true spiritual riches.
A story is told of the glory days of the Renaissance Papacy when a man walked with the Pope and was amazed at the splendors and riches of the Vatican. The Pope said to him, “We no longer have to say what Peter told the lame man: ‘Silver and gold have I none.'” His companion replied, “But neither can you say, ‘rise up and walk.'”
I know the slander of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. There was a large hostile community of Jews in Smyrna, but this tells us that a true Jew trusts God and believes in Jesus. (Phil. 3:3)
Twice in verse 9, Jesus says, I know. It is easy to think God has forgotten us in the midst of affliction, but He knows, He sees, and He will come and set it all straight. We must be patient and not lose our faith and hope in Him.
Jesus’ Instructions For Smyrna
Vs. 10; Do not fear: Jesus told the Christians in Smyrna to stop being afraid. Some people may think Christians should never be afraid, but this tells us that we are, and Jesus knows it. We are still human, and we still fear. Sometimes we are afraid, but we have some comforting knowledge that others (who do not know Jesus) don’t have.
I know many Christians are living in fear now. The fears depend on which news source they choose to watch. But Jesus is telling us to stop being afraid. Jesus has told us how it will all turn out in the end. When our fears get the best of us, we must turn to Jesus for comfort, to remind us of what is promised for those who believe.
What you are about to suffer: Sometimes, Jesus has a purpose in our suffering, so He allows it. He uses suffering to purify (1 Pet. 1:6-7), to make us more like Him (Rom. 8:17), and make us true witnesses of Him.
God allowed this attack on Smyrna so that they may be tested, in the sense of being proven. God displayed the true riches of Smyrna’s church to everyone – including themselves – through their suffering.
They were tested and passed the test. This is the only church of the seven that has no evil spoken against it. Only this church, among the seven, survives today, and it has survived through centuries of Roman and Muslim persecution.
We may never have to face the same kind of suffering the Christians in Smyrna did, but we can have their same heart. We may never have to die a martyr’s death, but we can live a martyr’s life. Many Christians avoid persecutions of any kind by conforming so much to the world that they are no longer set apart as Christians.
This ‘tribulation’ does not mean the common trials to which all flesh is heir. Some dear souls think they are bearing their cross every time they have a headache. The tribulation mentioned here is trouble they would not have had if they had not been Christians.
Vance Havner
Be faithful until death: Most of us will not have to face a martyr’s death, but no matter the suffering we endure because of our beliefs, we must be faithful until our death. We should expect some amount of suffering as Christians. We will come into some degree of conflict with worldly views, and that is going to, on occasion, cause some degree of suffering. Suffering is the logical result of anyone who will be committed to Christ. God does not always remove us from the suffering, but He always walks with us as we go through it. All we need to do is remain faithful.
Reward For Faithfulness
And I will give you the crown of life: Jesus gave them some encouragement to remain faithful. There are two different words for “crown” in the ancient Greek language. One, Diadema, describes the kind of crown a king would wear, a crown of royalty. This word is used only three times in the New Testament, and all three are in the book of Revelation. The other kind used in this verse is Stephanos; is given as a trophy to a winning athlete. Jesus told the Christians of Smyrna; they deserve a trophy. And it would be an exceptional trophy indeed, the crown of life.
In verse 11, Jesus again ends His letter to Smyrna as He did in His letter to Ephesus. For any who have an ear to hear what the Spirit is saying to the churches. However, this letter to the Christians in Smyrna may apply least of all to modern western Christians. We don’t face the kind of persecution the Christians of Smyrna did. (The story of Polycarp, a Christian martyr in Smyrna, is remarkable. I encourage you to take the time t0 read it. Just do a Google search).
Nevertheless, the day of martyrs is definitely not past. All over the world, Christians face persecution, especially in Asia, Eastern Europe, and the Muslim world. Some estimate that more Christians have suffered and died for their faith in the 20th Century than in all previous centuries combined.
He who overcomes will not be hurt at all by the second death: Those who overcome, those who remain faithful until death, will never be hurt by the second death. The second death is hell, the lake of fire (Rev. 20:14; 21:8).
All men die, but all are not killed with death…Oh, it is a woeful thing to be killed with death.
John Trapp
Letter to Pergamos
A Little Pergamos History
Pergamos is present-day Bergama in Turkey. It was the political capital of the Roman Province of Asia. When John wrote Revelation, Pergamos had been the capital city for more than 300 years. It was a noted center for culture and education, having one of the ancient world’s great libraries with more than 200,000 volumes.
