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Verse 12: "And to the messenger of the church in Pergamos write: These things says He who has the sharp two-edged sword."
In the church in Smyrna we saw that although Satan attacked the church, its love increased through persecution. Now persecution has stopped, but Satan's wiles have prevailed. If he cannot persecute us outwardly, he will try to deceive us inwardly and will corrupt God's children. Oppression and temptation are two tools the enemy uses to oppose God. These two things are manipulated dexterously by Satan's hand. If he fails in one, he will use the other. This is the way he dealt with our Lord. First, he led Him into the wilderness. When his plan failed, he was forced to kill Him on the cross. Still, he failed, and his Adversary, our Lord, won the full victory. He dealt with Paul the same way. He wanted to collaborate with Paul to damage the Lord's holy work, and when that failed, he cast Paul into prison (Acts 16). He is dealing with the church the same way. When he persecuted Smyrna, it became more zealous. Therefore, he changed his strategy and tried to entice Pergamos with the worldly snare. It is a pity that Pergamos fell into his trap and lost its separation from the world.
The church in Pergamos reveals to us the condition after Smyrna. God cares for His children. This is why, when He sees them departing from their first love, He allows persecution to come upon them so that they would not backslide. This goal was accomplished for a brief while, but not long after this, the reviving power of the church was lost again! It degraded again, and the degradation became more severe than before. The church has become worldly! There are many similarities between the situation at the time of the judges and the condition of the church now. The book of Judges is a book of revivals. The Israelites failed in Canaan and were overcome by the enemies. Yet God in His grace constantly delivered them. But the amazing thing is that after every deliverance, which can be considered a revival, God's people failed once more. Their resulting condition was far worse than before their revivals! Is this not the same with the history of the church? In His love and mercy God would time and again revive His children with the Holy Spirit so that they would receive life once more and would grow in spiritual stature and that they would obey God's word more. But it is a pity that no sooner does the tide of revival pass away than a renowned church falls back once again. Hence, although God halted the backsliding of Ephesus, in the church in Smyrna this did not last for long. Now Pergamos is before us.
Here, though the matter is not our subject, I would mention in passing the type of the Israelites and how it can be applied to the condition of the denominations today. The confusion at the time of the judges can be seen from the expression "every man did that which was right in his own eyes" (Judg. 21:25). After this period of doing everything right according to one's own eyes, we see the people taking Saul as king. After this there was David and then Solomon. In the current denominations everyone indeed does "that which was right in his own eyes." Man's tradition, psychology, preference, theology, creed, ordinance, and choice become the goal of all denominational organizations. God's word is cast behind or is relegated a position equal to human work. Many would not obey the "thus saith the Lord" but would rather concede that ordinances for the preservation of order in the denominations be maintained. We are not surprised that this is the natural consequence of apostasy. In the end, as a whole, the people will accept Antichrist as king. This is Saul of the Old Testament. However, our David, the warring Christ, will come again, will war, and will win. In the end He will be like Solomon and reign as the King of peace for a thousand years. Now is the time for us to be faithful.
If the church has not left the first love, no temptation will make it slide back. However, when the first love is lost, there is no degradation that the church cannot experience.
The word "Pergamos" has two meanings in the original language. The first is "complete marriage." This means that the church has dropped its present sojourning nature and has instead married the world. The church is supposed to be a virgin espoused to Christ. How can the church be so if it is married before Christ comes? This must be the marriage between the church and the world. It is not a surprise though, because it is the result of a long period of romance. According to the Lord's word, Christians and the world should be diametrically opposed to one another. Our remaining in the world is for the purpose of testifying to the wrongdoing of the world that has crucified Christ. This is why the Lord said that "in the world you have affliction" (John 16:33). If the believers maintain their stand of being out of the world and against the world, they will enjoy an eternal Smyrna. If the world has not persecuted the Christians, it must be for one of the two following reasons: either the world has become the church, or the church has become the world. The present world may be prosperous materially speaking, but is its attitude toward Christ different from that of twenty centuries ago? If the world has not changed for the better to become the church, we have to admit that the church has joined hands with the world and has married it. Hence, the church has become the world!
This word has another meaning, which is "high tower." The result of the church being married to the world is the gaining of an honorable position. This was its goal anyway. Now this goal is reached. How could cross-bearing followers of the humble Nazarene ever have seen the good that man now enjoys? "We have become a high tower for the whole world to admire. Is this not a great boost to the Lord's truth?" But then, the position of a high tower puts the student higher than the teacher and the servant higher than the master. Since the world calls our master one who is demon-possessed, what mockery should we receive? If all that our Lord received were the thorned crown and the wooden cross, what should we have? If the manger was His birthplace, should the high tower be our dwelling? Those who love the Lord should know how to answer these questions. The high tower cannot be compared to the spirit of the rejected cross. Can the high tower and the cross go parallel one to the other and not clash with each other? In reality, those who marry the world can hardly bear the spirit of the humble, painful, common, and poor cross. The high tower is but a symbol of all the great things. The church can bounce and rejoice on the broad way of the world. However, the Lord will judge.
We have mentioned before that the way the Lord addresses each church is intimately related to the condition of that church. Since the church in Pergamos is worldly, the Lord revealed Himself as "He who has the sharp two-edged sword." Man opposed Smyrna with his sword, but the Lord opposed Pergamos with His sword. Formerly it was Nero who was drawing the sword. This time it was Christ who was drawing the sword. The Lord Jesus wanted them to know that as much as the sword of the world was fearsome, His sword was even more fearsome. If man is fearsome, is not God more fearsome? As His messenger had dealt with Balaam, in the same way He Himself would deal with the church who followed Balaam. This is the tool He uses to deal with the apostate church. How different this letter is from the last! There the believers were going to die, and the Lord revealed Himself as the resurrection. Here He was the judge with the two-edged sword. In Smyrna He had the authority of life. Here He had the authority of death. To those who did not love their life, He demonstrated His tenderness and loving sympathy, but to those who loved their life and who were joined to the world, He showed His sharp sword. If a man tries to avoid the enemy's persecution, he will instead find the punishment of Christ.
The first church tells us of the forsaking of the first love. The second church tells us of the enemy's persecution. The question now is not persecution but the enemy's welcome. The smile of Satan is more dreadful than his anger. What a pity that many Samsons have braved the fierce Philistines on the battlefield only to find their locks of power shorn through sleeping on the lap of Delilah and thus becoming no different than an ordinary man. If God chastises, it means that He is still doing something. If God gives up, though the flesh can enjoy comfortably and the conscience is set to rest, danger is near! "Ephraim is joined to idols: let him alone" (Hosea 4:17). This is most tragic! Now we have the finer judgment of Christ. These ones utilize their evil teachings to support their walk with the world and cover their evil deeds with false holiness. The word on the removal of the lampstand is no longer suitable here. God did not call them to return to their first love. This was impossible already for the whole church had become lost. Other than the promise for the individual lover of the Lord to take pleasure in the Lord, there was no other promise given.
This church no longer had the ability to differentiate that which needs differentiation. This is why the Lord told them that He is the One with the two-edged sword. The meaning of the two-edged sword can be seen from Hebrews 4:12-13: "For the word of God is living and operative and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing even to the dividing of soul and spirit and of joints and marrow, and able to discern the thoughts and intentions of the heart. And there is no creature that is not manifest before Him, but all things are naked and laid bare to the eyes of Him to whom we are to give our account." The reason the Lord spoke to the messenger of Pergamos in this way was to show the church that its spiritual condition is naked before Him and that His word will expose our true condition.
Moreover, this sword also symbolizes judgment. The Lord's word pierces through all hidden things. At the same time, His word also judges, condemns, and executes judgments. Later the Lord used the same sword to smite the nations (Rev. 19). Hence, the meaning is obvious. This is the weapon with which the Lord Jesus judges and executes judgments. As man's sword is used for cutting away, in the same way the word of God is used to exterminate all opposers. Naturally, the Lord will not use this to kill His own people. Yet, the Lord called those who were in the same position as the Nicolaitans to repent, or else they would face war (2:16).
Verse 13: "I know where you dwell, where Satan's throne is; and you hold fast My name and have not denied My faith, even in the days of Antipas, My witness, My faithful one, who was killed among you, where Satan dwells."
The word for "throne" is thronos. The throne is a symbol of reigning. Satan's throne is not in hell for hell is only Satan's prison. It is not the sphere where he exercises his authority. Satan's territory is the present world. The world is the place where he reigns. The Bible says, "The whole world lies in the evil one" (1 John 5:19). The Bible calls him expressly "the ruler of the world" (John 14:30). Paul also called him "the god of this age" (2 Cor. 4:4). Hence, the place "where Satan's throne is" is the present world.
The church is living in the world! How strange this is! The hostile world is no longer driving away the church, making the church feel that it is different from the world. The church has now fallen into the bosom of the world. The church is no longer the scum (1 Cor. 4:13), much less a pest (Acts 24:5)! Now it has gained a position and is honored by man. The church is living in the world where Satan reigns as king. To "dwell" is to make home. It is no longer a guest in the world but has become an important member in the world. The church has made its home in the world! How different this is from its Lord! Its Lord spent His first night on earth in a manger in an inn. He spent His last night on earth also in an inn. (The word "guest room" in Luke 22:11 is the same word in the original language as the "inn" in Luke 2:7.) The Lord Jesus was a traveller on earth from beginning to end. Even after He died, He was still buried in another person's tomb. He was truly a guest. He expects His church to be nothing more than a guest on earth. This is why He put the one He has saved into an inn (Luke 10:34). He expects to find at His coming back all His saved ones in that inn. However, it is a pity that the church has lost its sojourning and pilgrimming nature! There is a difference between "being" in the world and "living" in the world. In the former case the person is just a sojourner. In the latter case the person is a citizen of the world. This is a moral issue. Since it has joined itself to the world, there is the possibility to receive heresy. When the flesh dwells in the world, there is no danger, but it is pitiful for the heart and the spirit to make home in the world.
The Savior admitted that the circumstance was difficult. He knew that the place where the church was was dangerous. Sin and idols were everywhere. He realized the predicament facing the church. That is why He said: "I know where you dwell, where Satan's throne is." The Lord Jesus glories in His martyrs. This is why He said: "Antipas, My witness, My faithful one" (Rev. 2:13). Neither the Bible nor history mention the name Antipas. However, this is the name of one who truly suffers for the Lord. Although man does not know him, the Lord mentioned His name specifically. He mentioned His faithfulness. What a commendation this is! How precious is the death of the saints in the eyes of the Lord! The Lord knows those who are His. He knows who has passed through difficulties and sufferings for His sake. Although man does not know Antipas, the Good Shepherd knows the name of His sheep. What a comforting thought this is! Although there was loneliness, although man's eyes did not see him, although persecution persisted until death, although he had nothing left behind in the world, and although historians would not even save a space for his name, the Lord's eyes saw and His heart remembered; He praised and commended. This is truly "A garden inclosed...a spring shut up, a fountain sealed" (S.S. 4:12). The world could not touch him for he was the apple of the Lord's eye. It was not easy for him to give anything to the world. He only knew the Lord and sought only to please Him. He is a lonely martyr, one whom the Lord praised. We thank and praise the Lord that He never forgets any of His nameless, hidden servants. Everyone who suffers for Him, whoever he may be, is known by Him. He puts all of them in His heart. Lord, how numerous are Your thoughts toward me! In the coming kingdom, all those who suffer for the Lord will receive glory. The life that we lose now will be gained back in the future. This is not only true for Antipas alone but for all the unnamed heroes who are martyrs for the Lord in life or in death. They will all shine as the sun.
