Part 3: Pergamum – The Danger of the "Double Life"

If you’ve ever been to a construction site, you know that a building can look solid from the outside while the foundation is being eaten away by termites or rot. That’s exactly what was happening in Pergamum.

Jesus introduces Himself to this church as the one who has the "sharp two-edged sword." That’s not a cozy image. He’s not coming as a therapist; He’s coming as a surgeon. He’s coming to cut away the rotten parts.

Pergamum was a city that was "where Satan’s throne is." It was the center of pagan cults, the seat of Roman power, and the home of a massive altar to Zeus. To be a Christian in Pergamum was like trying to keep a candle lit in a hurricane. And Jesus starts by commending them: "I know where you dwell... you hold fast my name, and you did not deny my faith."

They had guts. They had martyrs like Antipas, whom Jesus calls His "faithful witness." But here is the "bold call out" for them as well as us today: You can be brave enough to die for Jesus and still be compromised enough to live like the world.

The Poison of "Balaam"

Jesus tells them, "But I have a few things against you." He points out that they had people in their midst holding to the "teaching of Balaam."

Now, if you don't know your Old Testament, Balaam was the guy who couldn't curse Israel, so he did something worse: he showed the enemy how to seduce them. He taught them that if you can't beat 'em, join 'em. He got the Israelites to eat food sacrificed to idols and practice sexual immorality. He didn't ask them to stop being Israelites; he just asked them to blend in.

Maybe we could call this the "Doctrine of the Blur." It’s the idea that we can keep our Sunday morning confession, sacraments and traditions while fully participating in the Friday night culture. It’s the belief that we can have Jesus as our Savior while we let the pagan world around us be our interior decorator.

Real Life: The "Nuanced" Compromise

I see this constantly in our modern "Christianese" world. We’ve become masters of "nuance." We don't call sin sin anymore; we call it a "journey," a "struggle," or "contextualized ministry."

Take a look at how we handle our media, our business ethics, or our relationships. I know a guy—let’s call him James. James is at every men's breakfast. He’s the first one to volunteer to usher. But on his phone, James has a secret life. He justifies his "private habits" by saying, "Hey, I’m a good guy, I’m saved by grace, and the world is just like this now."

Or look at the business owner who claims to be "pro-life" and "pro-family" but treats his employees like disposable machines and cuts corners on his taxes because "everyone does it."

That is the teaching of Balaam. It’s trying to hold the Name of Jesus with one hand while holding the hand of the world with the other. Jesus says that is a direct path to a war you don't want to fight—a war with Him.

Paul even addresses it in his letter to Romans. He's giving the church in Rome a little talking to about the tendency to let Grace cover a multitude of sins, but also forget about the repentance part. He says, "what shall we continue in sin that grace may about... [NO WAY]!" English translations say, certainly not or God forbid, but either way you look at it, he's emphasizing that we are not tied up to that old lifestyle anymore. We have not business putting the chains back on.

The Sword of Truth

Jesus tells the church to Repent. If they don't, He says, "I will come to you soon and war against them with the sword of my mouth." Let that sink in. Jesus doesn't say He’s going to war against the pagans in Pergamum. He says He’s going to war against the church members who are compromising.

Why? Because the church is supposed to be the "city on a hill." When we blur the lines, we make the Gospel invisible. If a non-believer looks at your life and can't tell the difference between your values and theirs—besides the fact that you go to a building for 90 minutes on Sunday—then you prove the insessant accusation against the church that we're just a bunch of hypocrites and your witness is therefore dead. You aren't a light; you’re a mirror reflecting the darkness back at itself. Marring the work that Jesus did to rescue every soul from damnation.

The Call Up: The Hidden Manna

Jesus ends with a beautiful promise for those who "overcome" this compromise. He promises "hidden manna" and a "white stone" with a new name. What in the world kind of promise is that?

Well, in the ancient world, a white stone was often used as an admission ticket to a banquet or as a "not guilty" verdict in court. Jesus is saying: "If you stop trying to find satisfaction in the world’s 'banquet' of sin, I will give you a seat at My table. I will give you an identity that isn't defined by your compromise or your past, but by My grace."

The Bold Challenge: Church, where have you let the culture set the thermostat for your morality? Where have you said, "It’s not that bad," when Jesus says, "It’s killing you"?

We have to stop trying to be "cool" enough for the world to like us. We were never meant to fit in. We were meant to stand out. It’s time to put down the 'food sacrificed to the idols' of our age—the idols of lust, greed, and approval among others—and start hungering for the Manna that only comes from the Hand of God.

Next Step: Identify one area of your life this week where you’ve been "blending in" to avoid friction. Bring it to the Lord, repent, and make a change that reflects your true King. It might be awkward at work or uncomfortable in your social circle, but remember: the King’s "well done" is worth more than the world’s "likes."

Maybe you need the reminder to Act Like it. This series is about reminding us what it means. I put the Act Like It sticker on my water bottle. Every time I take a drink I am reminded of these letters to the churches and how Jesus called them up toward the life He has for them... and us.