Series: Churches of Revelation - Pergamum
I want to open a series for us to study together about the churches mentioned in the letters in Revelation. We will start with Pergamum.
The Church of Pergamum lived in an environment where following Christ was not simple. Surrounded by pagan cults, the influence of the Roman Empire, and a culture that demanded loyalties contrary to the Christian faith, that community faced constant pressure. Even so, Jesus recognized their faithfulness. They had not denied the name of Christ, not even in the face of the death of Antipas, whom Jesus describes as a faithful witness.
But there was a problem. While some remained firm, others began to accept teachings and practices that did not correspond to the Word of God. The church that had resisted persecution was beginning to yield to accommodation.
This is one of the most important messages in Jesus' letter to the Church of Pergamum. The greatest danger to the Church is not always what comes from the outside; it can begin when we become so accustomed to the values around us that we no longer notice how much they are shaping our way of thinking and living. After all, it is possible to remain within the church and yet begin to negotiate that which should remain non-negotiable.
Environment contrary to the faith
“I know where you live, where the throne of Satan is. Yet, you remain faithful to my name.”
Revelation 2:13
To situate ourselves geographically, Pergamum was an important city in Asia Minor, a region that corresponds mainly to the territory of modern-day Turkey. In addition to its political and cultural relevance, it was marked by the presence of temples dedicated to various deities and by the cult of the Roman emperor. In that society, religion and politics were deeply related, and demonstrating devotion to the emperor could represent a public expression of loyalty to the Roman system.
It is in this context that Jesus says He knows the place where that church lived. The expression “throne of Satan” points to the environment of intense spiritual and religious opposition that surrounded the Christians. They were inserted into a culture with values and practices that competed directly with the loyalty that belonged to Christ. Even so, Jesus recognized that they had not abandoned the faith, not even when Antipas was killed because of his testimony.
The story of Antipas reminds us that faithfulness is not always accompanied by human recognition. The Bible does not provide many details about him, but Jesus made a point of calling him His faithful witness. He may have been unknown to the world, but he was not unknown to Christ. Faithfulness does not depend on fame, influence, or approval; what matters is not how much we are recognized by people, but to Whom we belong, especially when remaining faithful has a cost.
Getting used to what is disapproved
“However, I have a few things against you: you have there people who hold to the teachings of Balaam...”
Revelation 2:14
Despite recognizing the faithfulness of the church as a whole, Jesus also pointed out what needed to be corrected. Some were tolerating teachings that led to idolatry and immorality. To explain this problem, He mentioned Balaam, whose story appears in Numbers 22–25. Balaam could not curse Israel, but his counsel ended up being related to the seduction of the people into practices that distanced them from God. What had not been destroyed by an external threat ended up becoming a trap within the people themselves.
This is an important difference: it is one thing to live in a society that does not share our faith, and another to begin to accept, within the Christian community, that which contradicts the teachings of Christ. The problem in Pergamum was not simply being surrounded by a pagan culture, but allowing part of that culture to determine what could or could not be tolerated among Christians.
(Jesus also mentions the Nicolaitans, associated with practices and teachings that He condemned, although we do not have enough historical information to state all the details about this group.)
The danger of accommodation is that it does not always look like a threat. Persecution is usually easier to identify because the pressure to abandon the faith is explicit. Accommodation, on the other hand, happens little by little. We start by making small concessions to avoid conflict, win approval, or simply adapt. Before we know it, we are defending things that we would have previously recognized as incompatible with the Word. For this reason, Jesus presents Himself to the church as the One who has the sharp, double-edged sword in Revelation 2:12; a little earlier, in Revelation 1:16, John had already seen a sword coming out of Christ's mouth. This shows that Christ judges by His word; it is the standard by which we discern what must be corrected, even when the culture around us tells us otherwise.
Determining identity
“Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind...”
Romans 12:2
The letter to the Church of Pergamum does not call us to flee the world, but to learn to live in it without allowing it to become our master. This requires discernment. We need to know when we are being opposed because of our faith and when we are simply having our opinions questioned; there are differences between defending the truth and treating those who think differently with contempt. Jesus did not abandon the truth to be accepted, but He also did not stop acting with love and gentleness when teaching the way of God.
We are living in a moment in Brazil and in the world that deals a lot with politics and religion. This reflection also reaches the way we handle these ideological differences. It is easy to turn opinions into identity and begin to see those who disagree with us as enemies. But no candidate deserves the loyalty that belongs to Christ, no party can occupy the place of the Church, and no ideology should become a substitute for the Gospel. At the same time, our political position cannot be treated as automatic proof of Christian faithfulness. Christ did not die for a party; He died for sinners. We can defend our convictions without losing love, respect people's freedom without abandoning our faith, and recognize that it is not we who convince the human heart, but the Holy Spirit.
Jesus ended His message to Pergamum with the promise of the hidden manna and a white stone with a new name for the faithful (Revelation 2:17). In a city surrounded by competing loyalties, these images pointed to God's provision and the identity granted by Christ. The culture could try to define who those Christians should be, but their identity did not need to be negotiated for them to find sustenance or acceptance. Likewise, we do not need to make deals with that which distances us from God for fear of losing something.
The great lesson of Pergamum is that the Church wins not only when it resists persecution, but also when it remains faithful during periods of accommodation. It is relatively easy to say that we would die for Christ; the question is whether we are willing to live for Him without negotiating His teachings. Before we point to what is wrong on the outside, we need to examine what we are allowing inside ourselves and our community. That which is empty on the inside ends up being filled by what it finds around it. Therefore, we need to strengthen ourselves in the Word, deepen our communion with God, and allow Christ to form our identity. The Church was called to be in the world, to love people, and to announce the Gospel, but without becoming indistinguishable from it. Remaining faithful means continuing to belong to Christ, even when that means not belonging to the standards that the world tries to impose on us.
by
Rapha Abreu is a journalist and cultural producer, and part of the marketing, writing and content production team at Mr. Rocco.