"Who was killed among you, where Satan dwells." The Lord saw the condition of Pergamos. Satan not only had a throne there; he was personally dwelling there. It is hard for one not to find red blood stains and broken bones before a lion's den. It is not surprising to find persecution at the place where Satan dwells. Satan is a murderer from the beginning. He is the same from the first day until now.
"In the days of Antipas, My witness, My faithful one, who was killed among you, where Satan dwells." To be a witness, one who is true, who stirs up the wrath of Satan, and who cripples the kingdom of Satan, will necessarily bring out the enemy's persecution. Unless a witness can cripple Satan, he is not a true witness. A true witness will surely stir up the wrath of the enemy. However, at times, even when we witness, we will not be killed. Antipas was not only a witness but a faithful witness. All those who witness faithfully will be persecuted. Satan is not afraid of our empty words. What he cannot stand is a faithful witness. To be a witness alone does not seem to require much price, but to be a faithful witness requires one to risk his own life. The price is here. Who is willing to pay it?
"You hold fast My name and have not denied My faith, even in the days of Antipas...who was killed." The Lord allowed difficulty to come upon them. This is why the Lord did not interrogate them. He is a merciful Lord. He remembers His mercy in His judgment. He tried His best to commend the church. No merit of His children goes unnoticed and unappreciated. He recognized the difficulty of their circumstance. He praised them for holding fast His name and not denying His faith.
"You hold fast My name and have not denied My faith." They did not deny the faith that was once delivered to the saints. They were still holding fast everything that the Lord's name implies. This name implies the glory of the Lord's person. They did not forget the Lord's person because of His body of flesh. Although their eyes had not seen the Lord, they believed in the Lord's divinity. They held fast the Lord's name and did not deny His faith. How incomplete it is for such a thing to come from a worldly church! Yet the Lord does not annul any merit of man. This is why He commends. The first half of the Lord's commendation was stronger than the second half, for to "hold fast" is much better than to "not deny." Nevertheless, both to "hold fast" and to "not deny" are not easy matters. Even this is good enough to make the Lord grateful. This is why He delighted in mentioning them and praising them. Can the Lord say this word to the church today? What do we see today? Do we not see Christ's person being rejected everywhere? Man extols the twentieth century culture, but is not the world of the twentieth century still the throne of Satan? But here was an Antipas. The meaning of his name is "against everyone." He, like Stephen, sealed the witness he bore with his own blood. He is one who refuses to keep silent. Neither the power of hell, nor the persecutions of the world, nor the danger of life can stop him from opposing everyone. Where are those witnesses today who will testify faithfully for the Lord and who will not love their life unto death?
Verse 14: "But I have a few things against you, that you have some there who hold the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the sons of Israel, to eat idol sacrifices and to commit fornication."
"But I have a few things against you." The words of praise are over. Now comes the word of rebuke! What is the teaching of Balaam? What characteristics does Balaam have? Because of his greed, he set his mind to serve the king of Moab and to curse God's Israel. God had stopped him already, yet his heart was moved by the high place and the offer of gold, and he went to inquire of God again. In the end, he went. Although many of the things he said were true, he said it not by will and not from his heart. By taking this way, he was bit by bit going downhill until he was clearly aligned with the world, scheming with the world to stumble God's people. Is this not the case with the present church? To barter God's truth is to go the way of Balaam.
What then is the teaching of Balaam? Through Balaam's mouth, God told the Israelites that they should dwell alone and should not be reckoned among the nations. Yet Balaam taught the Israelites to remove the wall of partition between them and the nations so that they would be joined to the Midianites and would worship the idols and sin together. Hence, the teaching of Balaam is the alliance with the world. The result of this teaching is to take away the church's qualification as a Nazarite and its zeal in loving the Lord.
The world and the church should be separated by a deep gulf. Yet the teaching of Balaam causes Balak to build a floating bridge across it so that the church and the world can be joined together and can love one another. The way of Balaam was to cause Balak to utilize the Moabite women to draw the Israelites to worship idols and to commit fornication. Because the church is joined to the world, everything has become comfortable and easy. Comfort and ease lead to looseness. This is why the teaching of Balaam was able to prevail. The eating of things offered to idols and fornication are the sins which resulted from Balaam's teaching. The Holy Spirit had forewarned the church through Paul to stay away from these two particular sins. Please read 1 Corinthians 6, 8, and 10. Formerly, these two sins caused the Israelites to become desolate. At this point they corrupted the chastity of the church.
Outwardly speaking, Balaam was God's prophet, one who was near to God. However, he tried to use his power for the purpose of gaining money. He himself had no animosity against the Israelites, but his own belly was his own god. When this god of his belly had a demand, he helplessly complied to curse the Israelites. He used sin and reveling to lower the standard of the Israelites so that they would become the same as the Midianites. First there was friendship, then temptation, and finally sin. If a man is standing by the side of the pit of sin, the evil spirits will never sleep. Given an opportunity, they will push man down the pit. The eating of the food offered to idols is something for the belly, and fornication is a sin against one's own body. Both cause the flesh to rejoice. The worldly associations, congregations, and lusts have led the Israelites and those in Pergamos into the pit of sin. Yet there is an unbroken line of followers behind the Israelites and those in Pergamos! Balaam has corrupted the Israelites of its distinction and has caused it to mingle itself with the nations and their idols. As such it is easy to understand its significance in type. Once the church is joined to the world, has received benefits from the world, and uses the world to attract fleshly men, the natural consequence is that the hired prophets will, for the protection of their own interest, do everything to corrupt the distinction of all the godly ones. This degradation is a corporate degradation. It has never been repented of; much less has the lost ground been recovered. Although throughout the ages there have been many individuals who have left this teaching, up to today the corporate recovery has not yet been seen. Every step downward increases the speed of the decline. "Have ye offered unto me sacrifices and offerings in the wilderness forty years, O house of Israel? But ye have borne the tabernacle of your Moloch and Chiun your images, and the star of your god, which ye made to yourselves. Therefore will I cause you to go into captivity beyond Damascus, saith the Lord, whose name is The God of hosts" (Amos 5:25-27). Although since that time there have been many revivals and restorations, they have all been partial; there has never been a fresh start. Is the same not true for the church? Some have said that there is a new Pentecost now, but where is the new Pentecost? Did not even the first Pentecost last for only a brief period of time? "On you, the kindness of God, if you continue in His kindness; otherwise you also will be cut off" (Rom. 11:22). Have the Gentiles continued in His kindness? Is it not rather the case that since the first day, the teaching of Balaam has become stronger and stronger and its disciples more and more numerous until the whole church is now conformed to this sinful teaching? No doubt the Israelites later moaned to remove the abominable things among them (Ezek. 9:4). But allow me to say a gentle word: is not the church still holding on to what the Lord condemns here? Although there is a minority who opposes this kind of influence, how many are there who can escape the sway of its power?
At the present time we should examine ourselves to see where we stand. Are we in "Babylon" or are we "outside the camp?" What have we done personally to separate the church from the world? Second Corinthians 6 strictly forbids believers from bearing the same yoke with unbelievers. Concerning this matter, have we fully "come out from their midst"? Before God, our keeping of companions will be judged in the same way our works will be judged. Although God wants to be our Father in experience, He cannot carry out His fatherly duty or manifest His fatherly love unless we come out from their midst. How numerous are the present number of congregations, denominations, and groups! Yet how many of God's children among these groups remember the solemn teaching in 2 Corinthians 6?
There are, of course, many reasons for God to forbid the bearing of various yokes. But the total significance of these yokes is an alliance with man for the purpose of pursuing after a common goal. Social ties, marital relationships, and partnerships in business are all examples of yokes. However, we must not forget that as far as yokes are concerned the most serious consideration is in relationship to the church itself. At present there are many methods of organization which are trying their best to mingle the church with the world. These methods have no trace of life but are rather formalities. A man can call himself a member of Christ and a child of God just by the ritual of baptism. The saved ones and the unsaved ones can equally come to the Lord's table to share in the Lord's supper. Under this kind of organization it is impossible to be separated from the world. The believers are in the church, and the world is also in the church. How can there be the separation? Charitable works, theological teachings, and all kinds of ecclesiastical ceremonies cannot make the many intruders and imposters in the church the children of God. Yet there are many who do not see what kind of yoke they are bearing in the church!
In some countries there are even state churches. Through one bill of parliament, a whole nation can become Christians. Some parents through their confession in Christianity make all their offspring Christians as well and their households Christian households. You can give a person a compromising title, yet this person is dead. Such a one becomes a performer and a hypocrite only because you have forced upon him the title of a Christian. You can hide his real condition from him, deceiving him and bribing him, yet in eternity he will wake up. But what a pity when such a one does wake up only to find himself in the midst of a boundless darkness! The reason for this is that you have borne the same yoke with him and have led him into deception and into the place of wailing and gnashing of teeth. If you would have made a separation earlier, you may have stirred up his conscience, and he may not have fallen into the condition that he is in.
It is unavoidable for the Judaistic churches to have a lot of mixture (cf. the section on Smyrna). There, no one has the solid assurance, and everyone is on probation, hoping to be saved. If the church is not composed of a group of saved ones, having only a method of salvation, it will be difficult to have the same yoke. According to the present prevailing thought, a man joins the church in hope of being saved. As such, it is hard to avoid seeing the church becoming an institution of saints and sinners combined. When man does not believe in the teaching of the assurance of salvation, such a condition is unavoidable.
Balaam was a hired prophet. He prophesied only for money. How numerous are the students of Balaam among today's churches! One argues that only with money can he build churches, buy Bibles, and support preachers. Yet Pentecost can never be purchased with money, and the millennium is never built on earth with money! Formerly, Balak hired Balaam to work. Now the church is seeking for the world to contribute money to pay for the preachers. Some worldly people have not even put on a Christian appearance, yet the church has already come to them for contributions. The church tells those who have not consecrated themselves to the Lord to consecrate their money! To them, as long as money is put to the right use, it does not matter by what method the money is secured. With money one can conduct charitable works and build schools and hospitals. With money one can buy Bibles and send preachers to evangelize the faraway lands. With money one can perform thousands of good works. "Why then should we worry where the money comes from? If the goal is right, why should we be worried about the means? Can one still hope to find miracles in the twentieth century?"
