#87 -- Gospel and Spiritual Growth

Valley – May 18, 2003 p.m.

THE TEACHING OF THE WORLD SYSTEM IN ITS EDUCATION AND RELIGION -- II

This material continues the subject of the last message with some slight revisions in the outline. Revelation 2 includes the message to the church at Pergamos (vss. 12-17)[Church #3]. There is an inferred amalgamation of the secular education of the world system and its religious system evident in two types of false doctrine that had infiltrated the church. The church held fast Christ's name and had not denied the faith (vs. 13). Even the death of the faithful witness Antipas had not caused the church to waver in those days. Yet there were problems. At that point in history Pergamos was the location chosen by Satan to place his throne there. Hence, it was the center of the government and administration of the Satanic world system. Two kinds of teaching had infiltrated the church: the doctrine of Balaam and the doctrine of the Nicolaitanes. Pergamos means "thoroughly married" and is exemplary of the thorough marriage of the church with the world system in history.

The saints at Pergamos were settled and at ease where Satan's throne permitted Satan to be settled and at ease (vs. 13). Jesus Christ had something against them. In this environment there were those who held to the doctrine or doctrine for faith and practice of Balaam. These were present in the church and were members of the church. Jesus Christ describes Balaam's doctrine. He "taught Balak to throw down a stumbling-block (lit. scandal) before the sons of Israel, to eat idol sacrifices and to commit fornication (vs. 14)." Balaam has quite a negative reputation in the New Testament in that it describes the way of Balaam (2 Pe. 2:15), the error of Balaam (Jude 11) and the doctrine of Balaam (here). Numbers 22:1-24:5 describe the relationship of Balaam to Balak and the events of Baal Peor. The story of Balaam is will known. Balak wanted Balaam to come from his home in Syria and curse Israel in the plains of Moab. Jehovah refused to permit him to go with the first group of envoys from Balak. A second round of envoys (more influential than those before – princes) were sent and Balaam ultimately consented to go with them. He saddled his ass and was confronted by the angel of Jehovah. Three times the ass balked because he could see the Angel of Jehovah and stopped thereby saving Balaam's life. The third time Balaam hit him Jehovah opened the ass's mouth and he spoke to an angry Balaam. Then he saw the Angel and realized that his ass had saved his life. Jehovah gave him explicit instruction. He was to go to Balak but he could only say what Jehovah gave him to say. As a result, he required Balak to burn many sacrifices in an attempt to buy off Jehovah. Five times Balaam blessed Israel in proverb form rather than curse her. In 24:25 Balaam returned home. Without the Revelation passage we would not know what his advice to Balak was. He suggested that Balak send his young women to entice the sons of Israel to commit whoredom (Num. 25:1) and so lead them into idolatry. It was a great distance from Syria (Aram) to the plains of Moab. Balaam went home having arranged for the fornication and idolatry at Baal Peor. It is most interesting to note that in Num. 31:8 Balaam is killed in battle with the kings of Midian (Balak was a Midianite living in Moab cf. Num. 22:2-4). Somehow he had made the long journey back to Midian and was caught on their side when the Midianites were spoiled. The compromise that Balaam perpetuated brought religious adultery (idolatry) and physical fornication (as a part of religious adultery). The world system found Balaam's doctrine worked. It saved some lives for a period of time. Balaam's doctrine taught infiltration by attraction and compromise by practice. In a sense, the sacrifice of a few daughters to prostitution was an acceptable way to protect the life of the nation. This group in the church of Pergamos took the teaching of the world system in the church in order to create extreme compromise of what God had revealed to His people. This infiltration leads to indoctrination that affects the thinking of the saints to bring carnal compromise. As a result the church is thoroughly married to the world system which kills a faithful witness in Antipas ("against all").

The second kind of teaching evident in Pergamos is the doctrine of the Nicolaitanes (2:15). There were those in the church that strongly grasped or held this doctrine. Nike is the word "victory" while laos is the word "people." The Ephesian church hated the works of the Nicolaitanes (2:6). God hates them as well (2:6, 15). This teaching was that there was a distinction between clergy and laity. The clergy ruled over or had victory over the people. This doctrine fits well into the world system. The necessity of a hierarchy is essential to the function of the system. Every firm must have some kind of a CEO. The CEO runs the company. The church has a CEO with corporate officers and control. The church produced an upper echelon of priests or clergy who dominated and dictated to the people. This totally negates the fact that every true believer is equal in the Body of Christ in the New Testament. There is only one Head, Jesus Christ, the Chief Shepherd. This is not the concept George Orwell communicated in Animal Farm where some animals are more equal than others. The pastor-teacher who is a bishop remains a sheep. He is an undershepherd who is a sheep. Christendom of the world system has long denied the equality that is in Christ in its practice. The office does not elevate the sheep who is a shepherd to lord it over the flock (1 Pe. 5:1-4). At Pergamos where Satan's throne was, there were those who insisted that the bishop have a throne over the flock. Little wonder that Christendom has ignored or hated "in Christ" truth as it is revealed in Scripture. A violation of 1 Peter 5:1-4 by a bishop in the matter of ruling authority is no more that Nicolaitanism. Education of the world system attempts to make the local church a business with a hierarchy of corporate officers in order for it to be efficient. God's Word teaches that some with the right spiritual gift are given limited authority to use that gift without dictating to the flock of God.

