Pergamum: The
Steadfast Church in the Midst of Evil
It’s a big deal that there’s a sharp sword coming out of
Jesus’ mouth. If you remember that God
spoke the universe into being, it’s not so difficult to imagine that His words
can – and will – judge every living thing.
I was intrigued by Sue’s question about how Jesus would
describe where I live. I suppose evil is
rampant in most communities these days.
My town is no different. Except
there are tons of churches here! Not
what you think of when you hear Las Vegas, Nevada mentioned in
conversation. But it’s true. Still the sin that is tolerated is
mind-boggling. The compromise that is
going on is heartbreaking.
In this week’s video teaching, Sue talks about the gray areas
that Christians face. These are the
issues that aren’t deal breakers when it comes to our faith. The example Sue discusses is eating food
sacrificed to idols. In 1 Corinthians 8,
Paul taught that it’s okay to eat this meat in your home. But it’s not okay to eat it if you’re
appearing to worship a pagan idol. We’re
not supposed to engage in any behavior that causes a brother or sister to
stumble. That’s the measuring gauge to
use when trying to decide if you can engage in “gray area” behavior.
Regardless of the temptation and sin that is happening near
you, Jesus implies that victory is possible.
The Pergamum church struggled with sexual sin, idolatry and false
teaching among other things. How can you
be victorious over these things? By
recognizing sin and repenting. By
recognizing temptation and running from it.
By putting faith in Christ because He has overcome. By living according to the Holy Spirit. By not loving the world or anything in
it. Through Christ, all of this is
possible.
What a rich week of study this was! Has it changed how you’re praying? Has it changed your behavior?
Memorize: 1 John
2:15-16
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