Revelation 2:12-17 Church of Pergamum

“Blessed is ( blessing falls on the person ) who reads and those who hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein : for the time is near. ” Rev 1:3

Letter to the church at Pergamum
12 » Write this to the angel of the church in Pergamum ” This is what he says who has the double-edged sword : 13 ” I know you live where Satan has his throne, even so, has been very loyal to me and do not quit your faith in me even when killed Antipas , my faithful witness, in that city where Satan.14 lives ” However, I have a few things against you : there are some of you who follow the teachings that gave Balaam [ a] Balak to make the people of Israel sin by eating food offered in sacrifice to idols and by committing sexual sins . 15 In addition , there are some who believe in what they say nicolaítas.16 Therefore, changes , otherwise , I will come and fight against them with the sword of my mouth. 17 ” Listen carefully to what the Spirit says to the churches . Whoever emerges victorious , I will give the hidden manna . I also give him a white stone on which is written a new name that can only know the recipient .

Notes: Pergamum means ” married ” , and this church was married to some erroneous doctrines and practices. There were three serious problems in Pergamum : Mystery Cults “also worship the emperor. They began to worship false gods and Balaam , idols fakes were made and given to fornication . In Pergamum church was with the world in order to achieve the advantages mundanas.También fell doctrines of the Nicolaitans then the church was divided between priests and people. This church had members who claimed that it was easy to confess the Lord , while simultaneously living in sin . People were living under the heavy hand of dictators spiritual self exalted , not the Lord.

Exactly the same thing is happening today, there are many pastors and religious leaders who are self exalting as if they were a god. Beware of the false prophets , teachers, pastors , evangelists as the Lord himself says that he is against all false worship false idols teaching, as is also against eating these false gods sacrificed for meals. The suggests that the more we move away from all this and much more of all sexual sin ! because if not, he will come soon and fight against all of them with the sword of his mouth.

The call to the church
Here is where the major problem of the church in Pergamum . Revelation 2:14-15 says: ” But I have a few things against you, because you hold there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam , who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols , and to commit fornication . So hast thou also them that hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which thing I hate . ”
Jesus is putting the record straight in this church. They had good stuff, but there was always a but. In this case was that the church was tolerating in its bosom those who hold the doctrine of Balaam . Balaam was a prophet who sought personal gain from their office . In the church of Pergamum there were people who were profiting by his service , in quotes, the Lord.
Besides that Balaam counseled Balak to weaken Israel incite the people to join pagan cults , in which sexual immorality was part of the order of worship . Many Israelites did not think twice about joining this tantalizing religion. As a result , God punished them and died as 24,000 in a single day. Sad end to this painful episode. This is exactly what they were doing certain people in the church in Pergamum . The name means Pergamum : Married . The church is married to Christ and therefore must be faithful to Jesus Christ. But that promoted the doctrine of Balaam , incited the true believers to be unfaithful to Christ. They did it by saying things like : No problem that believers walk in the things of the world. No problem getting into politics , no problem you take an occasional drink , no problem that all smoke another cigarette one , no problem if they are drawn for meat and commit adultery or fornication , after they fix it with God and ready . These are examples of the doctrine of Balaam . This is how the church of Christ lived between the years 313 and 606. Being married to Christ , lay in the arms of the world. Lover turned Roman Empire . But unfortunately , that’s how he lives much of the church of Christ today. I mean true believers who dance to playing them . When in the church seem holy , do not even need the halo, but when you are in the world seem real demons , speaking as the world speaks , think like the world thinks and do what the world does. His love of the world makes them spiritually adulterous , because her true husband is Christ Jesus who died for them.
But the church of Pergamum tolerated also those with the doctrine of the Nicolaitans. Not much is known about this doctrine , but it seems it has to do with the absurd separating siblings , to make some other clergy and the laity . If you are looking for in the New Testament believers called a group of clergy and another group of believers called laity, not find it , because the New Testament says that all believers are priests of God. Moreover , we are a royal priesthood . So there is no reason to make separations as clergy and laity. But apparently this is what made ​​the Nicolaitans . Jesus Christ has strongly censured .

Jesus recommendation
Revelation 2:16 says, ” Repent, or else I will come unto thee quickly , and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth. ”

Jesus wanted the church of Pergamum, recognize itself in the situation he was in, repent and rectify . Otherwise, Jesus Christ would come soon to the church to take care of himself attacking with the sword coming out of his mouth, the word of God , to those who teach the doctrine of Balaam and the doctrine of the Nicolaitans .
 Reward
Revelation 2:17 says , “He that hath an ear , let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches . He who overcomes will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written , which no one knows except him who receives it. ”
These are not just words to the church at Pergamum , but for all believers in general.
The winner is he who has Christ as Savior. This we know from what we read in 1 John 5:5 . These winners show that your faith is real by its fidelity to Christ. For all believers , Jesus promises to reward them with two things : Give them to eat of the hidden manna which is a reference to enjoy the delights of Christ, who is the true manna from heaven , and give them a white stone . As for the white stone, we must recognize that when an athlete winning a competition, as part of his prize was handed a white stone with his name on it, this was his entry ticket to the conclusion. This suggests that believers have received your admission ticket to glory when you received Christ as Savior. In the stone , Jesus Christ a new name written , which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it . This refers to the name of love that Jesus Christ used for His own glory in , is so personal that no one knows but he who receives it.