Beware of doctrine of Balaam

Rev.2:14, ‘ I have a few things against you, because you have there those who hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols, and to commit sexual immorality.’ 

The third church whom the Lord spoke to was the church of Pergamos. This city was the capital of Asia Minor in about 200 BC. It was famous for its university with a huge library. There were four large temples in Pergamos. People were wealthy but wicked. The word ‘Pergamos’ means ‘thoroughly married’. This represents the time soon after Constantine, when Christianity was made the state religion. Hence, thousands became nominal  Christians with lot of pagan practices within the church.

The message to this church starts with the words ‘These things says He who has the sharp two-edged sword:’ Hebr.4:12 says that the Word of God is sharper than the two edged sword. This is a sword that  cuts and convicts both the one who speaks this word and also the one who hears this. It also shows the sharpness to the extent of dividing ‘soul’ and ‘spirit’.  Nothing else in this world can expose the things happening deep inside our heart except the Word of God. It pierces into the bones and the marrows, the most hidden and covered portions of a body. John 12:48,  ^‘He who rejects Me, and does not receive My words, has that which judges him—the word that I have spoken will judge him in the last day.’ The Lord reminded the church that the judgement will be based on His uncompromising Word.  Let’s remind ourselves of this judgement often till this head knowledge grips our heart, or else we  will always have the tendency to mold spiritual matters as per our convenience and comfort. 

The Lord commended the church for not denying the faith inspite of the most challenging times it went through. There was persecution in highest level.  Antipas, who was a faithful servant of God was martyred. The church might have prayed earnestly for his deliverance but yet they were not answered. The Lord allowed it to happen. This could have easily eroded away the sharpness of faith of Pergamus church.  This could have caused the church to be in the clutches  of fear and doubt. But it did not.  Even John the Baptist, who prepared the way for the Lord in the wilderness asked Jesus whether He was the Messiah. He doubted the Lord whom he served with much zeal when the time approached for his beheading ( Lk.7:20).  We love our own lives more than anything and anyone. But God said to love Him with all our heart and mind. If  our  love for Him is not with fullness of heart, anything and anyone else can creep into it to occupy the vacant space. This increases the struggle to lead a Spirit lead life. This weakens our love for the Lord . Unless the love for the Lord is  ‘the first love’ as we read in the message to the church of Ephesus, none of us can withstand the severity of persecution which lashes against us time and again to make us perfect in His eyes.

Rev.2:14 speaks about that which grieved the Lord. He charged and rebuked the church for having those who held the doctrine of Balaam. No church is perfect. But still having those holding the wrong doctrines is  having  fellowship with those holding wrong doctrines. Fellowship closer relation where we allow their influence  over our mindset and lives. ‘you have there those who hold the doctrine of’…this phrase also points out to the silence of those in the church who did recognize these false doctrines and did not practice them.  Reasons for this silence might have been various, like, unity of church or to avoid disputes or to not to loose the number of souls from the church. But silence to wrong doctrines or teachings is like agreeing to them. Apostle Paul always raised his voice & rebuked the church for its wrong doings. May we have the boldness to resist and raise our voice against wrong doctrines. 

Jn.6:53-67 clearly portrays the uncompromising stand of Christ regarding His teachings. In Jn.6:66, many disciples went back and walked no more with Jesus. Yet He did not call them back saying that He would simplify His teachings. In v 67, He asked Peter if he too would go. Even when the disciples left Jesus on basis of the strictness and rigidness of His teachings, He did not change His teachings. He wants only those who are willing to obey them with all their heart and mind. Let this truth be inscribed in our hearts. God’s mercy does not change His uncompromising stand for His Word. 