What can be the result of this plea for men to help the church and for the children of Satan to use their material riches to help a work that supposedly will destroy the work of Satan? Can we tell the world its true condition with a Bible that is printed with their money? Can we prove to them that before God everyone is a sinner and will perish? Can we tell them that they are the children of the devil? Can we tell them that no flesh can please God? If we want money from the world, then we must first change our gospel and auction our truth! The world does not have to give its money. It will certainly not give money to something that will be used to condemn itself. Once Balaam becomes our prophet, we cannot be too "square" anymore. At least, we have to be toned down a little and should be joined to the world. "Let the world come in, or else you cannot help it! There should be nice buildings, comfortable chairs, beautiful music, and soothing teachings. Since we cannot expect them to come up to our standard, we should lower ourselves to their level. How can we arouse their attention and gain their heart if there are no social gatherings, entertainment clubs, and other various colorful get-togethers?" Frankly speaking, if we want the world's help on the one hand, and try to preach the truth on the other hand, the world will turn around and say to us: "You have exhorted us to give money and to store up riches in heaven, yet you are telling us that we cannot go into heaven! What is this?" Readers, am I being too much? Is it not true that all faithful children of the Lord do have this kind of feeling? Actually, there is no word that can adequately describe the degradation of the works of the nominal Christians. I wish I could be like Jeremiah, with tears like a fountain, weeping day and night for those who are God's people in name! What a pity that day by day the church has sunken to a level below that of the world while boasting that the world has risen to her own level!
If we consider further the preaching work up until today, we have to admit that the teaching of Balaam has indeed gained many followers. Money is the power behind the preaching, and remuneration is the condition for work. The first question asked in the work is how much salary one will receive. If there is no money, the workers will go away. Those who pay more can expect a greater leader. Those poor villages that cannot afford much can never have a teacher. The rich church with a deep pocket has the biggest hope of getting the ones it admires. The poor church, in spite of its godliness and faith and riches before God, considers itself inferior to others and dares not invite those it admires. With money there is the power of choice. With little money there is no choice but to accept what is assigned. What man desires is a successful preacher. Of course, success here is measured with respect to the world. But then sometimes, God in His mercy will keep a church from having a Balaam to execute the teaching of Balaam. It is a fact that sometimes a godly preacher in a church rife with the teaching of Balaam will find himself restricted from doing anything. If he tries to do anything, he will be discharged. Godliness is not something that man likes, and as such it will never be welcomed by man. If the world desires godliness, it will not be the world anymore. Hence, there are few who remember to preach to the poor!
This is all I will say. If I say more, my heart will not be happy and will not improve anything. But I would present this most solemn matter before those who love Christ honestly and who honor Him faithfully. The teaching of Balaam is everywhere. What a shame this is to the Lord's name! If this is the only way to maintain the church and to support the preachers, why not let this work fall to pieces? If a Christian cannot go on without the world, he will soon find out that the world can go on without him! The Pharisees of old were wiser than the Christians of today. They said of the pieces of silver that "it is not lawful to put them into the temple treasury, since it is blood money" (Matt. 27:6). Because man does not believe in God's power and love, he devises many ways to fill up the lack. But if God truly does not have the power and the love, why do we have to spend the effort to do something in His name? If God is liable to fail, why do we not just allow Him to fail? If God can fail, what purpose is there for us to plan so much? If He cannot fail, does not planning expose our utter lack of faith? Where in the Bible does it record a campaign for money with organizational ways? Those who give should give "as a blessing and not as a matter of covetousness...each one as he has purposed in his heart, not out of sorrow or out of necessity, for God loves a cheerful giver" (2 Cor. 9:5b, 7). God does not want an offering from sinners. What He wants is a willing consecration from His children.
Where can we find in the Bible the system of hired workers? It is true that "to the one who works" there is the reward (Rom 4:4) and that it is right that "those who announce the gospel...live from the gospel" (1 Cor. 9:14). But who is the one who hires the preacher? Whose servants are they? Are Christians offering money to hire preachers, or are they offering money to God? Are the preachers the workers of God or are they the workers of church members? God can certainly use His people to give money to His workers, but to the giver, it should not be a matter of remuneration to the preacher but a matter of offering to God. For the receiver, he should not consider the amount of work he does as the basis for the amount of money he should receive. Instead he should receive everything from God's hand. If the Lord's believers cannot give without using a certain method, will God then be short of their money? Why do we need their money anyway? If a servant of God cannot trust in the Lord fully, he should change to another profession and should earn an honest wage. The Bible does not give us one instance of a servant of God looking to man. When wages are stopped, the hired ones are gone. In this way, God's work will not be affected by money. This will prevent having useless ones among the servants of Christ. I have said before, and I will say it again, that if we cannot act by God's way, it is better that we not act at all. It is better to let the work fall than to use human inventions to replace the divine institutions. If one wants to offer, he has to do so willingly. If one wants to work, he has to trust in the Lord. Anything else will not please the Lord and should be rejected by those who faithfully love the Lord.
What is the result of the teaching of Balaam? First, it is idolatry, and second, it is fornication. At present, in addition to these actual sins, believers have many similar spiritual problems. In order to avoid being conspicuous, the believers have absorbed many heathen festivals and traditions and have christianized them. They utilize many heathen festivals as a time to give ground to the flesh. In the end, what we have is a mixed religion, with Christianity contributing the name and the idol worshippers contributing the teaching, the ceremonies, and the reality! Is the present church truly free from the power of idols? What is an idol? It is the setting up of something that man has made and worshipping it as god. Those who consider man's work as God are in reality worshipping idols. How much has the present church been freed from the realm of human work being taken as God? Where can a present believer show his distinction from the world? I do not mean a distinction from the Chinese customs. How many are there in the church who can completely reject festivals, traditions, and other idolatrous things? Or is there still the compromise, beautifying itself with a good name and utilizing this name? It is true that in many things the church is different from the Chinese customs, but can we say that it is different from the world? I am afraid that it is different from others, not because of the fact that it is Christian, but because of westernization! The god of this world is Satan. Those who follow the customs of this age are liable to idolatry in inclination and in fact. But we, the little ones, the ones who have believed in the Lord, should flee idolatry.
In the matter of fornication, is the church behind the Israelites? The Bible clearly considers the receiving of heresy as a kind of spiritual fornication. To befriend the world is also a kind of fornication. Although Christianity boasts of its power to integrate the worldly teachings, theories, and philosophies (what the Bible calls "the elements") and to turn them into the so-called western Christian culture, the Lord rebukes this as fornication! Christianity cares little for the loss of its standing, and in satisfying the appetite of the world overturns its own faith. The mind of the unregenerated man is very much lacking in standard and is full of darkness and error, yet this is what the so-called world culture is all about! The present so-called Christianity is not preaching Christ's death and resurrection but has instead become a totality of the worldly minds. As the tide of the age changes, unconsciously its position shifts gradually downstream. Periodically there are adjustments, but only for the purpose of making itself more compatible to the age. In fashioning its minds to become more modern, Christianity has drifted further away from its source! It is true that Christians are zealous, but for what reason? I am afraid it is for the reason of maintaining the name of their Christian denominations! As long as Christianity can exist in name, it is ready to sacrifice the existence of the fundamental teachings! But then, if Christianity is regressing, why not allow it to disappear, and why not set up a new religion? Why do we have to labor and be so busy stocking the goods only for the purpose of keeping such a shop running? It is a shocking fornication that the present church has committed in teaching. However, who considers this as being wrong?
Some things are clearly worldly and some people clearly love the world and make friends with the world. Yet all these are given the beautiful name of service and reform. God leaves His church in the world at this present age in order that it may be a witness to the world of the sin of crucifying His Son and of its impossibility for reform. God's only work is to save a group of people in the world and to gather them under His Son's name. When the church takes in the teaching of Balaam, she becomes a colony of the world! The present world no longer becomes simply a way for the church to pass through. Instead, it is developed as much as possible with the hope that it can eventually become the eternal home of the church! Thus, some have thought that the kingdom of heaven would be realized on earth through the church's work, and the church would remain on earth for millennia. Hence, education, labor, economy, politics, international relationships, and hundreds of other issues should all be studied and improved. However, while the church is busily engaged in all these activities, she has already lost her chastity completely! Through the introduction of the teaching of Balaam, the church has married the world. There is no lack of new terms invented by wise ones, but the Lord calls all these activities idolatry and fornication.
Verse 15: "In the same way you also have some who hold in like manner the teaching of the Nicolaitans."
After reading the Lord's letter to the Ephesians, we should realize what the works of the Nicolaitans are. Now we want to consider in detail the meaning of this word "Nicolaitans." At the beginning, there were only the works of the Nicolaitans, and the church in Ephesus was still opposed to this kind of works. However, now it is no longer a work but has become a teaching. Sinful works are done only in private. But when a new teaching is invented to support this kind of works, man becomes bold and open to commit those sins. The church in Pergamos was not as that in Ephesus, hating this kind of "works." On the contrary, she was holding this kind of "teaching."
Who were the Nicolaitans? Although many theories exist, some considering that there was such a person as Nicoli who was the originator of the evil teaching, all of these theories remain only theories. All writers throughout the ages have had much doubt concerning this matter. No one can prove that a man called Nicoli existed in history and no one can identify the sin of the doctrine he taught. But one thing we know: the Bible never tells us to read church history or to expound the Scripture with other histories. The word of God explains itself, and there is no need of outside help. Otherwise, only the wise and the knowledgeable would be able to understand God's word. The Scripture is revealed to babes. If it were not, only a few would need to study and to expound it, while the majority would only need to follow their decision. Hence, we should not care for what history says. Since the Lord Jesus mentioned this group of people twice, and we know that His word does not fail, the people of this group must be of much significance. According to the principle of all the other names of people and places recorded in Revelation 2 and 3, no name is without meaning. Thus there must be the Lord's intention in using this name.
The word "Nicolaitans" is composed of two words in the original language. The first word, "Nico," means to conquer and to subdue. The second word, "laitan," means the people or the common man. The two words are combined to form "Nicolaitans," which means those who conquer the people or those who subdue the common man. Hence, the Nicolaitans are none other than those who oppress, control, and subdue other brothers in the church because they are found in the church. The teaching of the Nicolaitans says that there should be hierarchy in the church and there should be a distinction between the rank of the clergy and the laity. As far as the meaning of the word goes, there is another significance which is very obvious: the Lord Jesus mentioned the teaching of Balaam and the teaching of the Nicolaitans together. Balaam is a Hebrew word, while Nicolaitans is a Greek word. We have seen that in Greek, the word "Nicolaitans" has the sense of subduing the people, but in Hebrew, the word "Balaam" also has a similar meaning. The word "Balaam" means "those who devour the people"! As Balaam taught Balak to induce the Israelites to join themselves to the world, the Nicolaitans in the same way turned the church organization into a worldly community.
We have covered the teaching of Balaam already. Now we want to concentrate on the teaching of the Nicolaitans. In the beginning, they were only engaged in the works of subduing others. This was not yet official and legal. Now this work has evolved into a teaching. There is a difference between "teaching" and "work." "Teaching" can be translated as "doctrine." Hence, these ones had made their work of a hierarchical distinction a doctrine in Christianity. With this teaching they made their acquired position fully legal. Now with such a doctrine that teaches a hierarchical distinction, they were able to protect their works. What we want to ask is how this happened between the time when there were only the works and when the teaching was there. In other words, for what reason was this work turned into a teaching? Why is it that in Ephesus there were only the works, but in Pergamos it had turned into a legal, acceptable doctrine? We have said something concerning this already. Between Ephesus and Pergamos there was the age of Smyrna. In the church in Smyrna, we saw the development of the Judaistic teaching. We have also pointed out what the Judaistic teaching was and how it had turned the church into a hierarchical organization. Hence, the work of the Nicolaitans in Ephesus, through the cultivation of the Judaistic teachings in Smyrna, became the teaching of the Nicolaitans in Pergamos.
