Every evil system has been founded on lies. The Nazis believed the lie of the superiority of the Nordic race; the Communists, the lie of the superiority of a classless, stateless society based on common ownership of the means of production; the abortionists, in the lie that fetuses are just tissue. The Church in Thyatira (Revelation 2:18-29) denied a final judgment and so the Judge of all men, the Lord Jesus Himself, addresses them as the One who knows the future. He unveils lies believed by many members, which lies encouraged them in their denial. We must understand some aspects of these lies so we don’t believe them.
I. First, consider the nature of the lies in Thyatira (2:19-20). Lies are spawned by hell and those who teach them or believe in them are in league with Satan (2:24) who is “a liar and the father of lies” (John 8:44).
The first lie was that people who have a reputation for good service need not worry about final judgment (2:19). This lie is not seen by a cursory reading of Rev. 2:19. There is no question but that the Church in Thyatira had a reputation for being a hard-working church. Even the Lord Jesus commends them for that. He comments on their “deeds,” “love,” “faith,” “service,” and “perseverance.” What could be wrong with that? If it stood alone, nothing. But the context of an ungodly church should make us look more closely. Their love is agape love, a love that only Christians can have. That love manifested itself in “service.” Their faithfulness is a gift that the Holy Spirit gives to His people (Gal. 5:22). That faithfulness manifested itself in “perseverance” during trial. From the beginning true believers revealed their divine nature by loving and faithful service to the Lord. And the church’s present state reflects “deeds .. greater than at first.” But, I might add, without the gifts of the Spirit. It appears that only the reputation is there. The Lord commends them because He wants believers to work for Him. But He is more interested in spiritual fruit than in reputation.
Why is this important? Any time believers tolerate unbelievers in their church while trying to serve their Lord the likelihood exists that those unbelievers will take credit for the good reputation of serving Christ. Until they become believers in Christ they will claim those good works as their right to pass the piercing eye of the Lord Jesus. The Bible clearly teaches that we are not saved by works. See Rom. 3:20, 28; Titus 3:5; Eph. 2:8-9.
Begs the Question: Should evangelical churches be involved in social work? Should Bible churches cooperate with non-evangelical churches in great humanitarian outreaches?
The second lie was that people who do not repent need not worry about final judgment. The most atrocious sins were being practiced by members in the church. The congregation had allowed a woman prophetess (a false one, according to Christ’s assessment) to remain in the church and to continue to teach the saints to indulge in “acts of immorality” and to “eat things sacrificed to idols” (Rev. 2:20). Her teaching was no doubt similar to that of the Nicolaitans and Balaamites at Ephesus and Pergamos. Such sins were common practices for guild members in Thyatira. If they were not practiced, the artisans would lose their trade and their livelihood. In order to expose her true character, the Lord labeled her “Jezebel” – the name of the Canaanite wife of Israel’s King Ahab. Jezebel had not only led Ahab to worship Baal but through Ahab had spread he teachings of idolatry throughout all Israel (1 Kings 16:31-33; 2 Kings 9:22).
Why is this important? There is an apparent disconnect today between Christian beliefs and practice. Where is the distinction between Christianity and the world? People say they have trusted Christ but little is said of repentance. See Rev. 2:21-22. For example, a TV news item reported that a porn model claimed to be a Christian. Her justification was that Adam and Eve were naked. How wicked! Only as true believers uphold repentance in their own lives and live a life of separation from sin will they have an impact on those who see no need for it. Trusting by faith alone without repentance will damn a person. Repentance is one of the most essential, and yet, one of the most neglected of all Christian teachings. It indicates a dramatic change in thinking and attitude concerning sin. But notice how prominent it was in the early church. Jesus taught it (Mark 1:15). When He sent out his disciples on a missionary journey, He told them to preach repentance (Mark 6:12). The last message the Lord gave to his followers on earth was that of repentance (Luke 24:47). It was the message that Paul gave to the elders at Ephesus (Acts 20:21).
Begs the Question: The Lord tells us we are to love the unsaved, but does that mean we are to shut our eyes to the wrong they may do or to be unequally yoked with them in church membership? How much does the church preach on repentance? Can a person be saved if he does not consider himself sinful?
II. Now let’s consider another aspect of these lies: the failure of the lies in Thyatira (Rev. 2:21-23). The Lord pointed out such failure in His parable of houses built upon sand. He said that the floods would wash them away (Matt. 7:24-27). This is what the Lord predicted would happen to the church in Thyatira if they did not repent. Christ will not let the teaching of this false prophetess go unchallenged or unjudged. Failing to repent, Christ would cast her into a bed and them that commit adultery with her into great tribulation. On a bed she sinned; on a bed she will suffer. She deceived others; she herself will now be deceived. Concerning the last days of this age, Paul wrote: “But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived” (2 Tim. 3:13). And during the Tribulation, deceit and falsehood will reach a climax in the Man of Sin. Paul says, “Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, and with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved” (2 Thess. 2:9-10). Jezebel’s children will be judged. They will be killed. They are the offspring of the apostate church which by the end times will have spread around the world. God’s judgment on them is that He will cast them into the Tribulation. This was true of the judgment of the ancient Jezebel, Ahab’s wife. She met her death years after Ahab died, but to the last she was scheming for herself against God. Her death was so awful, they could not find enough of her to bury.
Why is this important? People who boast about a strong refuge they have made of lies and deception will watch their refuge collapse. They may deny a final judgment but they cannot support it by hiding behind their lies. Judgment will surely come. Read of the lie that future Israel in the Tribulation will believe before judgment comes to them (Isaiah 28:15-17).
Begs the Question? How many neighbors and friends really believe in a coming final judgment? If the supreme court of the land declares an action to be legal, is it right? How do we know? Abortion? Capital punishment? War?
III. We probably should call the final aspect of these delusions the alternatives to the lies in Thyatira (Rev. 2:24-29). Each letter is addressed to believers who remain faithful. The letter to the Thyatiran saints is no different. They are called, “the rest who are in Thyatira, who do not hold this teaching, who have not known the deep things of Satan, as they call them.” The Lord encourages these faithful ones by saying, “I place no other burden on you.” They would not experience the Tribulation and judgments related to it as the others would. He challenges them, however, to “hold fast until I come,” that is, hold fast to the Word of God which in turn would preserve them from error and instruct them in righteousness. They did not know how long that might be, but they knew He was faithful and He would come. It would require perseverance on their part but the Lord offers hope at the end of the line. He promised the overcomers that they would rule with Him in His kingdom (2:26-27). The Lord also promises “the morning star.” This is a reference to Himself (22:16). The morning star appears between the twilight of morning and the full blaze of day. The believers were living in a time like the future Dark Ages. It was their twilight. But the Lord would appear in grace and truth as would later happen when the Reformers appeared, preaching the Word of God. This is pictured in the next letter, the one to the saints in Sardis (Rev. 3:1-6).
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