BOOK OF REVELATION L4

Jesus' 3rd letter to the church --- Church of Pergamos

Pergamos

-Jesus knows where we live
   -the pressure in Pergamos

-alter of Zeus is Satan's throne
   -Satan's territory
   -Jesus is warning us tt Satan has yet concede defeat.. He still has a throne and a kingdom and under his commands is array of demon spirit, described as the darkness
      -it doesn't mean tt if we ignore him, he is going to go away

the Pergamos is very hostile to the Christians

if we can remain faithful in suffering till the very end, we bear the best witness to Jesus

the guarding of the truth of the bible!

-since Balaam cant stop God from blessing His ppl, he got God's ppl to reject God's blessing by
   -entice the Israelites with sexual immorality and food offered to idols, and beautiful women brought them to worship
      -the Israelites fell into sin and God's judgement upon themselves
      -compromising to the world

-no food is unclean of itself, unless offensive to a man's conscience, he does no wrong in eating it
-however, its impossible to drink from the cup of demons
-shouldn't feast in temples for idol, worship even though knowing tt its non existence.. should not stumble those weak in conscience or young in faith

-the bible prohibits all sexual immorality (7th commandment)
-formication and immorality destroy marriage and corrupt the soul

Ephesians:
-loveless church
-harsh intolerance in false doctrine
-has truth, but no love
Pergamos:
-truth less church
-careless over intolerance, don't care abt the false doctrine if its circulating among them
-has love but no truth

*God is both love and truth
-if Jesus walks in truth, speaks in truth and is the truth, how can we as His follower be indifferent
   -no truth should be sacrificed in the name of love

-foundation, hold firmly that it is not moved
-pillar, hold it high so that all can see

essential doctrines
1. doctrinal truth
-we cant preach another gospel

2. ethical truth
-behaving in a lifestyle that pleases God
-holiness is not only God's will, but also His purpose for us
   -God the Father... chosen us before the foundation of the world to be holy
   -God the Son... redeemed us so that He can purify us to be His own special people
   -God the Holy Spirit... dwells in us to be holy

-with one purpose tt we be holy as God is holy
-Satan wants us to sin and use it to mock God
   -we have the image of God

love must be balance by truth and truth by love

-we should be tolerance, but over tolerance can easily be a sin
-Jesus rebuke the Pergamos for tolerance of false doctrine and immorality

-truth in doctrine and ethics
-we cant ask the world to behave like the church, but we mustn't allow our church to become like the world

-we are in the world, but not of the world
-we mustn't lose our light!

-overcome = victory over temptation
-don't negotiate or dilute the doctrine

-the hidden manna and white stone represent the privileges given to high priest
-in Christ, every believer is priest
-overcomers will be given privileges of a high priest

special revelation given to overcomers

-we have qns on why we are born, why this happen, why this family, why this country, why we are created this way, etc, etc
-Jesus will reveal to us when we sees Him

Jesus' 4th letter to the church --- Church of Thyatira

-Thyatira is a very wealthy country
-you cant do biz if you are not part of them

-in Jewish thought, to be the son means to have the nature of it
-nature of God...love, holy, truth

-4 great qualities of Church of Thyatira works
   -genuine humble service
   -love
   -faith
   -hope

their good works are increasing! they are expanding

-Jezeel, one of the most evil women in the old testament
   -supported idolatry and persuaded her husband to promote the worship of Baal, she cause Israel to turn away from God
-Jezebel is not a prophet, but she claimed that she is and Thyatira sees her as one with God's special anointing

-in Pergamos, the false doctrine is from an outside source but in Thyatira, its from their own church leader

-the church tolerated their leader and allow her to continue her ministry even though they had doubts about her teachings

-Jezebel influenced some of the leaders to sin against God

-church of Thyatira, they do what is convenient just to have advantage in life

-church of Pergamos, some were convinced by the false doctrine

is it worth to gain the whole world ad lose our own soul?

-Jesus gave Jezebel time to repent but she's unwilling

   -she rejected the work of the Holy Spirit in her heart and continue in her sin

God always give sinners time to repent, but its not unlimited

   -when we sin again and again but no punishment, it doesnt mean that God is ok with it, but just that God is being merciful

-God is not the cause of sickness but Satan is

   -if we continue to sin, Jesus may take away His protection from us

   -when we worship other gods, we are being unfaithful... its a form of spiritual adultery

-holiness cannot co-exist with sin

   -wrath and judgement is the only proper response of holiness to evil

God cares about our soul

this man was restored back into fellowship of church

   -as a good father, God corrects us to redeem and restore

-the main purpose of correction of God so that we wont lose our salvation

-not all who are sick/die means correction from God

-every teaching that directly or indirectly says to compromise God's truth is satanic

-following Jesus should not be burdensome

-Jesus simply want us to obey what He has given us, revealed to us

-we must overcome all obstacles and persevere in His works until Jesus returns

-4 things of God's works

   -doing God will

   -obey God's word

   -abiding His love

   -pleasing or glorifying Him in all things

-those who dont disobey

-reject the temptation

-dont compromise

-if we can reign over our inner desires

-Jesus rejected Satan's offer and temptations

*the church of Thyatira is only loyal to money and prestige

*without holiness, no one can see God