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SERIES: THE REVELATION OF JESUS CHRIST, WEEK 13

TITLE: A CALL TO BE PURE

TEXT: REVELATION 2:18-23

INTRODUCTION: (1) IMMORALITY AND FALSE DOCTRINE ARE TWO DEADLY SINS FOR CHRIST’S CHURCH TODAY AND FOR US THAT MAKE UP THAT CHURCH.

* YET CLEARLY THE LORD JESUS, THE HEAD OF THE CHURCH HAS CALLED HIS CHURCH TO BE HOLY BOTH IN DOCTRINE AND PRACTICE IN THE SCRIPTURES.

** FOR EXAMPLE, IN HIS SECOND INSPIRED EPISTLE TO THE CORINTHIANS, PAUL EXPLAINED TO THIS CHURCH WHAT MOTIVATED HIM TO DESIRE THE CHURCH’S PURITY, HE SAID IN II CORINTHIANS 11:2.

*** II CORINTHIANS 11:2 – “FOR I AM JEALOUS FOR YOU WITH A GODLY JEALOUSY; FOR I BETROTHED YOU TO ONE HUSBAND, SO THAT TO CHRIST I MIGHT PRESENT YOU AS A PURE VIRGIN.”

**** AND THEN IN EPHESIANS 5:25-27, PAUL IS INSPIRED TO TEACH THE CHURCH THAT IT IS TO BE A PURE BRIDE FOR THE HEAD OF THE CHURCH THE LORD JESUS.

(2) IT SAYS: “HUSBANDS, LOVE YOUR WIVES, JUST AS CHRIST ALSO LOVED THE CHURCH AND GAVE HIMSELF UP FOR HER.

V. 26 – SO THAT HE MIGHT SANCTIFY HER, HAVING CLEANSED HER BY THE WASHING OF WATER WITH THE WORD,

V. 27 – THAT HE MIGHT PRESENT TO HIMSELF THE CHURCH IN ALL HER GLORY, HAVING NO SPOT OR WRINKLE OR ANY SUCH THING; BUT THAT SHE WOULD BE HOLY AND BLAMELESS.”

* NOW DESPITE THE CLEAR BIBLICAL TEACHING TO THE CONTRARY, CHURCHES TODAY ARE TOLERATING SIN TO QUOTE SURVIVE FINANCIALLY AND GROW NUMERICALLY.

** WATERING DOWN SIN AND NOT CALLING THE CHURCH TO BE HOLY IS HAVING A MALIGNANT EFFECT IN THE BODY OF CHRIST AND IS SPREADING LIKE CANCER.

*** HOLINESS IS OUTDATED, PURITY IS NOT IN VOGUE, SO CHURCH DISCIPLINE, ACCOUNTABILITY AND CAREFRONTATION AND CALLING PEOPLE TO REPENT IS VIEWED AS UNLOVING, UNKIND, HARSH, JUDGMENTAL AND LEGALISTIC.

**** YET THE CLEAR CALL AND COMMAND FROM SCRIPTURE IS TO BE PURE, BE HOLY, FLEE FROM SEXUAL SIN AND COMBAT FALSE DOCTRINE WITH TRUTH.

(3) I PETER 1:15&16 SAYS: (READ THEM).

* ALSO READ II CORINTHIANS 7:1; HEBREWS 12:14; ROMANS 16:17-19; I TIMOTHY 4:16; II TIMOTHY 2:22; AND II TIMOTHY 4:2-4.

** NOW FROM THESE SCRIPTURES THE CLEAR CALL TO THE CHURCH IS HOLINESS, PURITY AND SOUND DOCTRINE.

*** AND WE HAVE A SIMILAR CALL TO THE CHURCH AT THYATIRA, THE CHURCH WE WILL START TO LOOK AT TODAY IN OUR TEXT.

**** FOR THE LETTER TO THIS CHURCH IS THE LONGEST OF THE SEVEN IN REVELATION 2&3, THOUGH ADDRESSED TO THE CHURCH IN THE SMALLEST OF THE 7 CITIES.

