Courage Without Compromise
In Jesus' words to the church of Pergamum, He acknowledged the dark, spiritual environment and the intense pressure these believers faced on a daily basis. Making it a point to let them know that He was acutely aware of their situation, Jesus commended their courage to hold fast to their faith.
However, despite this congregation's outstanding commitment to resist pressures from without, a deadly spiritual infection had begun to spread inside the church. Jesus defined the intolerable doctrines the church had begun to embrace and called for repentance.
Christ's message concluded with a promise of specific rewards for those who overcame not only the onslaught of external persecution, but also the internal pressure. Destructive doctrines and practices had begun to proliferate, so Christ addressed this serious problem.
Like the church in ancient Pergamum, it can be easy for the Church today to view itself as progressive, exempt from the more "primitive," exclusionary views found in the Bible. However, Jesus views ideas of inclusion and compromise at the expense of truth as a menace to the sanctity, power, and effectiveness of His Church!