| How
should we then live? series
We read the warning to the church at Ephesus in Revelation
2:6 "But
this thou hast, that thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitans,
which I also
hate."
and to the church at Pergamos in verse 15 "So
hast thou also them that hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans,
which thing I hate"Ephesus hated the doctrine while Pergamos
held to or practiced it. A close look at the meaning of the name should be
revealing.
NICOLAITAN:conqueror of the assembly
NICO means a VICTOR, CONQUEROR (imposing ruler over) ( eg.
nicotene rules the smoker)
LAITAN means LAITY (those of the assembly)
Throughout history "the general
assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven"
have struggled under the Satanic Nicolaitan philosophy. Church leadership (not
meeting the true scriptural qualifications) has placed deceptive, unfounded and
unscriptural interpretations (eg.various ordinances, required attendance,
membership, required tithes and pledges,and various other judgement calls etc.) upon the saints, so that there is
no doubt who is in charge (certainly not the Messiah). They judged
those harshly who fell short of these unsound demands. "Many
pastors have destroyed my vineyard, they have trodden my portion under
foot" Jeremiah 12:10. "Woe be unto the
pastors that destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture! saith the LORD.
Therefore thus saith the LORD God of Israel against the pastors that feed my
people; Ye have scattered my flock, and driven them away, and have not visited
them: behold, I will visit upon you the evil of your doings, saith the
LORD." Jeremiah 23:1,2 In 1 Peter 5:3,
Peter wrote; "Neither as being lords over
God's heritage, butbeing examples to the flock."Another instance is
mentioned in III John verse 9,10: "I wrote unto the
church: but Diotrephes, who loveth to have the preeminence among them, received
us not. Wherefore, if I come, I will remember his deeds which he doeth, prating
against [ berate idly] us with malicious words: and not content therewith,
neither doth he himself receive the brethren, and forbiddeth them that would and
casteth them out of the church." The people lost the
freedom to follow the Word as the leaders claimed absolute final authority. The
Pharisee's were reprimanded by the Saviour for this very thing. As noted in the
preceeding verses this "doctrine" is to be
hated.
Rome as the earthly "Mother of
harlots" has had an influence upon her "harlots"
(the many protestant denominations and church groups), who practice this evil
doctrine today as they burden their flocks and the Elect .Their fruits show that
they are "harlots" as they indulge in
other pagan activities such as Easter, Christmas,and "Sun"day
worship, and other false doctrines. Today's leaders use scripture to justify their actions when necessary;
just like Satan has so often done; and as their predecessors did. The Elect will
almost be deceived.
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|
will save)
would
affirm today; it's the same truth He
attested to as he walked this earth some
2000 years ago - an exclusive way to the Father (John 14:6)
and that man, as a
sinful creature, is in need of a Saviour.(John
3:16-21).