(4) BUT CHRIST’S MESSAGE TO THIS CHURCH IS AN IMPORTANT MESSAGE FOR THE CHURCH TODAY.

* AND THAT MESSAGE IS: FALSE DOCTRINE AND SIN ARE NOT TO BE ALLOWED – EVEN UNDER THE BANNER OF LOVE, TOLERATION AND UNITY.

** I MEAN FOR SOME TODAY, TOLERANCE TO SIN IS THE ONLY REAL VIRTUE AND INTOLERANCE TO SIN IS THE ONLY VICE.

*** AND WHEREAS THE MESSAGE TO THE CHURCH TO EPHESUS WARNS ABOUT THE DANGERS OF LOVELESS ORTHODOXY, THE MESSAGE TO THYATIRA WARNS AGAINST THE DANGERS OF A SOFT LOVE THAT TOLERATES ALL THINGS AND JUDGES NONE.

**** AND LOVE WILL BE ONE OF THE THINGS THAT CHRIST WILL COMMEND THE CHURCH OF THYATIRA FOR AND GOD KNOWS MANY OF US NEED TO GROW IN LOVE, I DO.

(5) BUT LOVE DEFINED IN IT’S ACTIONS IN I CORINTHIANS 13:6 SAYS LOVE REJOICES NOT IN SIN, BUT REJOICES IN THE TRUTH.

* AND THERE MAY BE MUCH THAT IS COMMENDABLE IN A CHURCH. IT MAY APPEAR ON THE SURFACE TO HAVE AN EFFECTIVE MINISTRY, BE GROWING NUMERICALLY AND HAVE LOVE FOR ONE ANOTHER.

** YET IMMORALITY AND FALSE DOCTRINE, IF NOT CONFRONTED, WILL BRING JUDGMENT FROM THE LORD OF THE CHURCH.

*** BECAUSE OF THAT, I’VE TITLED OUR STUDY TODAY, “A CALL TO BE PURE” AS WE START OUR STUDY OF THE CHURCH AT THYATIRA.

**** AND UNDER THAT THEME WE’LL LOOK AT 3 THINGS. NO. 1 THE CORRESPONDENT, THE LORD JESUS WHO ADDRESSES THIS CHURCH, V. 18; NO. 2 THE COMMENDATION TO THIS CHURCH, V. 19; AND NO. 3 THE CRITICISM BY CHRIST OF THIS CHURCH, VV. 20-23.

(6) AND WITH THAT OUTLINE TO FOLLOW, LOOK AT REVELATION 2:18 PLEASE WHERE WE’LL SEE OUR FIRST POINT TODAY, THE CORRESPONDENT.

I. THE CORRESPONDENT, (READ V. 18)

A. NOW LIKE THE LETTERS TO THE OTHER CHURCHES, THIS LETTER TO THE CHURCH AT THYATIRA IS GIVEN BY JESUS, TO JOHN, TO THE ANGEL OF THIS CHURCH, AND THEN TO THE CHURCH AT THYATIRA, THE ASSEMBLY OF BELIEVERS AT THYATIRA.

* AND HERE THE CORRESPONDENT, THE PERSON WHO COMMUNICATES THIS LETTER, CHRIST, IDENTIFIES HIMSELF AS THE SON OF GOD, THE ONLY TIME THIS PHRASE APPEARS IN REVELATION.

** AND THIS TITLE FOR JESUS EMPHASIZES HIS DEITY, THAT HE IS GOD.

*** AND IT MAY BE THAT HE BEGINS THIS LETTER WITH THIS TITLE, BECAUSE THYATIRA AS A CITY HAD A TEMPLE TO WORSHIP APOLLO, THE S U N GOD, THE SUN GOD.

**** AND THE SUN-GOD DEITY WORSHIPPED IN THIS CITY MAY DAZZLE MEN, BUT CHRIST REVEALS HIMSELF AS THE SON OF GOD, GOD THE SON, THE TRUE GOD WHO IS THE BLAZING LIGHT OF THE WORLD.