They were also an extremely religious city, with temples to the Greek and Roman gods. There were three temples dedicated to the worship of the Roman Emperor. Pergamos was especially known as a center for the worship of the deity know as Asclepios.
Represented by a serpent, Asclepios was the god of healing and knowledge. There was a medical school in the temple. This was a big draw for the sick and diseased people from all over the Roman Empire.
The sick were allowed to spend the night in the temple where snakes were allowed to live. It was believed the touch from one of these snakes would bring health and healing.
Sharp Double-Edged Sword
Vs 12: And unto the angel of the church in Pergamos write: These are the words of Him who has the sharp, double-edged sword.
We learned in Rev. 1:16; John observed: “out of His mouth came a double-edged sword.” Now, He will show this sword to the Christians of Pergamos, and they are going to feel it. He is about to confront them with His word, and it will be painful for them.
What They Had Right
Vs. 13: I know your works and 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.
I know your works: Jesus said this to each church. He knows all of our works, even if there isn’t much to know.
Pergamos was a stronghold of satanic power. Jesus tells them He knows this, and He also knows they have held fast to His name. Despite the fact they lived in such a horrible place, they did not deny His name.
A Faithful Witness
“Antipas“: This is the only time Antipas was mentioned in the Bible. History tells us nothing about him. Jesus called him a faithful witness, the same thing He said about Himself in Rev. 1:5. Antipas was a man that followed Jesus and was like Jesus.
In classical Greek, martus never means martyr in our sense of the term. It always means witness. A martus was one who said, ‘this is true, and I know it.’ It is not until New Testament times that martus ever means martyr.
But in Antipas’ case, he was a martus/witness and a martyr because he was put to death because of his witnessing. He may not have been world-famous or, for that matter, famous even in his own town, but Jesus knew him and did not overlook him.
It is much no ecclesiastical history makes mention of this martyr Antipas, which argues him to have been a person but of obscure note in the world; but Christ seeth and taketh notice of those little ones who belong to him, though the world overlooks them.
Matthew Poole
Antipas means “Against All.” He lived where Satan’s throne was and stood against the attacks and the evil all around him. And by doing so, he fulfilled the meaning of his name.
I am a martus because I say, ‘ this is true, and I know it.’ If you can say the same, then so are you.
What Jesus Had Against Them
Vs. 14-15: Nevertheless, I have a few things against you: You have people there who hold to the teachings 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 teachings of the Nicolaitans.
Jesus praised them first for the things they had right, but at the same time, their difficult situation did not excuse the things they had wrong. This is something we need to apply to our own life situations. All of us face difficult times. The difficulties vary, but they are still difficult for us none the less. Even with life’s difficulties, we are expected to stand on our faith and belief in Jesus and do the right thing. Our hardships, difficulties, or any stumbling blocks we may face will not excuse bad behavior in the end.
Balaam was a prototype of all corrupt teachers. (Num. 22-24 & 31) It combined the sins of immorality and idolatry to please Balak, the king of Moab because he could not curse Israel directly. He taught Balak to put a stumbling block before Israel’s children by enticing them to eat food sacrificed to idols and committing sexual immorality.
So, the Christians in Pergamos had tendencies toward idolatry and immorality. Sexual immorality marked the whole culture of the Roman Empire. It was taken for granted, and the person who lived by Biblical standards of purity was considered strange.
The Christians of Pergamos were like the Christians of Corinth. Paul wrote to Corinth about this in 1 Cor. 5:1-9. “…Don’t you know that a little yeast works through the whole batch of dough?” vs. 6. As Christians, we are not to judge those outside the church but those within (1 Cor. 5:12). The Christians of Pergamos had become too accepting and tolerant of false doctrines and immoral living within their church, and Jesus rebuked them for it.
Applying The Word In 2020
Christians today have forgotten that sexual immorality means more than one thing. The sexual immorality, spoken of in Paul’s letter to the church at Corinth, was to do with a man sleeping with his father’s wife.
Incest, pedophilia, and adultery are running rampant in our churches, and a blind eye is being turned to it. Jesus’ rebuke to the church of Pergamos was not only to the Christians participating in the immorality but to the Christians who were allowing it to continue. Those Christians will be held just as accountable.