We have seen that the Judaistic teachings are only a kind of measurement. They measure to see if man has achieved righteousness or not. While God is measuring man, man cannot draw near to God. The Judaistic teaching puts everybody under the same category. Hence, no one can be separated from the world. All those who were born of the flesh were able to join the Jewish religion.
Now we have to consider how this Judaistic teaching helped the teaching of the Nicolaitans. If the church becomes a Jewish "synagogue," then naturally Christians will become "Jews." The Jews were not able to draw near to God. Even the High Priest, who was a type of Christ, could only enter the Holy of Holies once. While he was in it, he still needed the incense to cover the mercy-seat in order for him not to perish. It was out of the question for the other priests. They could only enter the Holy Place; the Holy of Holies was forbidden to them. For the common citizens, even the Holy Place was unapproachable. Because of the Israelites' failure, they could not draw near to God. God's original intention was that the whole nation would be priests (Exo. 19:6). Yet they became fallen and broke the covenant. As a result, God established a family as priests, to take the place of a whole nation. From this we can see that the characteristic of Judaism is a separate and intermediate priesthood. God was in obscurity; man could not approach Him directly. As a result, God revealed Himself through a special group of people, and man approached God through this special group of people. Between the two, there was no direct fellowship. This is Judaism.
But how different is Christianity from Judaism! Christ has died, and the veil is rent. Everyone can now come directly to God. The intermediary priesthood has forever been removed, for now every believer is a priest before God. Through the accomplishment of Christ every Christian has unconditionally become a priest (Rev. 1:6; 1 Pet. 2:5). Now our sacrifices are spiritual ones. Our thanksgiving and praises and our life and body are all spiritual sacrifices (Heb. 13:15-16; Rom. 12:1). Our priestly work is to offer up these sacrifices. Hence, every one of us can contact God directly. Let me repeat: in Judaism man could not draw near to God. Even the priests did not really draw near to Him. The common people were even farther away than the priests. Wherever you have the hierarchy of the priesthood, there you will find the same situation of estrangement. The whole congregation never had the opportunity to come near. The meaning of a priestly class is to estrange God and lock Him in obscurity. The Nicolaitans were those who had a clerical position. These clergymen were a special group of people distinct from the laity. They were the specialists in the holy things. They had special privileges and authorities in the divine things. They were a spiritual class, a special group of people who had the special right to lead others in spiritual things. They seemed to be closer to God than others, not through their distinctive spiritual power but through their position being above that of an ordinary believer. Under them were many common believers, whose position could never rival that of the clergy. The former were but common worldly ones who were like the Israelites of old, being in their position far away from God. Although the cross had drawn them close to God, the system of the Nicolaitans had annulled the function of the cross and had isolated God's children. The system of "priests" in the Roman Catholic Church and the system of "pastors" in the Protestant churches are but different manifestations of the teaching of the Nicolaitans. The pastoral system was actually an altered expression of the priestly system. If we admit the existence of the clerical class and deem that they should enjoy far more power and privileges than the common believers, when all the while the Scriptures never promise or ordain such, we are subscribing to nothing less than the teaching of the Nicolaitans! The center of the doctrine of the Nicolaitans is to have the common believers under the hand of a special group of people. The Nicolaitans are the ones who subdue the people! Where in the Bible does it say that Christians should obey a group of people with a special ministry? Surely there is none. Based on the New Testament, we can say that this matter was invented later by others. They only borrowed the Judaistic terms and used them for their own purposes. All those who take the Bible as the supreme law court should receive this light.
But where is the present day teaching of the Nicolaitans? The priests of the Roman Catholic Church naturally think that they are the priests of God. They stand between God and man and carry out ministries similar to those of the priests in the Old Testament. I am afraid many Protestants will think that their present pastors do not have as much priestly authority as the priests in the Roman Catholic Church. They are surely not wrong. We do not wish to engage in debates here. But for the sake of the churches' benefit in China, we can make one more observation which will help us to understand the situation and to realize whether or not our present system of pastors is in the nature of a priest that stands between God and man. What is a priest? A priest is one who comes to God on behalf of man. A priest is man's representative before God. He is one who stands between God and man, offering man's sacrifice for God and bringing it to God.
Praise and thanksgiving are the "spiritual sacrifices" that we the Christians as priests offer to God. If we set up another group of special people who officially and regularly offer the sacrifices of praise and thanksgiving on behalf of all other Christians, then indeed we have an intermediary priesthood! These ones then become the mediators, for they become a special class of people who are closer to God positionally than other ordinary believers.
The Lord's supper is the highest expression of the Christian thanksgiving and worship. Do not many present Protestant pastors hold the administering of the Lord's supper as their exclusive and official right? Is it not true that so many common believers and even unordained preachers are afraid of administering the Lord's supper, thinking that to do so would be sacrilegious? This is the error caused by man's tradition and organization. They consider that except for the pastors, all Christians are but worldly people and are not worthy to execute the things of God. The professions of the common believers are in the world. Of course, they cannot be as spiritual as the clergy. For this reason, they should not touch the spiritual things. They can therefore be discharged from their spiritual responsibilities and can hand over all spiritual affairs to those who specialize in this work. However, the matter does not stop here. "For the priest's lips should keep knowledge" (Mal. 2:7). Since the ordinary believers have given up their priesthood, they naturally cannot retain their priestly knowledge. They consider themselves unworthy of taking care of the spiritual matters. As such, sooner or later they will lose their spiritual knowledge. At that time the special group of people will become the only ones who have the right to expound the Bible. They would argue that worldly ones are never able to know the Bible as well as the clergy. In this way, the clergy becomes the ears, the eyes, and the mouth of the common believers. Later, they go on further and replace the whole body of the believers!
This clerical group not only considers itself to have the special right to spiritual things and the exclusive power to administer the Lord's supper, but also considers itself to be the only group of people who can baptize others. However, there is no such teaching in the Bible. We have mentioned this in previous places already.
But why is the teaching of the Nicolaitans as prevalent in the church now as it was in the past? Why are the clerical ones so bold to uplift themselves, and why do the common believers think that they are different from the clergy? The biggest reason lies in the ritual of ordination. The clergymen think that they have been ordained and as such, they have the right to do something that ordinary believers cannot do. The common believers, on the other hand, consider that they have never been ordained and that too many things are too spiritual and holy for them to participate in.
Therefore, we have to spend some time to investigate, not from the church but from the Bible, the matter of ordination. If we read through the New Testament, we will not be able to find one place where man must be ordained before he can teach, preach, administer the Lord's supper, or baptize others. At the beginning, we see the church in Jerusalem being dispersed and everyone except the apostles going out to preach. They were not ordained to do that work. At least, the persecution was not an ordination to them! Apollos and Philip were two examples. Timothy received the gift of prophecy through the laying on of the hands of Paul and the elders. That laying on of hands was for the gift and not for the authority to exercise the gift. Paul committed his knowledge to the faithful ones, who would teach others with it. But nothing was mentioned there about ordination. Many people like to quote the case of Saul and Barnabas in Antioch as a Scriptural basis for receiving authority through ordination, but if we read this passage carefully (Acts 13:1-4), we will see that this passage cannot serve as proof of it. On the contrary, it breaks down the doctrine of ordination of believers for special authority. First, let me ask, "Did Barnabas and Saul preach only after this "ordination," or had they done this long before already?" If we try to give a fair answer, we will see the true value of ordination. Second, who ordained Saul and Barnabas? Could the prophets and teachers in the church in Antioch ordain apostles? God has placed in the church "first apostles, second prophets, third teachers" (1 Cor. 12:28). Can the second and the third ordain the first? Those who believe in the authority of ordination should awake to this fact. Therefore what is mentioned here is nothing but a special commission of the Holy Spirit for Barnabas and Saul to do the work that the Holy Spirit had called them to do, that of itinerant preaching. The fact that the church in Antioch laid its hand on them was only a demonstration of their oneness and sympathy with them.
What then is the meaning of ordination? If ordination is insignificant, then those who believe in the authority of ordination would not have argued so much for it. Strictly speaking, there are two sides to the matter of ordination. These two aspects are the most common and popular notions of ordination. First, the Roman Catholics and those who are superstitious about formalities think that ordination gives a person not only authority but spiritual power as well. They consider that they have the apostolic power, and therefore they can give to others the Holy Spirit through their laying on of hands. Their priests, or fathers, are produced through this process of ordination, and as such, are different from ordinary believers. Hence, no other people of God can participate in their priesthood. This special group of people then insert themselves between God and man, serving as priests and praying on behalf of the people. The church is then seen as the outlet of all graces, and the accomplishment of Christ on the cross naturally recedes to the background.
Second, in Protestantism, seemingly there is no such sin, and seemingly there is no need for us to belabor this point. Yet Protestantism also has its view concerning ordination. It does not recognize the unreasonable demand of the Roman Catholic Church. Neither does it consider it a means for the ordained one to receive the gift at the time of ordination. Yet it considers the meaning of ordination as nothing other than an acknowledgement of the ordained ones being endowed with the gift of God. Without such an acknowledgement, a person cannot and should not baptize others or administer the bread to others. Here we must ask a question: what gift does a person use to baptize others or to administer the Lord's supper? As to preaching, if a man has the gift of God already, why does he have to be acknowledged by man? Moreover, it is assumed that the acknowledging ones have the discernment and the ability, while other common believers do not have this discernment and ability, and for that reason, they exercise their ability on behalf of the whole and acknowledge these gifted ones on their behalf!
This way of doing things is most unfaithful before God. If He has given me a gift, I have to exercise it. If God has given me a gift, but I have to go to man or before a congregation for acknowledgement and approval before I can exercise it, is this not offensive to the Lord? The Lord gives us a gift because He reckons that we are worthy of exercising it. If that is the case, why do we have to be acknowledged by man? But then, some say that man can be wrong. They say that sometimes a man thinks that he has the gift, but he is wrong and that in reality he has not received the gift. For this reason, there must be the acknowledgement from man. It is true that man can be wrong, but is it not true that those who acknowledge others can also be wrong? If this is the case, who can we trust? If a man is wrong, it is of course serious, but if a group who acknowledges a person is wrong, how much more serious is this? If an individual whom God has not sent is mistaken, he can still turn back. But if you have ordained him and have consecrated him forever, is not such a failure more serious? If he is not capable of being a pastor, yet has been ordained to be one, what shall he do now that he has become one? Whether or not his ordainer is wrong, he is at any rate ordained and has become a clergyman and should therefore be assigned a field for his work. Even if he is useless, he must be assigned at least a very small place. But then, even the believers in the small places are God's children. Why should they starve under such a one's hand? The one who has ordained such a one in the first place should bear the responsibility for this matter.
