Lesson 6

 Ephesus: Correct doctrine and work, but loveless church  Smyrna: Suffering tribulation, faithful  Pergamum: Some hold to false teaching, some hold fast Jesus’ name: compromising church  Love, faithfulness, sound doctrine; all necessary for a church to function properly

 On the road from Pergamum to Sardis and Laodicea  Center of indigo trade  Lydia was from Thyatira  Known for its purple dye and bronze smiths  Trade guilds would often hold banquets which included eating food offered to idols and participation in immoral sexual acts  Worshipped Apollo and Tyrimnos, a sun god

 Son of God  Eyes like a flame of fire  Feet like burnished bronze  Head and hair white like white wool, like snow  Brilliance and judgment are symbolized

 I Know:  Deeds/works which the latter are greater than the first  Love  Faith  Service  Perseverance/endurance

 Tolerate Jezebel and her teaching  Tolerate: aphiemi – to permit, leave alone  Ant. “krateo” – to have power over, to be dominant, or become master of, which always implies a certain degree of force with which one brings a person or thing wholly under his power even when resistance is encountered.  The majority of the church was tolerating the false teaching and sin which she brought

 I and 2 Kings Husband was Ahab  She was the daughter of the king of Sidon  Brought Baal worship into Israel  Tried to drive out all true worshippers of God  Killed His prophets  Pursued Elijah to kill him  Dogs licked up her remains; only her skull, feet and palms of her hands were left  Revelation: she brought false teaching, false worship and immorality into the church

 Def: Porneuo: practice idolatry, commit fornication, to be unfaithful to Christ, while posing as His true follower, to permit oneself to be drawn away by another into idolatry  It encompasses all forms of sexual sins and these things were being tolerated in the church  Heb. 13:4 They will be judged by God  I Thess. 4:3-6 God is the avenger, He desires sanctification

 Psalm 73 Their end is destruction/terrors  I Cor. 6 Immorality is a sin against ones own body  Romans 1 God gave them over……  Prov. 6-7 Harlot entices, seduces, has many victims who lack sense….death

 How? Privately first, then with two or three, then the church as a whole  Why? Repentance for the sinner, sin to cease, restoration and reconciliation  Sin is NOT to be tolerated in the church  Believers are to judge sin within the church and put it out. I Cor. 5:12  Christ our Passover Lamb has been sacrificed  Does this relate to the church now?

 Rev. 2:21 Jezebel was given time to repent but she DID NOT WANT TO REPENT!!  Repent: metanoeo – to change one’s mind, the inner man (particularly with reference to acceptance of the will of God) it is NOT regret.  “No external acts can take the place of an internal sorrow for one’s sins.” Zod.  Rev. 2:22….and those with her: sin always affects others

 Matt. 3:1-8 There is “fruit” of repentance; wrath is avoided  2 Cor. 7:10-11  Godly sorrow Worldly sorrow Produces a repentance Lacks repentance without regret Produces death Leads to salvation, away from sin and its results  Rev. 2:22 Sickness and tribulation  Children killed: immorality results in death/judgment

 All churches will know that Jesus is the One who searches the minds and hearts  Those who held fast overcame the false teaching and sin  They weren’t led astray  They kept His deeds/works to the end  Conquered and would be given authority over the nations  They will receive the morning star

 Do we tolerate sin in our OWN lives?  Have we become desensitized to sin?  Do we tolerate sin in our churches?  Are we afraid of confrontation and rejection because of holding fast to His Faith/Deeds?  God wants you/me/us to be Holy and Sanctified – set apart. This is your purpose in life.