““And to the angel of the church in Pergamos write, ‘These things says He who has the sharp two-edged sword: “I know your works, and where you dwell, where Satan’s throne is. And you hold fast to My name, and did not deny My faith even in the days in which Antipas was My faithful martyr, who was killed among you, where Satan dwells. But I have a few things against you, because you have there those who hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols, and to commit sexual immorality. Thus you also have those who hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which thing I hate. Repent, or else I will come to you quickly and will fight against them with the sword of My mouth. “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give some of the hidden manna to eat. And I will give him a white stone, and on the stone a new name written which no one knows except him who receives it.” ’”
Revelation 2:12-17 NKJV
Compromised
There is a funny scene in the movie The Help, where one of the protagonists makes a special pie for her employer. It is a chocolate pie, with a very special ingredient. Those who have seen the film, know what I am talking about. Spoiler alert: what may look like chocolate isn’t always chocolate.
When I look for spiritual implications, I find myself referring to many illustrations where subjects are asking if it is okay to do something small that compromises the core values of the faith. Often there is the tale of the wayward son asking if it is okay to see something inappropriate. The father, brings out a plate of luscious brownies. Unbeknownst to the son, the father has laced a little bit of feces into it. The person who is questioning is asked if they want a brownie, then the maker tells of the key ingredient.
The faced with such a quandary, most of us would toss the brownies in the trash. Yet, when it comes to matters of eternity and the soul, there is an increasing willingness to compromise, to add what is unholy to the holy, suspending spiritual discernment.
The church in America has become overly compromised, to one degree or another. We allow all manner of influence from various religious practices into the church, thus diluting the power of the word and the mission.
The church at Perpamos had become compromised and followed after the beefs and custom of those that surrounded them. They had lost their peculiarity, and had become soiled. All manner of sin entered the church, as those followers of Jesus had given themselves over to the doctrine of Balaam who told Balak of the main way to disable Israel, by becoming one with them.
The modern church has done this, becoming caught up in the fleshly things, neglecting the spiritual. I think also of the church at Corinth, a very similar church, with a very similar problem. The Corinthians had sought favor in the world, seeking to be relevant.
The Gospel by its nature is not relevant, it is counter to the wisdom of man and appears as outright foolishness. We believe in a God we cannot see, but have lives that have been transformed beyond the mere will of man.
“For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called. But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, that no flesh should glory in His presence. But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God—and righteousness and sanctification and redemption— that, as it is written, “He who glories, let him glory in the Lord.””
I Corinthians 1:26-31 NKJV
Brothers and sisters, we are nearing the time when compromises of the modern church will come to fruition, and those who seek to accurately follow Christ will be persecuted by those who have compromised. Even now, there are those who call themselves Christians who believe in the taking of infant lives, who believe in intragender attraction.
The Bible has all been forgotten.
Sadder still, there are many in church who do not know the Lord. They have lived lives as apostate, having never known the joy of forgiveness. If they are in a compromised church, they have no hope of heaven, and a destiny in hell. There are other people, true followers of Jesus, who have laid aside their faith, to purse fables. Those of who have reminded true to the word of God have not done so, drawing to ourselves much reviling and rejection. We are the descendants of a great cloud of witnesses who saw the glory of Jesus first hand.
“For we did not follow cunningly devised fables when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of His majesty. For He received from God the Father honor and glory when such a voice came to Him from the Excellent Glory: “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” And we heard this voice which came from heaven when we were with Him on the holy mountain.”
II Peter 1:16-18 NKJV
We also have the proof of the transformed heart. I know that I am not the person I was, and that God has done a new thing in me. May we walk worthy of the Lord, avoiding the poison of this world, eschewing the sins of the flesh, seeking the Holiness of God.
Let us also pray for those who have become compromised, that they repent and return to the Lord. There are many souls, billions, hanging in the balance and time is short, and the workers are few.
THE PRAYER CHAIR IS OPEN! Send me your requests!
Musings from an idle mind 
Amen and amen!
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