Such an ordained pastor at least must take up three responsibilities in a church: as a teacher, as an evangelist, and as a shepherd. We know that a person does not necessarily have all three kinds of gifts. The worst cases may not even have any one of these three gifts. Those who have one gift are considered good already. We cannot expect a person to have all the gifts. Throughout history there have been few who possessed all three kinds of gifts. If one is an evangelist, he has to lead many to repentance and to believe in the Lord. But because he is not a teacher, these saved ones cannot be edified. Or perhaps one is a teacher and not an evangelist. As such, he cannot lead others to the Lord, and the church that he is managing will either have many empty seats or will be filled with nominal believers. If he is a shepherd, he will be capable of caring for the sheep and of visiting his church members. Yet he is neither an evangelist nor a teacher. As such many nominal believers will remain forever nominal and will not know salvation nor be edified to grow spiritually. This kind of work where one is ordained to manage a whole congregation and where the whole congregation, whether it be thirty people or three hundred people, is assigned to the hands of one person alone as the "flock" under him, with no one else who can interfere or have any say in the matter, is the result of the teaching of the Nicolaitans.
Please do not misunderstand the teaching of the Bible. Although the Bible has never taught us that a man must be ordained before he can preach and teach and before he can administer the bread or baptize others, it has never annulled the works that Christians have been set apart to do. The work of preaching is established by God. This is a distinctive feature of the church. It does not mean that since the Bible has no record of any ordination that leads to a clerical class that transcends over other brothers, there is, therefore, no such thing as the ministry of preaching in the Bible. Actually, the Bible, on the one hand, opposes the establishment of a hierarchy in the Lord's church and the division into the ordained and the unordained ones. Yet on the other hand, the Bible strongly upholds the importance of the work of preaching. It is true that all Christians should be witnesses, but the Bible clearly tells us that there is a group of people who are set apart especially for this work. God gives the gift of preaching to some and not to all. Yet the purpose of this giving is for all. No one who truly understands God's word can say that every Christian is an evangelist, a shepherd, or a teacher. There is only a minority among all Christians who can do these works. The Bible regards the work of preaching to be more important than man regards it today. The Bible teaches us that everyone who preaches for the Lord does so by receiving the gift from the Head of the church, who takes care of His people under His direction. These workers receive their ministry from God and are responsible to God and God alone. However, the present organizational way as practiced by many serves only to make a person the servant of man. God's honored servants have been greatly despised by His people! Although on the one hand, these servants have been placed on a high pedestal and have been assigned the oversight of a congregation or a chapel, they, on the other hand, have been bound from acting according to the Bible and must instead follow man's tradition and organization and must deal with man with an "artificial" conscience, while coming short in their own conscience towards God! Under such circumstances it seems that for a servant of God to be faithful to man's tradition, organization, and definition is equivalent to being faithful to the Lord!
The work of preaching that I am talking about is the work of evangelizing, teaching, or shepherding done by those who are working exclusively for the Lord. According to the Bible, this kind of preaching work is very ordinary. The church of God is the Body of Christ. In the Body, every member is a member of Christ. Other than this, the Bible does not know of any "church membership." There is only one Body of Christ; it is not many bodies. In the same way, there is only one church and not many churches. Everyone belongs to this unique church. We are not constituents of a sect or members of a denomination. Other than being members of this Body, we have no other title of membership or affiliation. As members, we belong to Christ. Those who do not belong to Christ are not His members. The church is composed of all the individual members together. All those who are not the members of the Lord do not belong to the church. All titles of membership and affiliation are vain and worthless and are invented by man. The Bible is only concerned with the question of being a member or not being a member. Since every individual is a member, and since the members do not have independent works, no two works of any two individuals can be the same. It is impossible for everyone to be the ear or to be the eye. Rather, everyone should serve one another and help one another. In addition to being faithful in one's own work and helping those members who are related to him, every member must also work for the benefit of the whole Body.
The apostle taught us clearly that every member has its gift. "For just as in one body we have many members, and all the members do not have the same function, so we who are many are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. And having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us..." (Rom. 12:4-6). Following this Paul mentioned the functions of many gifts. In 1 Corinthians 12 Paul mentioned these gifts again. He said that these gifts are the "manifestation of the Spirit" (v. 7). Hence, a person who has a gift is a person who has in him the manifestation of the Holy Spirit for the profit of others. If he has the gift, he should exercise it and should be responsible to the Lord for it. The Lord does not give gifts to man in vain. When one has the gift, he has to do the work of preaching and has the authority to do such a work. What I have, I should use for the benefit of others. If others receive my help, they do not need to ask if I have been commissioned to do such a work.
This is the nature of the work of preaching as taught by the Bible. It is very simple and straightforward. Each individual member serves the other through love and by the power received from God for the benefit of all and for the building of the whole Body, without ostracizing anyone or cutting off anyone. All the gifts are put into the same common bank, and everyone becomes richer from these deposits. The manifestation of the Holy Spirit and the blessing of the Lord is God's mark of approval. Given these things, there is no need for any suggestion from fleshly opinions. Although not everyone is a teacher and not everyone can teach the word of God before others, those who are the teachers are but members of the whole Body. Their works are to teach the Bible and to edify others with God's word. In all other things, they still have to receive the help and edification of the other members. Everyone is useful, and everyone is a member. If we disproportionately uplift the gift of the teachers, the evangelists, or the shepherds and regard their works as the whole work, or if we exalt those works done in public more than those services done in private, we do not understand the function of the Body of Christ in the church of God. There may be a difference in importance among the different works and gifts, but we must know that everyone has his realm, and that despite the difference in importance, no one can take over another's work, and no one can say that the less weighty ones are the useless ones.
Other than the above groups of people, is there no other group? Is there no one else who is ordained? Is that all there is, or should there be others who are ordained? Here we are on a completely different question, one that is separate and isolated from the previous one. It is true that in the ancient church, there were two kinds of officers commissioned (or ordained) to their specific tasks. One was the deacons. The deacons were the ones who managed the fund for helping the poor. They were selected by the saints and were ordained, or commissioned, by the authority of the apostles. The second kind was the elders. As the name implies, they were naturally the ones who were mature both in age and in virtue. They were the ones who served as "overseers" in the separate churches, overseeing the condition of the people. If we read Titus 1:5, 7 and Acts 20:17, 28, we will realize that the elders are the overseers. The term "elder" refers to the person, and the term "overseer" refers to the work.
The work they did was the work of overseeing. Since heresies and evil teachings were prevalent at that time, being "apt to teach" must have been one of their qualifications (1 Tim. 3:2). However, we must not make the mistake in thinking that since elders should be apt to teach, all therefore who teach are the elders. We must not think that since the elders are ordained, or appointed, that therefore everyone who teaches should be ordained. If we have this thought, we are most definitely wrong. First, an elder does not teach because he has become an elder. Rather, he is one who is apt to teach first, then afterwards is ordained an elder. As such, is it not clear that before his ordination, he was teaching others already? Second, in the books to Timothy, the apostle clearly separated the elders from those who teach: "Let the elders who take the lead well be counted worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in word and teaching" (1 Tim. 5:17). Hence, an elder is one who manages a church. He can manage a church well without being a teaching one.
From the above we can see that the Bible does not warrant such things as a church ordaining someone to do the work of preaching and teaching. This latter practice is but a different form of the Roman Catholic priesthood. Such a human invention and tradition is not found in the Bible. However, some zealous religionists think that believers should honor all the systems of the church and that although the Scripture contains no such teaching, we should abide by such decisions of the church. What kind of doctrine is this? Does this not carry the tone of Roman Catholicism with it? The overriding principle in Roman Catholicism is that authority rests with the church and that even the Bible has to be interpreted according to the mandate of the church. It does not allow believers to read the Bible and requires that man obey the church more than he obeys the Bible. As Protestants, are we not opposed to this principle? Does not the principle of Protestantism state that apart from the Bible the church has no authority? Is not our principle that of complete obedience to the Bible and not to the church? If we recognize the existence of the authority of the church, are we not going back to Roman Catholicism? The Son of God told us Himself that we need not keep man's tradition. He said of those who were keen to abide by the tradition of their ancestors that "this people honors Me with their lips, but their heart stays far away from Me; but in vain do they worship Me, teaching as teachings the commandments of men" (Matt. 15:8-9). If we want to abide by man's tradition, we are transgressing the commandment of God (v. 3).
Since we cannot find in the Bible the teaching of ordination for the evangelists and the shepherds and teachers, we know that the system of the denominations is a tradition of man and is of no effect to those Christians who faithfully love the Lord. However, many have often argued that elders and deacons were still ordained in the church. This being the case, can we not ordain pastors according to the principle that the elders were ordained in the old days? Concerning this matter, allow me to speak a frank word. Do those who speak these words know what kind of qualifications there are for an elder? Here is a person who is not yet married and who is still young in age. He has recently received a diploma from a Bible school and has worked for only a few years. Now he is ordained as a pastor. One says that this is according to the biblical principle of the ordination of the elders. Does this not surprise one who knows the Bible well? Can such a person be an elder?
We have said that elders are for managing a church. Shepherding, however, is a gift (Eph. 4:11). We have also mentioned that the exercise of a gift does not require man's acknowledgement and ordination. Hence, the above reason cannot be considered as a proper reason. Bible scholars have long ago pointed out that in the Bible no individual church has only one elder. Every time the Bible mentions the elders of individual churches or what we call now the congregation, it is always plural in number. If we consider the present pastors as the elders, in addition to confusing officers with gifts, we are changing the number of elders in a church from plural to singular! The churches in the Bible had many elders, yet the present churches have only one pastor for a church. If we recognize the ordination invented by the Nicolaitans, we will have to do what practically cannot be done. Bible scholars have already told us that the elders and deacons in the Bible were ordained, or more correctly put, commissioned, by either the apostles themselves or those charged by the apostles or who came in the authority of the apostles. If we are to ordain the elders and the deacons today, we must first ask, where are the present-day apostles? Where are those who have a direct charge from the apostles or who have received the authority of the apostles, like Titus and Timothy did? Hence, those who want to ordain others must first prove their own qualifications. If you are not an apostle and you do not have the charge or the authority from the apostles, you have no right to ordain others. Those who are ordained should ask if the one who ordains them is an apostle or not. If he is not, such ordination is a vain ordination! All those who believe in the Bible recognize the fact that there are no longer any apostles. As such, does it not mean that there is now no more ordination? We admit that in the present churches (not the denominations) there are those who are doing the work which the elders and deacons in the ancient time used to do, but we do not recognize anyone as being officially ordained as an elder or a deacon. We have mentioned this matter before. Here we do not need to repeat it again.
However, we have to know that the teaching of the Nicolaitans does not involve only a group of people uplifting themselves to a special position. We have to realize that this is something that the common believers prefer. If the ordinary believers object to this and consider this a loss of their right and a demotion of their qualification, such unscriptural and damaging hierarchical distinction between the clergy and the laity would not have prevailed as it has. It is because the ordinary believers love this that the teaching of the Nicolaitans was allowed to prevail. The laity is grateful to the clergy because these professional ones are willing to replace the nonprofessional ones to bear the responsibility of all spiritual things. Since believers have lost their first love, they have long ago lost their taste for spiritual things. As such they are more than willing for someone to come and take over everything. By calling themselves the laity, they consider themselves just the ordinary believers, which means that they cannot be blamed for being worldly! The world should not expect them to be too spiritual! God's foreordained words were not only fulfilled in the Israelites but are also realized in the church today: "The prophets prophesy falsely, / And the priests rule by their own authority; / And My people love it this way" (Jer. 5:31).
