The Hate of Compromise

The term Nicolaitans does not occur in the Bible until the Revelation. Then it comes up twice in the same chapter. Who were these people and what was this doctrine? Actually Paul had addressed this issue back in his letter to the Romans with: And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. (Romans 12:2) In other words, the Nicolaitan doctrine was one of compromise or being conformed to the world. Jesus had a message for two churches:

"Thus you also have those who hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which thing I hate." (Rev 2:15)

"But this you have, that you hate the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate." (Rev 2:6)

One church had some conforming folks and the other church hated the doctrine of compromising with the world. Bear in mind that these are from a collection of messages from our Lord to SAVED people. The hate of compromise is stated twice by Jesus, and we know our Lord loves to love first.

There is something in us that would like to take these messages and turn the verbal guns on others, but this is about a personal response. Giving ourselves a pass on a sinful action, failing to love a neighbor by daydreaming of sexual immorality with his wife, entertaining ideas of how to make money dishonestly, or holding grudges and many other ways that conform to this sinful world are not for us, as Jesus, Paul, Peter, Jude, John, and the other books of God's word told us in so many words. Praise God this change comes through God's Spirit from the inside, because I haven't been quite successful yet in changing it from the outside.

Thank you, dear Lord, for strengthening us to flee sin and hate compromising with it.

Bucky