1. BUT ALSO, CHRIST MAY HAVE REVEALED HIMSELF TO THIS CHURCH WITH THIS TITLE, RATHER THAN THE SON OF MAN WHICH EMPHASIZES HIS HUMILITY, BECAUSE HE AS GOD IS A DIVINE JUDGE.

* AND WHEREAS THE TITLE SON OF MAN, USED IN CHAPTER 1:13, WITH THE DESCRIPTIONS, THE IDENTIFICATION OF HIS EYES AS A FLAME OF FIRE TO FOLLOW IN CHAPTER 1 VERSE 14 AND CHAPTER 1 VERSE 15, HIS FEET LIKE BURNISHED BRASS, TWO OF THE IDENTIFICATIONS HERE IN OUR TEXT.

** SON OF MAN COMMUNICATES HUMILITY AND HIS ABILITY TO SYMPATHIZE WITH THEIR NEEDS, TRIALS AND TEMPTATIONS OF HIS CHURCH.

*** BUT HERE IN CHAPTER 2 VERSE 18, WE HAVE A THREE-FOLD IDENTIFICATION OF CHRIST IN ONE VERSE, NOT 3 VERSES AS IN CHAPTER 1.

**** THE IDENTIFICATION AS SON OF GOD, AS A DIVINE JUDGE OF THE CHURCH PACKAGED WITH HIS EYES ARE A FLAME OF FIRE MEANING HIS PIERCING LASER-LIKE VISION SEES ALL.

2. AND HIS FEET ARE LIKE BURNISHED BRASS OR BRONZE DEPICTS HIS PURITY AND HOLINESS AS HE TRAMPLES OUT IMPURITY.

* AND THIS 3-FOLD DESCRIPTION OF CHRIST COMMUNICATES HIS DEITY AS THE SON OF GOD, HIS OMNISCIENCE SEEING ALL WITH HIS EYES LIKE A FLAME OF FIRE, AND HIS OMNIPOTENCE, HIS POWER WITH HIS FEET BEING LIKE BURNISHED BRONZE WHO WILL CRUSH SIN.

** AND THIS DESCRIPTION OF THE LORD JESUS MUST HAVE CREATED SOME HOLY FEAR WHEN THIS LETTER WAS READ TO THE CONGREGATION AT THYATIRA.

*** AND IT SHOULD REMIND US THAT CHRIST AS GOD IS A HOLY JUDGE WHO SEES ALL WILL JUDGE CONTINUAL UNREPENTANT SIN.

**** AND THAT’S HOW CHRIST AS THE CORRESPONDENT TO THIS CHURCH ADDRESSES HIMSELF, WHICH LEADS US TO SOME WORDS OF COMMENDATION BEFORE HIS CONDEMNATION OF THIS CHURCH.

3. AND THIS COMMENDATION IS FOUND IN V. 19, OUR 2’D POINT TODAY, SO LOOK AT V. 19 PLEASE.

II. THE COMMENDATION, (READ V. 19)

A. NOW CHRIST COMMENDS THE CHURCH AT THYATIRA BEFORE VOICING HIS CONCERNS, HIS CRITICISMS ABOUT THEM, JUST LIKE HE DID WITH THE CHURCHES AT EPHESUS AND PERGAMUM EARLIER IN REVELATION 2.

* AND HERE IN V. 19 CHRIST BEGINS BY ASSURING THIS CHURCH HE KNEW THEIR DEEDS, WHICH WERE RIGHTEOUS DEEDS, WHICH HE DIVIDED INTO 4 CATEGORIES.

** NO. 1 THE BELIEVERS AT THYATIRA WERE SHOWING LOVE, UNLIKE THE CHURCH AT EPHESUS WHO HAD LEFT THEIR FIRST LOVE, THE LORD JESUS.

