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 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 church—a true/false test—when Christ judges His true church. This will be an important test because on that grading day, there is also going to be “the church split of all church splits.” Based on test results, Christ is going to separate the true church from the false. It won’t be up to a coin flip.
So, how will Christ judge the 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 wrong answer?
Church, you might be going through tough test right. But there is a greater test coming that will determine if you will graduate as Christ’s Lenten Church. You can’t afford to trust the flip of a coin.
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. You did not renounce your faith in me, even in the days of Antipas, my faithful witness, who was put to death in your city—where Satan lives. Rev. 2:12
Pergamum was a smart city—a capital city—like Washington D.C., full of libraries. But not all of its knowledge was good knowledge because Pergamum was also the center of pagan worship: the worship of Olympic gods like Zeus and emperors like the Caesars. That’s why Christ called Pergamum “where Satan has his throne…where Satan lives.” It was a tough place for truth. Isn’t it ironic that the hardest place to find truth is in a place full of knowledge? Being smart doesn’t always save you.
Christ, however, applauded the Pergamum Church because they were true to Christ’s as Lord and savior. It’s all in His name –a name above all names. Just listen to the resume in Christ’s name according to Colossians 1:15-18.
5 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. 16 For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. 17 He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. 18 And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him… Colossian 1:15-18
Wow! What a resume:
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. He was before everything.
He holds everything together.
He Master Pastor—the head of the Church.
He was first to rise from the dead.
He is supreme before the Supremes.
He is fully God.
That’s what you get in Christ the Lord. Christ is also savior in God’s purpose, plan and provision to save us from our sins:
In God’s Purpose:
" …the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost." Luke 19:10
In God’s Plan:
"…God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." Roman 5:8
In God’s Provision:
" . . . God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son" Jn. 3:16
The Pergamum Church, not only knew Christ to be Lord and Savior in their head, but they believe it in their heart. They did not renounce their faith when their pastor—Antipas—was martyred, burned to death in the hollow of a metal bull by Roman Emperor Nero. Like Polycarp of Smyrna that we saw the last week, Antipas would not burn even a pinch of incense to the idol of Caesar. Antipas would only bow down to Christ, the Lord whose name that is above all names according to Philippians 2:9
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. Look at verse 14 and15.
14 Nevertheless, I have a few things against you: You have people there who hold to the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to entice the Israelites to sin by eating food sacrificed to idols and by committing sexual immorality. 15 Likewise you also have those who hold to the teaching of the Nicolaitans.
The teachers of Balaam and the Nicolaitans taught essentially this: there is freedom in Christianity to compromise, to sin. A little bite of food sacrificed to idols or a little bit of sexual immorality wouldn’t hurt. Right? Wrong. God teaches the truth that Christian liberty is not a license for a little bite of this and a little bit of that when it comes to sin. Galatians 5:13 reminds us of that:
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, I’m still growing.”
“Well, I’m not in heaven yet.
“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. The landscape of tele-evangelists is strewn with wreckage of their ministries—lesser shells of their former selves—because of compromised theologies. Compromise is a ministry killer.
Church, look within. What’s your answer to the question: Christianity is a license to sin, true or false? Mark it “false”. Compromise will kill your church.
Finally, Question 3: true or False: You can correct comprise? The answer is “true”—Repent from compromise. Think of repentance as a make-up examine to correct false teaching. When you repent, then you can look forward to the rewards reserved for Christ’s true church. But if you refuse to change your answer, you can expect to be cut from class. Look at verse 16:
16 Repent therefore! Otherwise, I will soon come against you and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth. Rev. 2:16
Turn from false teaching, or under the knife, the sword of Christ—the word of God—that will split the true church from the false church. Christ’ word is surgical according to Hebrews 4:12:
12 For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Heb. 4:12
1. The word of God is dynamic: It enlivens like fire shut up in your bones.
2. The word of God is deep: It gets to the core of your issues.
3. The word of God diagnostic: It sees what others can’t see—a man’s heart.
Repent. Let the word of God do surgery on you. Look forward the three rewards he has for the true church. We see them in verse 17.
To the one who conquers, I will give him some of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone, and on that stone will be written a new name that no one can understand except the one who receives it.’ Rev. 2:17
First, you can look forward to an everlasting life sustained by hidden manna—bread from heaven, better than what Moses gave the Israelites in the wilderness. This manna is Christ Himself who called himself 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. We see that in the white stone. 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 who was willing to look within and look forward to lose what it should not keep—false teaching—to gain what it cannot lose—Christ the Lord.
CONCLUSION:
On the final true/false test of the church, there will be three questions that will separate the true church from the false church. The first question is this: True or false? Christ is your Lord and Savior. Mark it true. Let him be your master.
The second question is this: True or False, Christian freedom is a license to compromise, to sin. Mark it false. Compromise kills. Christian liberty is an opportunity to serve in love.
The third question—a bonus question—is this: Can you correct compromise. True. Repent and reap the bonus of the bread of life, a seat at the banquet reserved for those with a new name—overcomers.
Someday, there is going to be a 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.
It will be a “W” for well-done, my good and true church who was faithful to my name…
"Jesus, Jesus, precious Jesus
There is something about that name.
Master, Savior, Jesus
Like Sunshine after the rain.
Kings and Kingdoms will all pass away, there is something about that name.
But there is something about that name."
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