The academic year rumbles toward its end. I am making a real effort to get everything taught I need to in my classes as are other faculty. There is so much in the Book that it is hard to keep within the 12-week quarter schedule. Evening School has been a blessing but it will be a project to cover the core material. We are all blessed with the learning of the students of the Word of God. God truly sees things as they really are and reveals so much in His Word. Thanksgiving fills my heart.

A Sheep who Is a Shepherd,

DKS

THE TEACHING OF THE WORLD SYSTEM IN ITS EDUCATION AND RELIGION -- II

1 John 2:15

Proposition: To present three areas of the teaching of the world system in the realms of education and religion that can affect the church and a Christian's life.

Introduction

A. The Correlation of Secular Education and Religion in the World System

B. The Conditions at the Church of Pergamos

C. The Center of Satanic Rule Over the World System

D. The Call for Repentance

TRANS: The church in Pergamos was involved in several types of doctrine that are identified in the text with specific names. The first is identified as the doctrine of Balaam.

I. THE PRESENCE OF THOSE STRONG IN THE PRACTICAL DOCTRINE OF BALAAM IN THE CHURCH AT PERGAMOS – TEACHING THAT COMPROMISES MATTERS OF RELIGION AND MORALITY – THE ALTERATION OF RIGHT BY WRONG – A MECHANISM TO SABOTAGE A BIBLICAL LIFESTYLE – Revelation 2:14

A. The Position of the Church at Pergamos – 2:13

1. The Home of Satan's Throne = Center of the Government of the Cosmos at

the Time

2. The Holding of the Character of Christ

3. The Hesitation Concerning the Faith Missing

4. The Hardship That Involved the Martyrdom of Antipas

B. The Problem with the Doctrine of Balaam in the Church – 2:14

1. The Issues Against the Church at Pergamos

2. The Identification of Ones Firmly Holding the Doctrine of Balaam

a. The Presence of People in the Church

b. The Manifest Power of Those Holding the Doctrine for Practice

C. The Program for the Compromising of Israel Through Balaam's Advice – Num.

22:1-24:5

1. The Intentions of Balak in Bringing in Balaam – 22:1-41

a. The Arrival of Israel in the Plains of Moab by Jericho – 22:1

b. The Approach to Balaam by Balak in Syria – 22:2-

(1) The First Appeal by Balak's Representatives – 22:2-14

(2) The Second Appeal by Balak's More Influential Representatives –

22:15-21

(3) The Angel of Jehovah Confronts the Disobedient Prophet – 22:22-35

(4) The Arrival of Balaam and Offerings – 22:36-41

2. The Instruction of Balak by Balaam

a. The Record of Balaam's Involvement with Balak (Num. 23:1-24:5 [31:8])

(1) The Curses Replaced with Parables

(2) The Connection with the Daughters of Moab and Baal-Peor

(3) The Closing of Balaam's Life – Num. 31:8

b. The Reality of Throwing Down a Scandal Before Israel

c.The Specific Results Planned

(1) To Eat Idol Sacrifices = Religious Works of the Flesh

(2) To Fornicate = Sexual or Religious Work of the Flesh

TRANS: The church at Pergamos also had those who held strongly to the doctrine of the Nicolaitanes. This was a doctrine that affected the roles of believers in the churches. The ecclesiological problem persists in Christendom to this day.

III. THE PRESENCE OF THOSE STRONG IN THE PRACTICAL DOCTRINE OF THE NICOLAITANES IN THE CHURCH AT PERGAMOS – TEACHING THAT COMPROMISES THE BODY OF CHRIST IN THE LOCAL GATHERING – THE ALTERATION OF THE ONENESS IN CHRIST TO A HIERARCHAL SYSTEM OF GOVERNMENT – A MECHANISM FOR MEN TO MANIPULATE CHRISTIANS INSTEAD OF GOD – Revelation 2:15

A. The Manifest Power of Some Holding False Doctrine for Practice

B. The Major Position of the Nicolaitanes

1. Victory Over (ni,kh)

2. The People (lao,j)

3. The Distinction Between People and Leadership

4. Power to Clergy Over the People (Laity)

C. The Presence of a Common Problem

D. The Perspective of Jesus Christ – "Hates"

E. The Program for Repentance – 2:16

TRANS: The world system provides a kind of teaching that makes sense through its educational premises and then through its religious emphases.

Valley Baptist Church

P. O. Box 99, Gaston, OR 97119