*** AND I WOULD ASSUME THIS LOVE WAS DIRECTED TO CHRIST AND TO ONE ANOTHER, ALTHOUGH ALL CHRIST SPECIFICALLY SAYS IS “I KNOW YOUR LOVE.”

**** NO. 2 CHRIST KNEW ABOUT THEIR FAITH PROBABLY BETTER TRANSLATED FIDELITY OR FAITHFULNESS.

1. AND THE TRUE BELIEVERS IN THIS CHURCH WERE DEPENDABLE, RELIABLE, CONSISTENT.

* AND LOVE AND FAITH ARE FREQUENTLY LINKED IN THE N.T. AND IS THE PROPER ORDER HERE IN OLDER MANUSCRIPTS.

** AND OUT OF LOVE AND FAITH GROW THE 3’D AND FOURTH QUALITIES OR CHARACTERISTICS, OR VIRTUES, SERVICE OR MINISTRY AND PERSEVERANCE OR PATIENCE DEPENDING ON WHICH TRANSLATION YOU HAVE.

*** AND HERE’S THE CONNECTION, THOSE WHO LOVE WILL EXPRESS THAT LOVE AS AN ACTION THROUGH MEETING THE NEEDS OF OTHERS BY SERVING THEM, MINISTERING TO THEM.

**** AND THOSE WHO HAVE FAITH AND ARE FAITHFUL WILL STEADFASTLY PERSEVERE IN THE FAITH.

2. IN A SENSE THE FIRST TWO CHARACTERISTICS ARE MOTIVES AND THE SECOND TWO ARE RESULTS OF THOSE MOTIVES.

* LOVE LEADS TO SERVICE AND FAITH OR FAITHFULNESS LEADS TO PERSEVERANCE.

** BUT NOT ONLY DID THE THYATIRA BELIEVERS POSSESS THESE VIRTUES, BUT ALSO AT THE END OF V. 19, THEIR “DEEDS OF LATE ARE GREATER THAN THE FIRST.”

*** MEANING: THEIR LOVING SERVICE WAS BECOMING MORE CONSISTENT AND THEIR FAITHFUL PERSEVERANCE WAS GROWING STRONGER.

**** THEY WERE GROWING OR PROGRESSING IN THESE AREAS. AND CHRIST COMMENDED THEM FOR THESE THINGS.

3. BUT ALL WAS NOT WELL AT THYATIRA, LOOK AT V. 20 PLEASE WHERE WE’LL START TO SEE OUR THIRD POINT, THE CRITICISM, OR THE CONDEMNATION, THE CONCERN.

III. THE CRITICISM, (READ V. 20)

A. NOW THE PROBLEM AT THIS CHURCH TO QUOTE JOHN MACARTHUR WAS “NOT EXTERNAL PERSECUTION, BUT INTERNAL COMPROMISE; NOT VICIOUS WOLVES FROM OUTSIDE THE FLOCK, BUT PERVERSE PEOPLE FROM WITHIN.” (END QUOTE)

* AND THEY ALLOWED SOMEONE FROM WITHIN THE CHURCH TO TEACH FALSE DOCTRINE AND LEAD THEM INTO IMMORALITY.

** AND SPECIFICALLY THIS FALSE TEACHER IS A WOMAN CALLED JEZEBEL, WHO CALLED HERSELF A PROPHETESS.

*** IN OTHER WORDS SHE WAS A SELF-PROCLAIMED PROPHET OF GOD. AND SHE WAS ALLOWED TO TEACH AND LEAD THE CHURCH INTO SIN, FIRST OF ALL A VIOLATION OF THE PRINCIPLES OF I TIMOTHY 2:11-15.

**** AS PAUL GAVE TIMOTHY CLEAR INSTRUCTION FOR THE CHURCH AT EPHESUS THAT GOES BACK TO THE CREATED ORDER OF GOD, SO THIS TEACHING GOES BEYOND CULTURAL AND IS A TIMELESS TRUTH THAT GOES BACK TO CREATION.

