As a former college teacher, there were all kinds of tests I gave: essays, multiple-choice, fill-in-the-blank, true/false. Most of my students preferred true/false. They figured they had at least a 50-50 chance to get a question right. So, for the unprepared student, a flip of a coin worked.
A student I heard about—let’s call her “Blondie” –tried it. She faced a final that would determine if she’d graduate. This test contained 50 true/false questions. She stared at the test for five minutes, and then, in a fit of inspiration, took out a coin and flipped it, then confidently marked the answer sheet: true for heads and false for tails. In ten minutes, she was done. But with a few minutes left in the class, she got out her coin and started flipping it again, but this time she was visibly frantic, sweating and swearing with each flip. The professor asked her what was going on. She said, "I’m trying to check my answers." Flipping a coin didn’t work for her, and it won’t work for you when it comes to your final exam as a Christian—a true/false test—when Christ judges His true church.
In Revelation 2:12-17, we see a preview of a three-question test that Christ gave the Pergamum church as a midterm, if you will. Pergamum was one of the seven churches in Asia he evaluated in Revelation. Pergamum is the third church we have looked at in our Lenten Church Series: Lent: It’s not what you give up, but what you gain.
As we look within Pergamum, we see the falsehood they need to give up. As we look forward, we see the rewards they gain as Christ’s true church. This Pergamum test has three questions. Question (1): True or false: Is Christ Lord and Savior? Question (2): True or false: Does Christianity gives you the freedom to sin? And finally, a Bonus Question (3): True or false: Can you correct your compromise?
First, question (1): True or False—Is Christ Lord and Savior? The answer is true. Christ praised the Pergamum Church for being true to the essential question of the Church: Who do you say Christ is? This is the seminal question that Christ asked Peter? He got it right: “Thou art the Christ.” Christ means the anointed, the chosen one—chosen by God to be Lord and Savior. This truth was not an easy one in a city that was the center of “falsehood”. Look at verse 12.
I know where you live-- where Satan has his throne. Yet you remain true to my name. Rev. 2:12
Be true to Christ and his name. What a resume according to Colossian 1:15-18. Here is a sampling: Christ looks like God. He is first of God. He made everything. Everything is available to him. He was the big bang before the big bang. Lord means master. Church, is Christ, the master of your life:
• Is Christ Lord and Master of your pulpit? Look for Lordship in you next leader.
• Is Christ Lord and Master in the pews? Are you running things or is it the Lord?
• Is Christ Lord and Master outside these walls. Is His leadership visible in your life?
If He is, mark “T” for true, Christ is your Lord and Savior. Now, go live it like Pergamum did.
Question number 2 on the final test of the true church: True or False—Christianity gives you the freedom to sin? The answer is false. Christ warned Pergamum that they were flirting with the wrong answer as they allowed the false teachings of the Balaamites and Nicolaitans that were in their midst. They taught being a Christian is a license to do what you want since all is forgivable. Wrong. God teaches the truth that Christian liberty is license serve and love according to Galatian 5:13:
For you were called for freedom, brothers. But do not use this freedom as an opportunity for the flesh; rather, serve one another through love. Galatians 5:13
Don’t buy into the false teaching of compromise, and rationalize your freedom as opportunity to sin by saying: “Well, I’m human.”; “Well, God knows I’m not perfect.” “Well, God’s grace will cover me.” “Well rationales” is a well-worn road to a hell of grave consequences. Jim Jones served up cups of “Well” compromises—the result: 913 people died in the jungles of Guiana from cyanide laced cool-aid. Compromise will kill your church.
Finally, Question 3: true or False: You can correct compromise? The answer is “true”—Repent from compromise.
16Therefore repent; or else I am coming to you quickly, and I will make war against them with the sword of My mouth.
Think of repentance as a make-up examine to correct the compromises you have made in life. When you repent, then you can look forward to the rewards reserved for Christ’s true church. Repent. Let the word of God do surgery on you. Look forward the three rewards he has for the true church.
First, you can look forward to an everlasting life sustained by Christ, the bread of Life—the wonder bread that we celebrate at the Lord’s Table.
Second, you can look forward to admission to the “great banquet of the marriage supper of the Lamb—the commemoration celebration of our forever relationship with Christ. Think of it as a ticket to a party you don’t want to miss.
Third, you can look forward to a new name. You will be called Christ Overcomers Church with all the rights, privileges and power that come with being His church.
Some day you will have final test of the true Church. Don’t trust a flip of a coin like Blondie. Trust truth to determine the grade you deserve: It won’t be an “A” for almost true. It won’t be a “B” for barely false. It won’t be a “C” for compromised. It won’t be a “D” for “did what I wanted”. Or an “F” for failure to be faithful. You want a “W”: Well-done my good and faithful church--faithful to Christ's name.
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