How we wish that we did not have to speak what we are speaking here! How we wish that the scattered children of God could walk according to His word and could move solely by God's instruction without any tradition or self-will. If this were the case, we would not have need to say all the things that we have said! But since we are at a time of apostasy and tradition, we, the servants of God, dare not be silent, and we dare not keep back our testimony against sin, whether it be sin in the world or sin in the church.
The Lord Jesus said in Revelation 2:6, "But this you have, that you hate the works of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate." In the original language, the last clause can be translated as "which things I also hate." Brothers, please be assured that what we are speaking here is not aimed at certain persons. We are not speaking about a specific person. If this is the case, may God save us from the sin of criticizing His children! We are like the Lord, addressing only the things themselves. He said, "Which things I also hate." He did not say, "These persons I also hate." We dare not speak, act, or have any motive beyond what the Bible has recorded. What we do not want and what saddens our hearts the most is to often find at the end of this age of apostasy that we are living in an environment where man teaches as teachings the commandments of men (Matt. 15:9) and accepts the "tradition of the elders" (v. 2) without searching into them. These traditions, moreover, are related to the former spiritual giants whom we love and honor. We admit that in many denominations there are many true servants of God; their names always invoke our respect. May God be gracious to us if we have the intention to speak concerning them!
However, here lies our very danger. Those whom we respect, whether past or present, are in the denominations and have received the teaching of the Nicolaitans. We think that the things that have been passed on through their hands to us, being the "tradition of the elders," should not be wrong. As a result, we do not compare them with the word of God in His light and do not differentiate and examine carefully to see if what we have received and what is declared are contrary to the teaching of God. Although we respect many servants of God in the denominations, we must be careful! We should not neglect the authority of the Bible through our respect for them. We respect Luther. We respect John Wesley, Calvin, and thousands of other servants of God. Yet we must know that the standard of our faith and walk is "thus saith Jehovah" rather than "thus saith Luther, Wesley, or Calvin" or many other names less prominent than these. It is right to respect and honor them, but we must not become extreme in doing this. Otherwise, we will fall into danger.
Some may think that the question of the church is not important and that there is no great difference between one system and another, that all are right. We have nothing to say concerning this remark. However, there is one thing that we have to know, that is, our Lord can never be wrong. His attitude toward everything should be the attitude of every Christian. He said, "Which things I also hate." He has a reason for this, and He cannot be wrong. All those who fellowship with the Lord, who know the Lord's heart, and who are willing to be obedient to Him should sympathize with Him and should hate what He hates. No matter what others may say, and no matter how spiritual and good they are, if we stand on the Lord's ground, we are safe. We should not be afraid of trouble, nor should we be shy. We should rather take the same attitude that the Lord has. If we do not sympathize with the Lord, we cannot have the same kind of declaration as the Lord has. He said that He hates the works of the Nicolaitans. How many are there who hate together with Him?
Let us come back to our subject. The Lord said, "In the same way you also have some who hold in like manner the teaching of the Nicolaitans." We should pay particular attention to the words "in like manner." The last verse mentions "the teaching of Balaam." This verse mentions "the teaching of the Nicolaitans." What the Lord means here is that in the church in Pergamos, as there were those who held the teaching of Balaam, in the same way there were those who held the teaching of the Nicolaitans. The teaching of Balaam and the teaching of the Nicolaitans are twin sisters. When one comes, the other is also there. The essence of the teaching of Balaam is to work for money and to seduce the people of God to join the world, to worship idols, and to commit fornication. The essence of the teaching of the Nicolaitans is to monopolize all spiritual matters and to create hierarchies in the church. We have seen how the present churches have been fully fermented by these two teachings. In the church there are hierarchies, and all the spiritual things and things related to worship are monopolized by the clergymen. On the other hand, hired workers fill the church. Under the direction of their work, they attempt to break down all barriers between the church and the world and to join the two together, having the same appearance in the world and taking the same stand in things regarding the world. They adopt the worldly festivals and other ceremonies and ordinances and commit the sin of idolatry before God. Furthermore, they join themselves to the worldly philosophies, schools, and doctrines, giving them a biblical name, while propagating worldly wisdom and committing fornication before God. As a result, the Lord has the following words of warning:
Verse 16: "Repent therefore; but if not, I am coming to you quickly, and I will make war with them with the sword of My mouth."
The Lord demanded His messengers to repent and to drive the sinning ones from their midst. The Lord considers the messengers the ones responsible before Him. When men follow the teachings of Balaam and the Nicolaitans, the Lord holds the messengers responsible. The Lord rebuked the messengers because He considers them the representatives of the church. The Lord considers it their responsibility to excommunicate from the church those who follow the teaching of Balaam and the Nicolaitans. To excommunicate those who believe in heresy does not mean to drive away the unbelievers from the midst of the believers. It means to drive out those Christians who have erred in conduct and in doctrine. The Lord has to preserve the purity of the church. If the church will not execute punishment, the whole body of the church will be damaged by errors. The Lord wants His children to be firm and pure in conduct and in doctrine. If this cannot be maintained, the sinning ones should be excommunicated for the sake of protecting the other children of God. A heresy or a sinful act must be punished, even if it is committed by a saved Christian. Otherwise, this heresy or evil will become the leaven that ferments the whole lump. For the sake of the purity of the church, and in order to prevent other believers from being deceived, it is indispensable for the church to punish the sinning Christians. Moreover, this punishment is beneficial also to the excommunicated believers, for when the church exercises righteousness and love to remove the sinning ones from the church according to the teaching of the Bible and the leading of the Holy Spirit, the sinning ones will be recovered to their true faith and will repent of their sinful acts through the punishment. If this is not done, the condition will worsen and there will be no chance for turning back. Hence, excommunication either leads one to turn back or preserves the purity of the whole. In either case, it is beneficial. It is beneficial not only from man's point of view, but it is a necessary removal from God's point of view. Apart from doing this, there is no way to maintain the Lord's honor and holiness. The Lord is in the midst of the churches. His person and attributes must be honored. If any man in the church follows sin or heresy, he is despising and damaging the person and attributes of the Lord. The church in Pergamos did not execute judgment according to the Lord's intention. As a result the Lord called them to repentance. Often believers do not remove sinful ones from among their midst because of natural affections, fear of troubles, considerations, indifference, and apathy. The Lord's way is to wait patiently and to stir up the conscience of the believers by suitable means so that they will become zealous for the Lord Himself and for His house. If they continue to remain cold, He will then come to judge the sins that the church cannot judge. If believers would remember that the house of God should be pure and that God Himself is a consuming fire, they will know how to preserve the order in the house of God and will not come into conflict with God's holiness.
What are the limits of the excommunication of believers? These are covered clearly in the Bible. First, there must be obvious sins. Naturally, it is unavoidable for believers to become weak or to fail, and sometimes they are liable to sin. However, these are not the basis of excommunication. A believer should be excommunicated only on the ground of obvious immorality. We can see this clearly from 1 Corinthians 5.
Second, there must be heresies involved. We know that even the best believers may have differences in biblical exposition and doctrinal views. What then are the heresies? The Bible allows believers to have freedom of opinions. In many things man has the freedom to be led directly by the Lord. Many particular views should be tolerated with forbearance and love by Christians. We can see this clearly from Romans 14 and 15. However, those who do not believe in the Lord Jesus coming in the flesh and other fundamental doctrines concerning the person of the Lord Jesus should be excommunicated. First John 4 and 2 John 6-7 along with other places have covered the matter clearly. Hence, in order for the church to excommunicate a person, he must have obvious immoral sins or must be one who denies the fundamental doctrines.
The Lord did not consider the whole church as having failed. He only considered this sin to be local and not global. The whole church must surely bear the responsibility. However, judgment will only come to the sinning ones. "I am coming to you quickly, and I will make war with them with the sword of My mouth." It is not to war with you. Although sin can grow and can corrupt the whole church, the Lord considers His faithful people as a remnant. When the Lord comes, His people will either rejoice or be sorrowful. The reason for this is that there are differences among them in faith and work. The Lord Jesus has the authority to judge all those who have sinned.
"I will make war with them with the sword of My mouth." The Lord's sword is not in vain. Here He is telling us that He Himself is judging His own servants with the power of God's judging word. We have mentioned that the spiritual significance of the sword is the word of God. If believers despise God's word of teaching, warning, and correction, the same word will in that day judge and punish the believers through the power of Christ.
Verse 17: "He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches."
Here the Lord Jesus is again calling those who have spiritual ears to learn the lesson taught by the Holy Spirit. "To him who overcomes, to him I will give of the hidden manna, and to him I will give a white stone, and upon the stone a new name written, which no one knows except he who receives it."
We should pay special attention to the Lord's promise to the overcomers in Pergamos. We have seen that the condition in Pergamos is not merely an ancient event but the current condition. Not only are the teachings and warnings of this letter related to us, even its promises directly affect us. Actually, it should affect us more today than in those days because we are living in the age when the sinful teachings of those days are ripening, maturing, and increasing.
Although the condition of the church as revealed in this letter is most corrupt and gloomy, the promise it contains is full of life and light. When circumstances are particularly trying, the overcomers will have particular rewards. According to the preordained course, if we want to gain our possession, we must pass through sufferings, trials, and battles. The Lord's word here is for the comfort and encouragement of those who are still on the way. But the distant view unfolded in these words seems to take one beyond the battlefield into the possession of one's hope already! This promise is divided into two parts. First is the manna, which typifies Christ. It shows how the believers long after Christ. Second is the white stone, which typifies the Christian. It shows how the Lord longs after the Christian. This exchange of love is most touching! All those who trust in the Lord, who honor His name and would not deny this name, will be rewarded according to their faithfulness.
Before we go on to the spiritual significance, we first have to mention one important point. We have to realize that this promise was meant to be literal. Although there are spiritual meanings to the Lord's promises, we should not consider the spiritual significance first and ignore the literal facts. In the interpretation of God's word, we should know that other than the parables, the prophetic symbols, and the signs, everything should be expounded literally. However, this does not mean that we should annul all spiritual meanings. We should not annul the literal meanings by the spiritual meanings. One should first expound literally, then spiritually. By this, the word of God will be made rich. As to the first half of this promise, we know that there were people who had eaten manna before. Hence, it is not impossible for man to eat manna again in the future. In the future, we will have a resurrected body. We will be like the Lord Jesus, being able to eat and drink as before. The manna was the people's food in the wilderness. Yet the hidden manna promised by the Lord is not for every believer but for the overcoming ones among all the believers. Let us consider the second half of the promise. What is the white stone? We know that the manna and the white stone are both objects taken from the Aaronic priesthood. As Pharaoh of old gave Joseph a new name and a ring, in the same way Christ will give to His overcomers a new name and a white stone. This name is now kept secret. Only the overcomers will know the secret of this heavenly name, and only the overcomers will inherit this name. As the name of Antipas was unknown to man, in the same way, the name of the overcomers will be unknown to the world.
We believe that in the future there will be literal manna to feed our resurrected bodies. We also believe that in the future we will receive an actual precious white stone. This is the literal side of these words. However, besides the literal meanings, there are still many profound spiritual meanings. Now we want to consider the spiritual side of these words.