1. AND IN I TIMOTHY 2:12, PAUL SAID CLEARLY: (READ IT).

* NOW THIS CHURCH VIOLATED THAT PRINCIPLE. FOR NOTICE IT SAYS IN V. 20 THAT THEY TOLERATED OR PERMITTED OR ALLOWED OR SUFFERED THE WOMAN JEZEBEL.

** THEY ALLOWED HER TO TEACH NO. 1, WHICH WAS WRONG AND THEY COMPOUNDED THAT ERROR OF PERMITTING HER TO TEACH BY ALLOWING HER TO TEACH ERROR.

*** AND WHAT WAS HER TEACHING ERROR, WELL IT SAYS: “SHE TEACHES AND LEADS MY BONDSERVANTS ASTRAY SO THAT THEY COMMIT ACTS OF IMMORALITY AND EATS THINGS SACRIFICED TO IDOLS.”

**** NOW WE ARE NOT TOLD HOW SHE DID THIS AND SPECIFICALLY WHAT SHE TAUGHT. SHE PROBABLY MIXED PAGAN FORMS OF WORSHIP TOGETHER WITH CHRISTIANITY, OR TAUGHT A FORM OF DUALISM THAT THE SPIRIT IS GOOD THE FLESH IS EVIL, SO IT’S O.K. TO INDULGE THE FLESH.

2. OTHERS SPECULATE SHE TAUGHT AN ANTINOMIAN VIEW OF GOD’S GRACE, ARGUING THAT IT DID NOT MATTER IF CHRISTIANS SINNED, SIN GOD WOULD GRACIOUSLY FORGIVE THEM.

* OR MAYBE EVEN SHE MIXED PAGAN PRACTICES OF THE TRADE GUILDS AT THYATIRA WHICH WERE VERY POWERFUL AND LED TO FALSE WORSHIP IN SAYING, LISTEN IT’S OK TO PARTICIPATE IN THEIR PARTIES AND ORGIES, YOU HAVE TO MAKE A GIVING, SO EAT THEIR FOOD OFFERED TO IDOLS AND PARTICIPATION IN THEIR IMMORAL FEASTS, YOU HAVE TO MAKE A LIVING.

** BUT WHATEVER THE SPECIFIC CONTENT OF HER FALSE TEACHING, IT LED BELIEVERS ASTRAY AT THIS CHURCH FROM TRUTH AND RIGHTEOUSNESS.

*** AND THIS WOMAN CALLED JEZEBEL BY CHRIST WAS A REAL WOMAN AND WAS PROBABLY CALLED BY THIS NAME TO IDENTIFY HER WITH THE O.T. WIFE OF AHAB, WHO CORRUPTED ISRAEL INTO BAAL WORSHIP AND FALSE RELIGION AND ALL OF IT’S WICKED PRACTICES.

**** AND THIS SPECIFIC WOMAN IN THYATIRA IS FULFILLING THE ROLE OF HER NAMESAKE FROM A PREVIOUS ERA, INTRODUCING COMPROMISE AS JEZEBEL DID TO ISRAEL.

3. AND JEZEBEL STAMPS ON THE PAGES OF SCRIPTURE AS ONE WHO REPRESENTS MIXING RELIGIONS, COMPROMISE AND AS THE SYMBOL OF IMMORALITY AND IDOLATRY.

* AND THAT’S EXACTLY THE KIND OF WOMAN WHO WAS A SELF-PROCLAIMED PROPHETESS AT THYATIRA, SO WHAT AN APPROPRIATE NAME.

** BUT NOTICE CHRIST’S GRACIOUSNESS TO THIS WOMAN IN V. 21. LOOK AT V. 21 PLEASE.

B. READ V. 21. NOW GRACIOUSLY THE LORD GAVE THIS FALSE PROPHETESS TIME TO REPENT, WHICH SHOWS THE LORD’S PATIENCE AND HIS WILLINGNESS TO FORGIVE WHEN WE REPENT.

