Why does God Allow
Evil? Click here: /Apologeticshtml/Why Does God Allow Evil 0908.htm
Should God’s existence be
proven? /Apologeticshtml/Should the Bible and God Be Proven
Fideism vs WCG.htm
Does
the Bible teach blind faith? Click here: /doctrinalhtml/Gospel of John Theory of Knowledge.htm
Let’s
begin by analyzing the first of these three texts in Revelation and 3 John,
which all relate to staying faithful and obedient to God’s truth. Revelation 2:6 says, “But you have this in
your favor: You hate the practices of
the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.”
This same heretical group is mentioned again in Rev. 2:15. We really don’t know which group
historically that Jesus referred to here in this passage, although there have
been lots of speculations about their identity. They likely were an unorthodox church or group that existed in the
first century or two after Jesus’ death, since chronologically Ephesus was the
first church era, if we use a chronological interpretation of the seven letters
to the churches (i.e., Revelation, chapters 3-4). I think the main point to gain from this passage is that although
the church in Ephesus lost their first love, or passion for following God’s
truth (verse 4), they didn’t fall into rampant doctrinal heresy or gross
immorality (i.e., sexual sin). One
lesson to take away from this section would be to make sure we love the truth
but also hate what’s wrong as well, based on Jesus’ standards as revealed in
the Gospels and elsewhere.
Then let’s look at 3 John 3-4: “It gave me great joy to have some brothers come and tell about your faithfulness to the truth and how you continue to walk in the truth. I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.” Here John is saying that he is very happy when people are believing and especially obeying the truth of Christianity. Like John, we today should have joy when others come to believe the truth and then obey its commandments as well.
Finally,
let’s examine Revelation 14:12: “This
calls for patient endurance on the part of the saints who keep the commandments
of God, and the faith of Jesus.” This
Scripture in context tells Christians to remain faithful to God so that they
don’t suffer like those who get the mark of the beast, as described in the
prior verses. Christians in the years
to come will face the threat of losing their physical lives if they avoid
getting the mark of the beast, which involves disobeying one or more of God’s
Ten Commandments, the law of God. If
someone worships an idol or a man on earth or anything other than the one true
God who is in heaven, that could be part of what will cause someone to get the
mark of the Beast. I believe that the
mark of the Beast also will be inflicted on those who deliberately disobey the
literal wording of the fourth commandment, which few Christians seriously obey
to the exact letter.
All
three of the texts that you cited appear to be about the importance for
Christians to believe in and obey God’s truth, although it isn’t clear what the
Nicolaitans really believed.
Eric Snow
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Why does God Allow Evil?
Click here: /Apologeticshtml/Why
Does God Allow Evil 0908.htm
May Christians work on
Saturdays? Click here: /doctrinalhtml/Protestant
Rhetoric vs Sabbath Refuted.htm
Should Christians obey
the Old Testament law? /doctrinalhtml/Does
the New Covenant Abolish the OT Law.htm
Do you have an immortal
soul? Click here: /doctrinalhtml/Here
and Hereafter.htm
Does the ministry have
authority? Click here: /doctrinalhtml/Is
There an Ordained Ministry vs Edwards.html
Is the United States the
Beast? Click here: /doctrinalhtml/Are
We the Beast vs Collins.htm
Should you give 10% of
your income to your church? Click here: /doctrinalhtml/Does
the Argument from Silence Abolish the Old Testament Law of Tithing 0205 Mokarow
rebuttal.htm
Is Jesus God? Click
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Jesus God.htm
Will there be a third
resurrection? Click here: /doctrinalhtml/Will
There Be a Third Resurrection.htm
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