Let us first look at the hidden manna. Manna is the food in the wilderness. It was not found in Egypt, and it ceased to come after the entry into Canaan. It was only sent down in the wilderness. Manna is not something common. It is God's food to those who trust in Him solely, who have no other trusts, whose only support is from God, and who would die of starvation otherwise. It is because men have this dependence and need that God manifests His power and love to take up the responsibility to meet their needs.
There are those in the church who love the world. When they think of Egypt, they think of the land as being rich and filled with tasty food. They consider what the world can give to be better than what the Lord can give. "We remember the fish we ate in Egypt for nothing, the cucumbers, the melons, the leeks, the onions, and the garlic; but now our soul is dried up, and there is nothing at all but this manna before our eyes" (Num. 11:5-6). Manna was given to those in the wilderness. Those whose bodies were in the wilderness but whose hearts were in Egypt did not consider the manna as being precious. On the contrary, they longed after the tasty food of Egypt. Those believers whose bodies were in the church in Pergamos but whose hearts were in the world would surely find the teaching of Balaam and his offerings most palatable. But those overcomers in Pergamos whose bodies and hearts were in the church knew that what they were passing through was merely the wilderness. As such, they were willing only to eat of the wilderness food, manna. The believers in Pergamos ate idol sacrifices, yet the Lord gave the overcomers there the manna. What a sharp contrast this is!
Of course, this manna refers to the Lord Jesus Christ. In the Gospel of John, the Lord Jesus clearly refers to Himself as the One typified by the manna. Yet what is mentioned here is not just the manna but the "hidden manna." This hidden manna was what God had commanded Moses to put within the ark so that the Israelites would remember the food they ate in the wilderness when they entered Canaan. Naturally, this hidden manna was not eaten by the Israelites. Yet the Lord promised to give us this manna. It became possible for the overcoming believers to eat what the Israelites were not able to eat. All those who reject the reward in this age will eat of the future manna. Although we may lose the nice foods of this age, we will eat of the food of the eagle and will enjoy what the Lord will give to us at the table of the marriage feast of the Lamb. Although we miss the offerings of the kings in this age, we will be fed by our Melchisedec and will receive power from Him.
Manna typifies the Lord Jesus coming down from heaven and joining Himself to the life of the wilderness and taking a humble position. God would have the believers who are beaten in the world to remember the position of Christ here. The "hidden manna" speaks of the manna being hidden in the ark. This kind of manna was placed within the Holy of Holies and remained there as a memorial before God. This is a type of Christ, who came down to the world, and who became the portion God reserved for His people. This reminds us of the Christ who was once in the wilderness but who since then and forever remains in heaven. This hidden manna speaks of how the Christ who was here and who is now in glory has become the heavenly food. The hidden manna is not the daily manna. Rather, it is the manna that testifies daily in the land of Canaan. What a wonderful thing it is for the heavenly grace to be joined to the wilderness living! What is in the golden pot in the ark is a reminder of the life who left heaven to sympathize with those on earth. Hence, the hidden manna is a type of the ascended Christ. However, this Christ is the same One who came and lived on earth. Although He is today at the right hand of God, we still remember how He was tried and rebuffed in the world. At present, we are also in the wilderness and are beset with many special trials. If we remember how the Christ who was with us in the wilderness was tried in all things just as we are tried, and if we take this Christ as our food, we will have the strength to go on. Although at present He cannot be seen by man's eyes, He is the food of His faithful people. We must not only share with Christ in His heavenly glory, but we must also share with Him in His fellowship on earth. Although He is hidden, He is still the manna. Eventually, we will enter into heaven to enjoy all the peace and joy and will share the glory with the Lord Jesus. It is He who will give us the glory, yet it is also He who suffered and who was rejected on earth. When we think of this, do not our hearts rejoice? We abide here with Him, suffering the same kind of treatment as He suffered, but having Him as our portion. Our only regret is that we can only feebly suffer here one thousandth of a percent of what He suffered!
At the present time of apostasy and tradition, God is giving to the overcomers that which is hidden in Him. Such a promise causes every faithful one of God to leave the present, outward, and public work and come to the hidden place in the Holy of Holies. The church has been joined to the world. It has already been lifted up to a high place and is admired by all in the world! Within the church, there is already the presence of sinful works and erroneous teachings! Those who want to exalt themselves naturally find it hard to part with the church and the world, but those who faithfully serve God receive the hidden manna. Is there such a thing in the world as glorious manna? Since the manna is hidden, it cannot be for those who exalt themselves and who desire to be admired in the church or in the world. If we want to grow in the spiritual life, to fellowship with God, and to gain His Son's heart, we cannot be joined to the sinful world and the apostate church. To drift with the evil tide surely requires no spiritual effort. Both the church and the world will allow one to be on the surface of the water and to be seen by all. Yet the pitiful thing is that they would take the same one to a place that he ought not to go! The hidden manna is surely hidden from the eyes of most people. The heart of an exalted one can never be compatible with the hidden manna. Do we really know what the hidden manna is? Do we really desire it? Do we really desire and admire the form of Christ when He was on earth? Yet God treasures Him and hides Him away. What about us? If we do not know the preciousness of Christ on earth, and if we do not sympathize with God and consider His Son's life on earth as dear, we must surely be sick spiritually. A hidden life is the prerequisite for understanding the "hidden manna." Yet what a pity that important as the hidden life is, it is seriously neglected by man.
Only those who sympathize with God, not only in mind but in conduct as well, can understand the meaning of the hidden manna. We cannot love what contradicts our mind and conduct. There is no compromise between rebellion and obedience, between pride and humility, and between rudeness and meekness. If we long after the form of Christ as manna on earth, we cannot help but live the same kind of life. What we long after speaks of what we are. When we look into the things that a man desires, we will know the kind of person he is. It is only when we live the true life of the wilderness that we can treasure the manna. How cold our heart is! If our hearts remain so cold, even if the hidden manna is given to us, we will not be able to enjoy it. May we stand on the same ground as the Lord did in the old days so that we can truly realize the loveliness of His rejection.
The hidden manna reminds us of the condition of Canaan, for it is hidden in Canaan. The wilderness is over, yet we can still enjoy the food of the wilderness. The manna was once eaten regularly. The hidden manna reminds us of what we ate before. In the wilderness the manna came only once a day; it did not last long. When a new experience comes, the old ones have to go. However, the hidden manna was collected from the wilderness. It was obtained from the wilderness, but it does not turn sour. Rather, it serves as an eternal memorial in Canaan. Those who have once eaten of manna will forever be reminded by the hidden manna of the fine taste and the heart-strengthening power of the wilderness manna. This is quite obvious. The hidden manna signifies the memorial of what we have once tasted. In other words, as we enjoy Christ by faith in this age, we will have a taste of this again in eternity.
From this, one can see what a close relationship there is between this age and the next! Many times we have separated the two far too much! We think that when we enter eternity, all blessings will be the same. Yet this is only our idea. It is true that everyone will become perfect then and that everything that is seen as through the mirror now will be over then. One will forever part with the problem of sin, and former hurts and failures will no longer haunt us with their frustrations. Our cup of blessing will be full. Yet, does it mean that our spiritual journey and history in this age have no bearing on the future? Here, the hidden manna will solve this problem for us.
Of course, in the Bible there are many passages that indicate the same thing. Yet they are beyond the scope of our discussion, and we will not cover them for now. We will only speak of what is before us. Those who receive the hidden manna must be those who had formerly received the manna in the wilderness. What is received now must be the same as what was received before. It is not a new experience; it is an old experience reviewed. Christ is no longer the rejected One typified by the manna. Manna is not something that belongs to Canaan; it is merely something that is brought into Canaan. Hence, it is strictly a memorial of past events only. As such, its meaning is all the more profound. All our spiritual history and our spiritual journey will be preserved forever. Our joy is not temporary; even in eternity, we will still be able to enjoy this joy. All our sufferings for the Lord, our works for Him, all our experiences in Him, whether in realizing His victory, in being filled with His life, or in tasting of His love, will all be reviewed in experience in eternity. Praise God that whatever we receive in this age will not be lost in the coming age!
For this reason, the hidden manna makes a most serious demand upon us. At the same time, it is the greatest encouragement to us. Unlike what some have said, there is not that immeasurable gap doctrinally between our present life and the future eternal life. Naturally, we admit that there are many differences between this age and the coming age, but we cannot say that they are completely different. In our spiritual experiences there will still be many gratifying recollections. The joy experienced now will still be felt in eternity. It is like a stone thrown into the pond; the ripples expand and continue all the way to the edge of the pond. Man's responsibility is limited to this present life only. He will be judged according to what he does while living on earth. We will receive either a reward or punishment based on our works. Our present conduct affects our life in the coming age. We may never have thought of this. In coming to this point, we have to be careful not to discredit the greatness of God's grace. It is true that grace has put us on the same position. Thank God that every saved and redeemed person has received the same standing, not through work but by grace. However, we should not stop here. If we do, we will be wrong. Although our standing is the same, the difference in the experiences of our enjoyment of Christ in the wilderness before will cause us to have different memories of these earthly experiences in the future. Because the experiences are different, and subsequently because the memories are different, the reliving of the joy in the enjoyment of Christ in the wilderness will also be different. Both the hidden manna and the white stone are rewards in the eternal age which issue from the experiences of this present age. All present spiritual experiences will be turned into happy memories in eternity. However, in those memories, there will not be the sufferings which accompany the present experiences. Those who experience little will have little to remember, and those who experience much will have much to remember. However, everything will be pure joy; there will be no mixture with the present suffering. What a scene that will be!
Our present world is truly a wilderness. In it we encounter trials and oppositions. Hence, the wilderness is a place where man trusts in God. Although darkness surrounds us, faith sees the eternal arm working for us. It is here that we understand the grace of the One who has come among us. "A brother is born for adversity" (Prov. 17:17). It is in adversity that we realize the preciousness of a brother. Only adversity will make one realize what a brother is. "There is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother" (Prov. 18:24). We can feel that the Lord of glory is closer to us than anyone else. What a comforting thought this is! He is not only our Lord, protecting us; He is also in our midst, walking with us, holding our hands, sympathizing with us, and speaking words of comfort to us. He knows all our sufferings, and He knows how to comfort those who are in the sufferings.
How wonderful is such condescension! How precious it is! Unless a man truly has the experience of a sojourner and is truly poor in worldly things, being rich only through the grace of Him who became poor for us, he will not understand the deepest meaning of the Lord's descending to the earth. It is for this reason that only those who have tasted of the manna in the wilderness can enjoy the hidden manna. The manna was given in no other place except the wilderness. To enjoy the manna, one has to go to the wilderness. Those believers who have lost their sojourning characteristics no longer consider the world the wilderness. Instead they consider it their comfortable home. How can they expect to have the manna as their food? Later generations of Israelites could see the food eaten by the former Israelites in the wilderness. It is true that they were in Canaan. Yet other than seeing the manna, they could have no other experiences of their own. Only those who had passed through the wilderness could say that they had eaten the manna and could tell of the taste of it. The Lord told us the taste of the manna: "the taste of it was like the taste of cakes baked with oil" (Num. 11:8). This speaks of the work of the Holy Spirit. In other places, it tells us that "the taste of it was like wafers made with honey" (Exo. 16:31). This speaks of our Lord Jesus. He is a wafer made with honey. It is not just honey, for too much honey will make one vomit. This is a daily food. It has the taste of honey yet does not have the excessive repugnance of it. It has the taste of the fresh oil, being forever refreshing and fresh.