The church of Pergamus had people who practiced the doctrine of Balaam. To understand this, we need to study the chapters of  Numbers from 22 to 24. Balaam, a prophet ,  was approached  by Balak, who was the king of Moabites during the days when the Israelites pitched their tents in the plains of Moab on their journey to Canaan. Moabites were sore afraid to see the huge size of Israelite congregation and hence they asked Balaam to come and curse the Israelites and thus drive them out of the land. Balaam enquired of the Lord, who commanded him not to go with the princes of Moab and not to curse the Israelites who were blessed by the Lord (Numb.22:.12). Balaam the prophet obeyed the Lord. Here, he was in the perfect will of the Lord. In verses 15 to 20, Balaam prophet gets lured by more attractive offers of Balak and again enquires of the Lord. In v 20, God  allows Balaam to go with the princes of Moab with the charge that he would not speak a single word which the Lord had not given him. In v 22 we see how God’s anger was kindled against Balaam. Our Lord is like a gentleman. He never forces us to obey Him but always warns, guides and directs us. Once He had said ‘no’ to Balaam. This should have been taken as the final say from the Lord . But God saw how his heart had fallen before the offer of greater honor of this world. Hence He gave him permission. Though Balaam got the permission from the Lord, he was no more in the perfect will of God. He had now moved into the permissive will of God. Perfect will is the zone which is ruled completely by God’s will. Permissive will is the zone where a compromise is made between God’s will and man’s will. Any compromise in spiritual life is like giving a foothold to the devil, who then never stops forcing himself into our hearts and mind, thus exercising more and more of his domain over our lives . Here, the struggle to live a Spirit lead life is unbearable. Every now and then, such lives have more and more tendency to fall and with each compromises, the  struggle to raise up again becomes greater. Ultimately, the compromising  person gives up and is fallen with no more strength to raise up to run the rest of the race of faith. The narrow way is a way of no compromise. It’s a way  where only the Lord’s will rules. Balaam shifted from the perfect will to the permissive will. It all began with the compromise in the influence he allowed over his heart and mind. Though he knew very well his calling and who the Lord is, he allowed the honor and wealth of this world to influence his heart easily. Lets be careful and watch over our own souls,  as to  who and what is influencing us.

The church of Pergamus had those who compromised with the holiness of the doctrines of the Word of God. This caused many to stumble. Balaam prophesied right but counseled them into the wrong way( Numb. 24:14 & Numb. 31:16). This is the consequence of being in permissive will. We end up doing both right and wrong. Others who watch and are influenced by  those who are in permissive will of God might also fall sooner or later. May the Lord alone, who alone is perfect be our only influence.

Balaam did not commit adultery but caused many Israelites to do the same and thus fall in sin. We are accountable to our Lord for every wrong influence we might be causing through our lives. Let’s realize that we are responsible for other’s spiritual lives to some extent. If our lives cause anyone to stumble in their spiritual lives, we are endangering our own salvation. Let’s build up our lives on the strong uncompromising Word of God and thus build up many other lives for the Lord’s glory. 

Rev.2:15 talks about the doctrine of Nicolaitans. This too refers to the compromising lives in the church.  Rev.22:6 and 15 expresses the deep hatred towards this doctrine. Acts 6: 5 mentions the name of Nicolas. The books of church history says that he was a compromising person. He taught that complete separation between teachings of Christ and paganism was not required. Hence, compromises have been flagged under the name of doctrine of Nicolas. Lets be mindful of the fact that any person or church who compromises with doctrines and teachings of the Word of God is drained off from the power and authority of Christ bestowed upon them through the power of Holy Spirit. A compromising church is a powerless church and so is a compromising person.

The message ends with the note of repentance, the only medicine for all sins.  No message would be complete without the note of repentance. All messages that comes from God leads one soul to repentance, which is a daily and continuous process. This is the narrow way to heaven : chopping off all that pulls us into the darkness.

Rev.2:17, ‘He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give some of the hidden manna to eat. And I will give him a white stone, and on the stone a new name written which no one knows except him who receives it.” ’  Let’s submit with a willing heart to repent from all the ways of compromises we might have made thus far. Let’s realize that compromises are huge snares into which thousands of lives are walking into, without realizing that they are endangering their own salvation. Our Lord is holy. He is merciful and a just God. Soon and very soon, we will stand before that judgement seat. Let’s not be deceived any more. An uncompromising life will be painful. But His grace is sufficient to strengthen us to bear the pain. A great reward awaits for those who walk on this way joyfully. May we never fall into this snare of compromise and thus inherit the promise of eternal life awaiting us. 

God bless us all

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