This study was first taught on March 10, 2019

Topic: The Assessment of the Churches (12): The Church in Pergamos (The Challenges of Holding on to Sound Doctrine)

(use the audio to study)

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Background
So far, we have seen that the church in Pergamos’ fault was chiefly in the syncretism that was taking place within the church. Syncretism—the multiplicity of doctrines and beliefs—is a scourge which must be dealt with decisively. Syncretism is best dealt with by going to the root: the root of teachings and the root of reception (of the listener).

We’ve discussed the root of teachings under the heading, “The Challenges of Teaching Sound Doctrine”. Sound doctrine is the wholesome teaching of the word of God without embellishments and thus, leading us to live godly lives before God. The challenges of teaching sound doctrine thus, speak about obstacles or temptations (hurdles) which must be overcome so as not to introduce syncretism into the church:
1) The teacher must be sanctified and consecrated.
2) The teacher must be authorized to teach the word of God by the Lord.
3) The teacher must be fully convinced that the word of God as written in the bible is every wit true.
4) The teacher must not be teaching for gain and glory.
5) The teacher must be focused in pleasing God, not people.
6) The teacher must be able to patiently endure with those who have come to listen [remember, there are people who are ever learning, but never able to come to the knowledge of the truth].
7) The teacher must remain true to God’s instruction.
8) The teacher must refuse to teach false doctrine. Teaching false doctrine can be a very tempting proposition:
• It has the propensity to make people happy, even though it is false.
• It has the propensity to give people a way out without going through God’s discipline.
• It has the propensity to provide people with short-cuts, which are contrary to God’s purpose.
• Sadly, it has the propensity to take people away from God.
9) The teacher must not be a novice, but one who is spiritually mature:
• One to whom the word of God has been revealed.
• One who has an intimate knowledge of God—knows how He speaks and that He cannot contradict His Will.
• One who is producing fruit:
i. Has love for all men.
ii. Has self-control over his tongue, appetite and desires (including sexual desires)
iii. Doesn’t repay evil with evil.
iv. Has a calm disposition amid storms.
v. Shows kindness to all men.
10) The teacher must not say what God has not asked him to say, nor say what he has not heard from God.
• He must be ready to wait for and wait on God.
• He must “stand in the counsel of God”—waiting, being present at council meetings, praying and receiving directions from God.
• He must have an on-going personal love-relationship with God [He must walk with God].

More generally, the teacher must first become like Christ, through the crucifixion of the flesh and its desires and passions and walking with God in holiness and humility. Thus, we should be able to eliminate introducing syncretism into the church.

Scripture Text(s)
Revelation 2:12-17
Eliminating the root of false teachings is but one root—there is still the root of reception! There are those who have come into the church from other backgrounds and have yet to be ‘debriefed’, and there are those who claim to be born again and nothing else has happened to them beyond that (Matthew 12:43-45).

Ephesians 4:11-14; Galatians 3:1-4; Hebrews 5:12-14; 1 Corinthians 3:1-9; Romans 8:5-8; Acts 7:51-52; James 1:21; 1 Peter 2:1-2; Matthew 13:13-17, 19; Luke 24:44-45; 1 Corinthians 2:9-16; 2 Timothy 4:3-4; Matthew 13:20-21; 1 Kings 22:1-23; John 8:31-32; James 1:22-25; Matthew 13:20-21, 22; James 4:4; 1 John 2:15-16; Mark 11:13; Luke 13:6-7; Matthew 7:15-20; 1 John 4:1-6.

Conclusion
The carnal man and the man who lacks understanding of spiritual things, very easily accommodate false doctrines, and therefore, susceptible to syncretic practices. Such people need to be taught the word of God and must be willing to learn and put to practice what they have been taught of the word of God. Those who are unwilling to endure truth, also have itching ears, and they usually want to hear what they want to hear. They also are unwilling to do the word of God and have the love for the world; but will gladly practice any other thing. Such individuals go in search of false doctrines and are usually harbingers (harbor, port) of syncretism. This group of people require divine intervention to be saved and delivered from syncretism!

Finally, those with a preference for ‘leaves’ over ‘fruit’, are easily misled by what they can see. They usually seek miracles from anywhere and will take any short-cuts. If such individuals are to overcome syncretism, they must seek ‘fruit’—the character of the minister—and ensure laying proper Christian foundational doctrine. Indeed, they must seek substance over shadows! Thus, eliminating syncretism from the hearer will require that people are focused on the doctrine of Christ and doing them!

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