However, taste is something that a man has to experience himself. A man can only tell of the taste of something by comparison. Those who listen can only hear the comparison from the mouth of the ones who have tasted. Regardless of how others would describe it, those who do not eat cannot understand its taste. For this reason, we have to taste to see if the Lord is good. All those who are in the wilderness have a chance to taste the manna. Those who have not passed through the wilderness can also hear about it, but they cannot have the personal experience of it. What we lose today can never be recovered in eternity. Whatever little we can add to our experience of the Lord, that little we will add to our joyful recollection in eternity.
The manna in the wilderness was not hidden. To those who pass through the wilderness, the manna is indeed not hidden. In the glory in heaven, we will recognize the man Jesus Christ. We will see Him and know Him as the slain Lamb. The heavens and all that is in them will worship Him. Heaven will have no need of manna, for in Canaan one cannot find the food of the wilderness. The manna enjoyed in Canaan surely comes from a wilderness that is very different from the condition in Canaan. We will enjoy the hidden manna in heaven, but the experience comes from earth. Our best feelings today are but blurry! We only know of a fraction of the power of the Holy Spirit! We have not longed after or enjoyed that much of the beauty of the humbled Christ! Will we fully know His condescension from heaven to earth when we behold His glory face to face in the future? Now is the time for us to examine ourselves. How much material have we prepared now for our enjoyment in heaven? How much have we longed after and desired Christ? It is true that we have eternal life already. We should thank the Lord that we have received this already. Yet this is only the beginning. Have we started on the journey that is set apart from the world, or are we like all others, living in the world? Either we belong to one group or we belong to the other. Either we are outside the world and opposing the world, or we are in the world and walking according to it.
We have seen that the "hidden manna" refers to the personal experience of every believer toward the Lord, of his personal experience of looking to the Lord, marvelling at the Lord, loving the Lord, longing after the Lord, and treasuring the Lord. All these speak of the believers' enjoyment of the Lord's worth and of their appreciation of the Lord's distinctiveness. These are all experiences of the Lord by individuals. Now we will turn to the other part of the Lord's promise.
"I will give him a white stone, and on the stone a new name written, which no one knows except he who receives it" (2:17). Both the hidden manna and the white stone refer to the individual hidden experiences, but the former points to how the believers love the Lord, while the latter points to how the Lord loves the believers. In the ancient times, when the people supported and elected a person, his name was written on a white stone and placed in a jar. This was the ancient method of voting. In the same way, the Lord's beloved believers have their names written on a white stone. Hence, the white stone speaks of the Lord's love and devotion to the individual believers. The two things are related and cannot be separated. The basis of the Lord's love for the believers is the believers' love for Him. We have seen the secretive nature of the hidden manna. In the same way, the white stone is also secretive in its nature because the name written on the stone is a new name, "which no one knows except he who receives it." Hence, this secret is strictly guarded. Only two parties know of this name, the Lord and His believer. Other than the giver and the receiver, no one else can put his hand on this. This is a personal secret between the Lord Himself and His faithful believers. It is not known to outsiders. This holy and private love can only be enjoyed by the lovers of the Lord alone and cannot be touched or understood by outsiders. Men like Antipas, who were faithful witnesses unto death, were true overcomers and were undoubtedly the ones who will receive the white stone. Many times we are weak because we do not have the confidence that we will receive the Lord's reward. Those who are close to the Lord and who have tasted the hidden manna will know the Lord's mind and will receive the white stone. This promise enables every sincere lover of the Lord to testify faithfully for the Lord in the face of all oppositions and temptations.
Do we want such an intimate communication between the Lord and us? What is the hidden name that we will receive? Names are meaningful in the Bible. The Bible often uses a name to denote the characteristics of the person. To know God's name is to know His very self and His nature. A name denotes a person. The Lord will give to every overcomer a new name. It matters little by what name others call us, but we need to pay attention to and be careful about what new name the Lord will give to us. He gave Simon the name Peter and James and John the name Boanerges. In the same way, the apostle followed the Lord's pattern and gave to Joseph the name Barnabas, for he was very good at comforting others. Towards the world we all have our personal names, but towards Christ we also have our distinctive names. These names are not taken by oneself but are given by the Lord. These names signify the characteristics and virtues which the Lord's eyes notice and which please Him. He pays special attention to our suffering for Him in the world, our service to Him in the wilderness. If we please Him in anything, He will give us a new name. The giving of the new name here signifies the commendation and appreciation of the nature and conduct of the ones receiving the name. This is a special association between the Lord and His commended ones. This association speaks of the Lord's appreciation of them. The Lord loves to point out to us what He appreciates in us. The name He gives to us speaks of the thing in us that pleases His heart. We can see this clearly from the Song of Songs. There the bridegroom repeatedly enumerated to the bride what beauty in her was drawing his heart. In the same way, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit the apostle also mentioned the virtues he saw in the believers. However, the name received on the white stone is not announced in public. This is an absolute secret between the Lord and His overcomers. Although eternity is long, it will not leak out this secret! Although there are virtues and blessings which everyone shares, the name on the white stone remains a secret. This secret tells us how much the Lord cares for us! Does not our heart rejoice at the thought that in eternity the Lord alone will still be fond of our distinctiveness and hold it to memory? Will not such a secret drive us to pursue and fan into flame our burning love for the Lord?
This new name speaks of the things that happen in the world. It speaks of the believers' suffering for the Lord in the world and their attitude and spirit in going through these sufferings. This new name signifies the Lord's attention towards what we have experienced. It also signifies the Lord's commendation in private of our attitude and thoughts in the midst of trials. We do not want to blow the trumpet and let others see what we have reserved for Him; the Lord will reward us in private. Everyone will know that we are rewarded, but they will not know with what and by what we will be rewarded. Others will see us receiving the white stone, but they will not know the name written on the white stone. Even if they see it, they will not be able to understand it if they search into it, because it will be a secret. For one thousand overcomers, there are one thousand different experiences. The Lord will note all the one thousand special characteristics. Since others have different experiences from what I have, and since the Lord's appreciation differs for different people, others will not know even if they see it. Those who know the meaning of the name must have gone through the experiences signified by the name. What we suffer for the Lord is distinctive. According to our distinctiveness the Lord will give us a distinctive name. This being the case, how can those who never have our experience understand this name? We will receive the publicly acclaimed reward, but this new name will have a deeper meaning. In eternity, among the millions of saints, we will hold a secret personal understanding with the Lord. What a thought this is!
What one dreads the most in human love is to be "common." What one desires the most is singularity. All love demands total commitment. Love does not want to share itself in public. Love requires special treatment from the object of love. One who treats everyone the same has no intimate friends. The Lord loves us. As such He requires total commitment. He does not want us to divide our heart and to love someone else or to love Him in a common way. He has a loving heart; hence, He demands singleness. If believers are zealous in loving Him, they will demand special treatment also. But then, how can He give up everyone and love only one? Yet this is where the greatness of the Lord lies! He has a heart that can love all the believers. Yet He can have an individual and special appreciation and commendation towards every single one of them. This kind of affiliation is absolutely confidential and is not known to outsiders. Does not our heart burn within us when we consider that we have a special place in the Lord's heart and that we are related to Him in a special way that is not possessed by nor known to myriads of other believers? Does it not seem that the Lord is for us and us alone?
Should we not pursue after the Lord's pleasure? What can compare with this in the world? Do we give up the eternal, priceless joy just for the present, meager, unsatisfying world? Will not such a turnabout amaze us? Why should we who are God's Nazarites and who have received His boundless grace make friends with the world and squander away His eternal, special love for the carob pods which the hogs are eating? Why do we not give up everything of the world to gain the mark of Christ's love instead? Why are we so cold and so reluctant to receive the secret that is only shared with Christ alone? Oh that we would be overcomers to receive this! But then, what is it to overcome? May each one of us ask the Lord this question.
The church in this age is the church that had passed through the great persecutions of the Roman Empire and which was accepted by the Roman Emperor as the state religion. At the beginning, Constantine was west of the Alps and those Britons and Gauls under him were mostly Christians. His army came mostly from these two groups of people. When he conquered Rome and became the Emperor, he accepted Christianity as the state-acknowledged religion. His motive was political rather than religious. His goal was to integrate Christianity with the pagan religions so that his empire would not fall into confusion through religion. He tried to make the church the handmaid of the empire. He himself, of course, realized that he had to be a Christian too, but he was not baptized until he was about to die.
After much suffering, it was unavoidable for the church to lean towards a compromise for existence. The policy of the Christians at that time was that, since events had developed the way they did, they readily accepted them without qualm. As such, the church stooped and accepted the welcome of the government. Hence, the church lost its purity and was joined to the world. It forgot the Lord's name and its own testimony and accepted what was offered to it by the emperor and the world. Even saved Christians forgot what the church was and how it ought to be heavenly and not worldly. The church should testify of two things: first, the corruption of the world, and second, the love of God. When the church joins hands with the world, the testimony of the church is lost and there remains no distinction from the world. If the world can secure the compromise of the church in a few areas, we will see the church lose all its ground. "If the world is no longer persecuting us, and if it is willing to come close to us, why can we not widen the narrow gate and constricted way? Why can we not do this?" If we are willing to sacrifice the truth and glory of Christ, is there anything that we cannot do?
Satan's altered strategy has prevailed! Formerly it was persecution. Now it is welcome. The angry face may not frighten us, but the smiling face surely wins one's heart. If fiery punishment cannot change one's faith, zealous natural affection will shake one's purity. At this point the church is already in the arms of the world!
The Lord said that they had not denied His name. This is because by then they were still quite "orthodox." This was the time of the first Nicene Council of the Roman Catholic Church. There they were still adhering to the doctrine of the Trinity. They opposed the Arian heresy. They were truly orthodox in relation to Christ. However, in relation to the gospel they were perhaps beginning to be confused. Although the Apostles' Creed mentions the forgiveness of sins, it does not mention when and how sins are forgiven. The Nicene Creed acknowledges the baptism of repentance, yet it does not mention the other one. It mentions the Lord's suffering for us, yet it is silent concerning the way to be saved! The Athanasian Creed mentions the suffering of Christ saving us, yet it does not have a single word concerning how we can receive this salvation! Hence, it was an orthodox faith at this time, but the gospel of salvation was not clear.
The teaching of Balaam was very prevailing at this time. The church accepted many heathen ceremonies and festivals and made them part of the Christian worship and Christian festivals. The designation of December 25 as the time of Christmas is but one example. During the next one thousand years, the church degraded further and further. It has completely joined itself to the world and has lost its sojourning nature and blessed hope. It has become a colony of the world and presumes that the church has the power to change the world and can turn it into the kingdom of heaven. To them, God's promise to the Jews is now fulfilled in the church. The Lord will not need to come back anymore, and His advent is just the time of the Christians' death. What a pity that the church has become fully buried in the world!
As to the teaching of the Nicolaitans, there was already at this time in the church the hierarchy that rules over the laity. Those who were wise, capable, and powerful became the leaders, and the church became organized like a worldly organization.