* WHICH REMINDS ME OF PSALM 86:5, WHICH SAYS: (READ IT). ALSO READ PROVERBS 28:13 AND I JOHN 1:9.

** AND BELOVED, WHAT A JOY TO KNOW IF WE REPENT, IF WE TURN FROM OUR SIN AND CONFESS AND FORSAKE SIN, HE PRACTICALLY FORGIVES US.

*** BUT THIS FALSE IMMORAL TEACHER WOULD NOT REPENT, SHE DID NOT WANT TO REPENT, SHE WANTED HER SIN OVER CHRIST AND JUDGMENT WOULD FOLLOW, LOOK AT V. 22 PLEASE.

C. READ V. 22. NOW THIS FALSE IMMORAL TEACHER’S BLUNT AND FINAL REFUSAL TO REPENT WOULD LEAD TO A TERRIBLE JUDGMENT, INTRODUCED BY THE FIRST WORD IN V. 22, THE WORD “BEHOLD” OR “SO.”

* AND NOTE THAT THIS JUDGMENT WILL BE IN THREE PARTS; IT WILL BE AGAINST HER PERSON, HER PARTNERS, AND HER PROGENY – HER CHILDREN.

** AND NO. 1 AGAINST HER PERSON, FOR THE LORD WILL CAST OR THROW HER UPON A BED OF SICKNESS OR SUFFERING OR PAIN.

*** AND IT’S INTERESTING THE VERB “CAST” OR “THROW” IN THE GREEK IS IN THE PRESENT TENSE IN THE GREEK AND IS A DRAMATIC WAY OF EXPRESSING SOMETHING SO CERTAIN THAT IT IS AS IF IT WERE ALREADY HAPPENING.

**** AND WHAT HAS BEEN FOR THIS WOMAN A BED OF PLEASURE AND SIN BECOMES A BED OF PAIN.

1. BELOVED, THERE ARE CONSEQUENCES TO SIN AND THEY NEVER BRING JOY, BUT PAIN. IF ONLY WE COULD SEE THAT WHEN WE ARE ENTICED BY IT’S LUST, IT’S FOOL’S GOLD.

* NO. 2 THERE WILL BE JUDGMENT AGAINST HER PARTNERS, THOSE WHO COMMIT ADULTERY WITH HER, WHICH IS MOST LIKELY SPIRITUAL ADULTERY BY FOLLOWING HER FALSE TEACHINGS THAT LEAD TO UNFAITHFULNESS, TO CHRIST IN IMMORAL ACTIONS.

** AND HER PARTNERS WILL EXPERIENCE GREAT TRIBULATION, NOT THE GREAT TRIBULATION OF CHAPTERS 6-18 OF REVELATION, BUT DISTRESS, TROUBLE, AFFLICTION, UNLESS, UNLESS WHAT?

*** THEY REPENT OF HER DEEDS. THERE WILL BE CHASTENING UNLESS THEY REPENT, WHICH AGAIN REPENTANCE OF SIN STOPS THE CHASTENING.

**** THERE IS ALWAYS A BETTER OPTION, REPENT, OBEY, SUBMIT, TURN AWAY FROM SIN TO CHRIST. AND HER PARTNERS ARE CALLED TO REPENTANCE AND IF THEY DON’T THERE WILL BE DIVINE CONSEQUENCES.

2. BUT THERE ALSO IS A THIRD GROUND FOUND IN V. 23 WHO WILL FACE JUDGMENT, HER PROGENY, HER CHILDREN. LOOK AT V. 23 PLEASE.

D. READ V. 23. NOW A THIRD GROUND CLEARLY WILL FACE DIVINE JUDGMENT AND BE KILLED WITH PESTILENCE, HER CHILDREN.

* AND THE WORD PESTILENCE TRANSLATE DEATH IN SOME TRANSLATIONS LIT. MEANS DEATH, SO THE PHRASE CAN BE TRANSLATED KILL THEM WITH DEATH, A STRONG REFERENCE FOR JUDGMENT, A PLAGUE OF JUDGMENT.

