Tolerance is not always loving
July 1, 2018
We look at the fourth of Jesus’ 7 letters to the churches, the letter to the church in Thyatira. This church is commended for its church growth – in Christlikeness. However, Thyatira was renowned for its many trade guilds, and to be a member usually required participating in a common meal dedicated to a patron deity. Christians who refused to participate in the life of the guilds would thus find themselves isolated socially and economically. Some teaching arose, described as Jezebellic, encouraging believers to go and even engage in sexual immorality despite both being expressly prohibited (Acts 15). Christ had this against the church; they tolerated this false teaching. Tolerance is not always loving. Their holiness was compromised, their witness dimmed, they were called to repent and look to Him, the morning star! So too are we.
Stephen Morrison
In this series:
Revelation 2:18–29 (Listen)
To the Church in Thyatira
18 “And to the angel of the church in Thyatira write: ‘The words of the Son of God, who has eyes like a flame of fire, and whose feet are like burnished bronze.
19 “‘I know your works, your love and faith and service and patient endurance, and that your latter works exceed the first. 20 But I have this against you, that you tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess and is teaching and seducing my servants to practice sexual immorality and to eat food sacrificed to idols. 21 I gave her time to repent, but she refuses to repent of her sexual immorality. 22 Behold, I will throw her onto a sickbed, and those who commit adultery with her I will throw into great tribulation, unless they repent of her works, 23 and I will strike her children dead. And all the churches will know that I am he who searches mind and heart, and I will give to each of you according to your works. 24 But to the rest of you in Thyatira, who do not hold this teaching, who have not learned what some call the deep things of Satan, to you I say, I do not lay on you any other burden. 25 Only hold fast what you have until I come. 26 The one who conquers and who keeps my works until the end, to him I will give authority over the nations, 27 and he will rule1 them with a rod of iron, as when earthen pots are broken in pieces, even as I myself have received authority from my Father. 28 And I will give him the morning star. 29 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’
Footnotes
[1] 2:27
(ESV)
All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. Copyright ©2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Text provided by the Crossway Bibles Web Service.
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