This study was first taught on March 24, 2019

Topic: The Assessment of the Churches (14.1): The Church in Thyatira (The Call to Repentance (1))

(use the audio to study)

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Background
Our introduction to the church in Thyatira last week was of a church that had commendable good works in ever-increasing dimensions, but with serious issues when it came to matters of purity—sexual and spiritual. The culprit was a woman referred to as Jezebel, a self-styled prophetess, who was permitted by the leader of the church to teach (contrary to the word of God). This prompted us to look at the Jezebel in the Old Testament. And we saw similarities between the two and could also make extrapolations on the Jezebel in Thyatira and all modern-day ‘Jezebels’.

Thus, we noted that ‘Jezebels’ are:
- Women/feminists,
- Wicked and evil,
- Killers of servants of God, while promoting and sustaining false prophets,
- Negative influences on their husbands, and those they come in contact with,
- Master manipulators and seductresses whose goal is to turn children of God away from God through sexual immorality and idolatrous practices,
- Begetters of ‘daughters’ who are worse in everything that is evil, and,
- Unrepentant—they can’t change and wouldn’t change!

The lessons we learnt from our study include:
(1) Be careful with whom you are allied in ministry, marriage, and even other relationships—“… evil communication corrupts good manners”
(2) Church leaders must be careful about who they allow to teach in the church and thus, influence the flock.
(3) Women who are Christians should mirror sobriety and piety, lest they become tools in the hands of ‘mother Jezebel’ (Satan).
(4) Beware of self-named/self-styled ministers—those who say that they are apostles, prophets, pastors, evangelists, etc.
(5) Jezebel is paganism personified, and this includes African traditional practices, Eastern religious practices, and Western culture, and must not be permitted in the church of God.

Scripture Text(s)
Revelation 2:20-24
Even though the Lord knew that Jezebel was unrepentant, He still gave her ample opportunity and time to repent. Likewise, the Lord gave Jezebel’s accomplices opportunity to repent as well. There was also a pronouncement made by the Lord of what would happen to anyone who refused to repent.
In considering this topic (The Call to Repentance) in the context of our scripture text, we shall be looking at what the call to repentance is; why would the call to repentance be made; to whom and how is the call to repentance made; and what are the possible responses and the outcomes of each response to the call to repentance.

But first, let us define repentance:
• It is the heart-felt conviction for sin, which results in a turning away from sinful/ungodly living, and a turning onto God in faith (John 16:7-9).
• Repentance is not being merely sorry, after you have been caught and the consequence of your offence is about to be meted out to you.
• Repentance is godly sorrow for sin (2 Corinthians 7:6-11) which requires that we tell God that we have sinned against Him (Hosea 14:1-2).
• Repentance is mourning for sin—yours and others (Joel 2:12-14; Matthew 5:4; Isaiah 6:1-7; 64:6).
Thus, the call to repentance is God’s plea to sinners to turn away from their sin and to turn to Him in faith—trusting Him to save them from the judgment that is to come upon all sinners (2 Corinthians 5:20). Now we turn to other aspects of our study.
Ezekiel 18:30-32; 2 Corinthians 5:10-11; Hebrews 9:27; 10:28-31; 12:29; Revelation 20:11-15; Romans 2:3-11; Exodus 34:6-7; Genesis 18:17; 19:29; Isaiah 59:16; 1 John 1:5-10; Acts 2:37-38; 3:19; Romans 3:9-18; Joel 2:15-16; Revelation 20:11-12.

Conclusion
The call of God to men to repentance is not just to the overtly wicked and evil, like Jezebel, but it is to all men, for all have sinned. The sin of Adam brought sin and death unto all men (Romans 5:12-19) and sin begat more sin, so all sinned! But as one man brought sin into the world; through Christ, God has brought forgiveness for sin, and has translated us from death to life, from sinful living to godly living, etc. However, you need to appropriate the forgiveness of Christ, by requesting for it, after you have been convinced of your need for the salvation of God.

Hence, the gospel message which calls all men—regardless of gender, nationality, skin colour, religious beliefs, political affiliation, socio-economic status, etc.—is to be preached to all (Mark 16:15; Luke 24:46-47; John 20:30-31). God is also calling those who have heeded the first call to repentance (those in the church) but who have turned aside to return to Him (1 Corinthians 10:12).

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