For what reason would Jesus start a war with us, His Church?

Hello Church Family:  This week in Revelation 2:12-17, we learn how to bring a war upon our church from Jesus Christ.  I know that all of us together will say, we never want to be at war with Jesus, ever, especially in His own church.  What was the Pergamum church doing to be threatened by Jesus Christ with such violent words?  The Pergamum church had become very tolerant to false teachers and false doctrine.  But that is not all, what accompanies false doctrine?  False doctrine brings with it compromise with the sins that the culture enjoys.  These false teachers and their false doctrine led the church to accept and accommodate into the church the pagan sexual practices of their false doctrine.  Pergamum was a hotspot for false religions, cults, and imperial worship.  With these false gods came worship of these gods.  How did they worship?  They worshipped through debauchery.  They would indulge themselves in heterosexual and homosexual practices along with what the Bible called pharmakeia.  Pharmakeia was the use of potions, elixirs, drugs, spells, sorcery, magic, witchcraft to reach their gods and to commune with them and please them.

Unfortunately, the church had not only allowed this into the church but they let this teaching be vocalized in the congregation.  The Pergamum church was tolerant to this, they were accommodating.  They had basically said, “don’t worry about that sexual immorality, don’t worry about that debauchery, don’t worry about worshipping those other gods, God’s grace abounds so sin all the more.”  But, what was Jesus’ response?  Jesus calls for immediate repentance and purification of the church.  Then He gives a warning, “if you do not repent, I will quickly come and bring war.”  Well, there you have it.  That is one way to bring a war with Jesus upon your church – being tolerant to false doctrine that leads the church to become just like the world in its iniquity and idolatry.  One thing you will never find in the Bible is Jesus saying, “Wow!  Church, Look how relevant you are with your culture, you are doing a great Job becoming just like them.”  Instead Jesus says, “I will bring war upon this tolerance of culture, I have called you to be like Me, Jesus Christ, your God.”  

Jesus tells the church in Pergamum that they must repent of specific sins or He will come and do war with them with the sword of His mouth.  Jesus is telling the church that His words of authority will bring an eternal powerful force to purify His people in judgment.  Jesus has not come to only judge the world.  He has also come to judge the Church.

Church, I am sure that you are with me when I say emphatically, I do not want to be at war with Jesus!  The language used in Revelation 2:16-17, suggests that a lack of repentance from false doctrine and the world’s practices in the church would be evidence of no salvation.  A persistent pursuit of immorality and impurity undermines the claim to know Jesus in a saving way.
 
Once again, we see clearly that theology and doctrine and purity matter a lot to Jesus and so it should matter to us as well.  As we seek to know God’s Word and get to know more clearly who He is, we will be able to discern the counterfeits, the heresy.  The best way to clearly see a counterfeit, a heresy,  is to spend much more time with the real thing.  So, run to God’s Word.  Get to know God personally through Jesus Christ and His Holy Spirit.  Then without any hesitation you will spot the heresy from miles away and by the time it gets to you, you will not tolerate its teaching nor its wickedness.

Revelation 2:16-17  Therefore repent. If not, I will come to you soon and war against them with the sword of my mouth. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.

This Sunday we will be meeting in person at the church building if you would like to join us in person at 10am.  And for those who will be staying at home, we will  be live-streaming on our Grace Community Church Topsail YouTube Channel. Push the blue link.  We can also be found at https://www.gracetopsail.com/

We have been having issues Sunday mornings with our YouTube broadcast due to the overloading of the internet at that time.  We are trying several things that will help remedy the situation.  If you do not get a good broadcast at 10am, please check back later in the day or week for a recorded version.  I am very sorry about this.  

I look forward to worshipping our sovereign God, Jesus Christ with you Sunday. - Steve