Lieff Cabraser Heimann & Bernstein Attorney at Law (from their website)
Evangelical Church Child Abuse Cases
Many Southern Baptists have dismissed sexual abuse as a problem caused by “corrupt Hollywood” or “liberal theology’, but that’s just untrue, and a reckoning has arrived.
Lieff Cabraser is investigating reports of widespread child abuse in evangelical churches, Southern Baptist churches, and so-called Mega Churches. Nearly 400 Southern Baptist leaders, from youth pastors to top ministers, have pleaded guilty or been convicted of sex crimes against more than 700 hundred victims since 1998, according to a recent investigation by The Houston Chronicle and The San Antonio Express-News. Superstar pastors like Bill Hybels and Andy Savage have been forced to resign over allegations of misconduct. The New York Times also published a recent expose on the “sexual abuse crisis” at evangelical churches.
While some churches have apologized for the abuse, few victims have seen any restitution or justice. What’s more, many churches work to protect themselves against their parishioners’ interests, and those victims who do seek justice or even just protection find themselves faced with aggressive legal maneuvering from the churches, many of which use written membership agreements to enforce silence and prohibit any public investigation.
From NBCNEWS.COM
Almost 1,700 priests and clergy accused of sex abuse are unsupervised. An Associated Press investigation found that those credibly accused are now teachers, coaches, counselors, and live near playgrounds.
The majority of people listed as credibly accused were never criminally prosecuted for the abuse allegations when they were part of the church. That lack of criminal history has revealed a sizable gray area that state licensing boards and background check services are not designed to handle as former priests seek new employment, apply to be foster parents, and live in communities unaware of their presence and their pasts.
You can find the entire article, posted on Oct. 4, 2019, by Claudia Lauer and Meghan Hoyer, both with Associated Press, at nbcnews.com.
What Jesus Wants Them To Do
Vs. 16: Repent! Otherwise, I will soon come to you and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth.
Christians are not only called to repent when they first come to Christ. We are to repent always when we are doing anything unpleasing to God. Remember, repent is an action word. To repent, we must stop what we are doing and change course. If we do not repent, Jesus will deal with us by His Word, a sharp double-edged sword, and we will feel the pain.
A White Stone
Vs. 17: “…I will also give him a white stone with a new name written on it, known only to him who receives it.”
In the ancient world, jurors in court cases indicated the verdicts they reached by depositing pebbles or stones in receptacles. This practice continued into the days of ancient Rome. A dark stone reflected a “guilty” verdict, while a white stone meant a “not guilty” verdict.
To the Christians who resisted Satan’s temptations, this was a symbolic way for Jesus to speak of their justification. Jesus declared these Christians as “not guilty” of sin.
On the stone will be written a new name, known only to him who receives it. When we arrive in Heaven, we will receive a new name. This shows what an intimate relationship we have with God. He has personally named us. This new name assures us of our destination. We have a reservation with our name on it.
This name will only be known by him who receives it: Maybe, when we see our new name, only we will understand the meaning or reason behind it. Other than Jesus, of course.
Letter To Thyatira
Thyatira was the smallest and least important of the seven cities Jesus addresses in His letters to the churches. History has no record of Thyatira Christians suffering any significant political or religious persecution.
The city was a center of active trade guilds, each having their own patron deity from the Greek and Roman pantheon of gods. Acts 16:14-15 mentions Lydia of Thyatira, who was a seller of purple cloth. Thyatira was famous for the manufacture of purple dye. It possessed more trade guilds than any other town of its size in Asia.
Vs. 18-19: These are the words of the Son of God, whose eyes are like blazing fire and whose feet are like burnished bronze. I know your deeds, your love and faith, your service and perseverance, and that you are now doing more than you did at first.
Jesus first describes Himself as the Son of God to emphasize His deity. In Rev. 1:14, He says His eyes are like “flames of fire.” He repeats it here to emphasize the idea. His eyes look with penetrating judgment.
In Rev. 1:15, Jesus says His feet are like fine brass. He repeats it here to emphasize His purity. Brass is pure and highly refined in the fire. It also emphasizes His steadfastness because brass was the strongest known metal in the ancient world. To have feet like fine brass would be strong and unmovable.
Jesus also tells Thyatira’s church, like He told the other churches, He knows their works. Thyatira may have been the least significant of the seven churches Jesus addresses, but they were not hidden from Him.
In many ways, the church at Thyatira was a model church. They had love, service, faith, and patience. As for their works, the last are more than the first. So, not only did they have good works, but they were increasing in measure with time. They were growing and maturing.