** AND SOME SUGGEST THIS MAKES REFERENCE TO THIS WOMAN’S LIT. PHYSICAL CHILDREN AND OTHERS TO HER SPIRITUAL CHILDREN, HER FOLLOWERS, THOSE WHO FOLLOWED HER SPIRITUAL TEACHINGS BUT WERE NOT INVOLVED WITH HER PHYSICALLY.

*** AND REGARDLESS, TERRIBLE JUDGMENT IS COMING TO HER PROGENY WHETHER IT BE PHYSICAL CHILDREN OR SPIRITUAL.

**** AND THEN V. 23 ENDS WITH THIS STATEMENT, “AND ALL THE CHURCHES WILL KNOW THAT I AM HE WHO SEARCHES THE MINDS AND HEARTS; AND I WILL GIVE EACH ONE OF YOU ACCORDING TO YOUR DEEDS.”

1. NOW AS CHRIST JUDGES THIS CHURCH, ALL OTHER CHURCHES ARE WARNED AGAINST THE EVIL OF TOLERATING SIN.

* FOR CHURCHES ARE REMINDERS THAT THE ONE WHO’S EYES ARE AS A FLAME OF FIRE AND HIS FEET LIKE BURNISHED BRONZE OR BRASS, SEES SINS AND WILL DEAL WITH IT.

** JESUS, THE ONE WHO SEARCHES THE MINDS AND HEARTS, AN EXPRESSION USED IN OTHER TEXTS TO DESCRIBE GOD, WILL NOT TOLERATE SIN. NOTHING CAN BE HIDDEN FROM THE PENETRATING GAZE OF THE LORD OF THE CHURCH – AND BASICALLY THIS IS A CALL TO BE PURE, THE TITLE OF OUR MESSAGE TODAY.

*** AND IN THE MIDST OF THAT TRUTH, WHICH SHOULD MOTIVATE US TO PURITY, THERE IS A WORD OF COMFORT TO TRUE BELIEVERS IN THYATIRA WHO HAD NOT FOLLOWED JEZEBEL’S TEACHING.

**** AND THAT IS: “I WILL GIVE TO EACH ONE OF YOU ACCORDING TO YOUR DEEDS.”

2. BELOVED, CHRIST’S UNENDING JUDGMENT WOULD BE BASED ON EACH PERSON’S DEEDS; AND THOSE WHO WERE INNOCENT AND NOT FOLLOWING THIS FALSE TEACHING WITH IT’S ACCOMPANYING IMMORALITY WOULD NOT BE CHASTENED OR JUDGED, IF REVEALED THROUGH UNREPENTANT SIN THEY ARE LOST.

* AND THAT WOULD BE A COMFORT TO THOSE WHO WERE NOT WRAPPED UP IN THIS SIN AND SHOULD HAVE BROUGHT FEAR TO THOSE WHO WERE.

AND I WRAP UP OUR VERSES FOR TODAY: (1) IN APPLICATION, HOW DO THESE THINGS HAPPEN TO US AND TO A CHURCH?

* I MEAN, I DON’T WANT TO BE A MAN GIVEN OVER TO FALSE DOCTRINE AND SPIRITUALLY, I DON’T WANT TO BE AN IMMORAL MAN.

** AND IF YOU’RE A TRUE FOLLOWER OF CHRIST, YOU DO NOT WANT EITHER OF THESE THINGS, THERE IS AT LEAST A DESIRE TO BE PURE AS CHRIST CALLS US TO BE PURE.

*** SO HOW DOES IT HAPPEN? WELL, ONE WORD JUMPS OUT AT ME THAT IS FOUND IN V. 20, THE WORD “TOLERATE.”

**** FOR IF YOU TOLERATE SIN IN YOUR LIFE, IF YOU ALLOW IT TO GO UNCHECKED, UNCONFESSED, UNREPENTED OF, IF YOU ALLOW IT TO GO UNRESTRAINED IT WILL DEFILE AND DECEIVE YOU AND YOU WILL BE CAPABLE OF ANY VILE ACT.