What Jesus Had Against Them
Vs. 20-21: Nevertheless, 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. I have given her time to repent of her immorality, but she is unwilling.
Despite all their good, Jesus was not completely pleased with the church at Thyatira. They tolerated that woman Jezebel. This may not have been her literal name, but clearly a self-styled prophetess within the church, after Jezebel’s pattern in the Old Testament (1 Kings 16-21, 2 Kings 9:30-37).
Jesus called her Jezebel because the name had a powerful association. If we call someone a Benedict, a Judas, or a Hitler, it means something strong. It was also a strong thing for Jesus to call this woman a Jezebel.
She was one of the most evil characters of the Old Testament, who attempted to combine the worship of Israel with the worship of the idol of Baal….Jezebel herself had a most unenviable record of evil.
Dr. John F. Walvoord
The woman Jesus called Jezebel claimed to be a prophetess but really wasn’t. Yet, Thyatira’s Christians received her as such, and that is why they received this warning from Him. This wasn’t His first warning.
Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many.
Jesus, Matthew 24:11
As already mentioned, there were strong trade guilds in Thyatira. The sexual immorality and eating of things sacrificed to idols were probably connected with the guilds’ mandatory social occasions. “The draw to the guilds were powerful because no merchant or trader could hope to prosper or make money unless he was a member of the guild.” (Barclay)
One ancient Christian named Tertullian wrote about Christians who made their living in trades in pagan idolatry. A painter might find work in pagan temples, or a sculptor might be hired to make a statue of a pagan god. They would justify this by saying, “This is my living, and I must live.” Tertullian replied, Vivere ergo habes? “Must you live?”
Jezebel’s Sin Was Especially Terrible
Because Jezebel corrupted His servants, that is what made her sin especially wicked. Jesus’ servants belong to Him, and He gets pretty bent about someone who corrupts them and leads them into sin. In the book of Mark 9:42, He tells us how angry it makes Him, “But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were thrown into the sea.”
But even as grievous as Jezebel’s sin was Jesus, gave her time to repent, but she did not. She rejected the work of the Holy Spirit, calling her to repentance. This shows the mercy of our Savior towards us sinners.
In all of His messages to the churches, Jesus told them what He had against them and allowed them to repent and fix the problem. But our time to repent is not limitless. There is coming a time when Jesus’ spirit will not strive with us forever (Gen. 6:3). When Jesus tells us to repent, we must not tarry.
What Jesus Has Planned for Jezebel
Vs. 22-25: So 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 their ways. I 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. Now 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. Only hold on to what you have until I come.
Before Jesus tells them what they must do, He first tells them what He will do. He will make Jezebel and her followers suffer. The reference to adultery is important. It spoke of spiritual and sexual adultery. When these Christians honored other gods, they were unfaithful to their Savior.
He will cast her on a bed of suffering. What is a bed of suffering? It could be an image of affliction, or it could be a literal sickness. We know from passages such as 1 Cor. 11:30 that God can use sickness as a way to chastise His people when they are in sin.
He will strike her children dead. All people die, but not all people are dead when they die. This kind of “dead” only happens to those whose sentence is hell. Unless they repent, Jesus tells them this will be their fate.
The purpose of this chastisement was to bring about repentance. But it was also to give an example of His holiness to other churches: and all the churches shall know that I am He who searches the minds and hearts.
In the ancient Jews’ mind, the heart was the place of intellect, and the kidneys were the place of emotion. Minds and hearts are literally “hearts and kidneys” Jesus was saying, I know your every thought and emotion.
For Those Who Didn’t Follow Jezebel
These burdens will not be imposed on those that didn’t follow Jezebel. Jesus only had one instruction for them. They are to hold on to what they have. They must not stop doing what is good and continue just as they are. They must, we must, not become distracted or discouraged from what Jesus wants us to be and to do. He tells them they must carry on until He comes, so must we.
A Message For All Christians
Vs. 26-29: To him who overcomes and does my will till the end, I will give authority over the nations – He will rule them with an iron scepter; he will dash them to pieces like pottery – just as I have received authority from my Father. I will also give him the morning star. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.
For those of us who overcome until the end, Jesus will give us authority over the nations. Jesus quotes from the Old Testament, Psalm 2:9. This shows His authority when He will rule over the earth.
This should bring Christians joy and hope when all around us, even within the church, is immorality and idolatry. We are on the winning team! Jesus will be our reward, our morning star.