(2) LITTLE SINS NOT PUT IN CHECK DEFILE US AND WHEN LEFT ALONE OPEN THE DOOR TO ALL KINDS OF DECEPTION AND JUSTIFICATIONS AND RATIONALIZATIONS.

* LISTEN, I KNOW PEOPLE THAT WERE A LOT STRONGER THAN ME IN THE LORD THAT HAVE GONE DOWN THE PATH OF PHYSICAL ADULTERY BECAUSE THEY NEVER PUT IN CHECK MENTAL ADULTERY.

** AND THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO KNOW THE TRUTH A WHOLE LOT MORE THAN ME THAT HAVE YIELDED TO DOCTRINAL ERRORS.

*** HOW? TOLERATING SIN. NOT CONFESSING IT AND FORSAKING IT, NOT REPENTING OF IT EVERY TIME IT HAPPENS, KEEPING YOUR ACCOUNTS SHORT AND BEING ACCOUNTABLE!

**** AND I CONFESS EVEN WHEN I DO THOSE THINGS AND LOSE MY FOCUS AND TAKE MY EYES OFF OF CHRIST, I STRUGGLE.

(3) BELOVED, GALATIANS 5:9 SAYS: (READ IT).

* NOW THE CONTEXT OF THIS TEXT HAS TO DO WITH FALSE TEACHERS WHO CONTAMINATE THE CHURCH SPREADING HERESY AMONG TRUE BELIEVERS.

** AND THE TRUTH IS A SMALL AMOUNT OF FALSEHOOD CAN CORRUPT THE THINKING AND LIVING OF A CHURCH.

*** AND BEYOND THAT, LEAVEN IN SCRIPTURE OFTEN REPRESENTS SIN. THE FIGURE OF LEAVEN IS GENERALLY USED TO INDICATE PERMEATING POWER.

**** AND IT IS USED THAT WAY IN I CORINTHIANS 5:6 IN TALKING ABOUT SIN AND IMMORALITY.

(4) I CORINTHIANS 5:6 SAYS: “YOUR BOASTING IS NOT GOOD. DO YOU NOT KNOW THAT A LITTLE LEAVEN LEAVENS THE WHOLE LUMP OF DOUGH?”

* AND CHRISTIAN THE TRUTH IS SIN HAS THE POWER TO INFECT AND PERMEATE THAT WHICH IS GOOD, YEAST WILL PERMEATE DOUGH AND MAKE IT GROW IN A SENSE.

** JUST AS A SINGLE CELL OF CANCER CAN METASTASIZE UNTIL IT SPREADS THROUGHOUT THE PHYSICAL BODY, A SINGLE FALSE DOCTRINE CAN MULTIPLY ITSELF AND SPREAD THROUGHOUT A BODY OF BELIEVERS.

*** AND IMMORALITY CAN HAVE A LEAVENING EFFECT.

**** FOR A GREAT FOREST FIRE CAN BE STARTED BY ONE SPARK.

(5) BENJAMIN FRANKLIN WROTE: “FOR WANT OF A NAIL THE SHOE WAS LOST; FOR WANT OF A SHOE THE HORSE WAS LOST; FOR WANT OF A HORSE THE RIDER WAS LOST; AND FOR WANT OF A RIDER THE BATTLE WAS LOST.”

* BELOVED MAY WE NOT LOSE THE BATTLE, MAY WE NOT TOLERATE IMMORALITY OR FALSE DOCTRINE. MAY WE COMBAT ERROR WITH TRUTH AND MAY WE NOT TOLERATE IMMORALITY IN OUR LIVES BY OPENING TO DOOR. MAY WE CONFESS AND REPENT IMMEDIATELY.

** THE ONE WHO IS THE SON OF GOD WHO’S EYES ARE AS A FLAME OF FIRE AND WHO’S FEET ARE AS BURNISHED BRONZE CALLS US TO BE PURE.