Faithfulness: Confession and Conduct in Christ

Faithfulness to Christ is not just about what we say with our mouths, but how we live our lives. In the letter to the church at Pergamum, Jesus commends the believers for holding firmly to His name and not denying their faith, even in the face of intense persecution and the martyrdom of Antipas. Yet, He also rebukes them for allowing some among them to embrace teachings that separate confession from conduct—teachings that make it acceptable to live in sin while still claiming allegiance to Christ. This is a sobering reminder that true faithfulness is both verbal and behavioral.

The story of Balaam and Balak in Numbers illustrates how, when direct opposition fails, the enemy seeks to seduce God’s people into compromise. Balaam could not curse Israel directly, but he taught Balak how to entice Israel into sin, leading to their downfall. In the same way, when Satan cannot get believers to deny Christ outright, he works through false teachers and cultural pressures to make carnality and compromise seem acceptable. The danger is not just in what we say, but in the subtle ways we allow our lives to drift from the holiness Christ calls us to.

Jesus’ warning to Pergamum is clear: holding to a verbal confession while living contrary to His commands is not enough. He calls for repentance and warns that judgment awaits those who persist in this duplicity. Yet, for those who overcome—who endure in both word and deed—He promises Himself, the hidden manna, and a new name, signifying acceptance and honor in His kingdom.

This is a call to deep self-examination. It is easy to deceive ourselves, to settle for a faith that is all talk and no transformation. But Christ’s standard is higher: He desires a people who not only confess Him with their lips but also pursue conformity to His image in every area of life. The grace that saves is the same grace that transforms. The invitation is to repent, to press on in the journey of sanctification, and to support one another in the fight for true faithfulness.

Key Takeaways

• 1. Faithfulness Requires Both Confession and Conduct It is not enough to simply profess faith in Christ; our lives must reflect the reality of that confession. Jesus rebukes those who hold to a verbal confession but live in ways that contradict His commands, making it clear that genuine faith produces transformation, not just words. [43:09]
• 2. The Enemy’s Strategy Shifts from Persecution to Seduction When Satan cannot destroy the church through direct persecution, he seeks to undermine it through deception and compromise. The story of Balaam shows that seduction into sin can be more destructive than open opposition, as it leads God’s people to bring judgment upon themselves. [80:56]
• 3. False Teaching Makes Carnality Acceptable The teachings of the Nicolaitans and Balaam promoted a separation between belief and behavior, encouraging believers to think that grace allows for ongoing sin. This antinomian spirit is alive today, as many seek teachers who will affirm their desires rather than call them to holiness. [87:06]
• 4. Repentance is the Only Response to Conviction When confronted with the gap between our confession and our conduct, the call is not to despair but to repent. Christ’s warning is severe, but His invitation is gracious—He offers forgiveness and transformation to all who turn from compromise and pursue Him wholeheartedly. [98:57]
• 5. Endurance in Both Word and Deed Leads to Reward Those who overcome—who remain faithful in both their confession and their lifestyle—are promised Christ Himself, symbolized by the hidden manna and the white stone with a new name. This is not about perfection, but about pressing on in the journey of sanctification, relying on the Spirit’s power to conform us to Christ. [94:20]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [02:00] - Membership Appreciation and Announcements
• [06:30] - Introduction to the Seven Letters Series
• [10:45] - Review: Ephesus and Smyrna
• [15:00] - Reading the Letter to Pergamum
• [18:30] - The Authority of Christ’s Sword
• [23:00] - The Intensity of Pergamum’s Persecution
• [28:00] - The Martyrdom of Antipas and Faithfulness Under Threat
• [33:00] - The Danger of Verbal Confession Without Behavioral Change
• [38:00] - The Teachings of Balaam and Nicolaitans Explained
• [45:00] - The Story of Balaam and Balak: Seduction Over Persecution
• [53:00] - Modern False Teaching and Carnality in the Church
• [59:00] - The Call to Repentance and True Transformation
• [65:00] - The Promise to Overcomers: Hidden Manna and a New Name
• [70:00] - Invitation to Repentance and Prayer
• [75:00] - Communion and Closing Announcements

Bible Reading

Revelation 2:12-17 (NASB) — 12 “And to the angel of the church in Pergamum write:
The One who has the sharp two-edged sword says this:
13 ‘I know where you dwell, where Satan’s throne is; and you hold firmly to My name, and did not deny My faith even in the days of Antipas, My witness, My faithful one, who was killed among you, where Satan dwells.
14 But I have a few things against you, because you have some there who hold to the teaching of Balaam, who kept teaching Balak to put a stumbling block before the sons of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols and to commit sexual immorality.
15 So you too, have some who in the same way hold to the teaching of the Nicolaitans.
16 Therefore repent; or else I am coming to you quickly, and I will wage war against them with the sword of My mouth.
17 ‘The one who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who overcomes, I will give some of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone, and a new name written on the stone which no one knows except the one who receives it.’”

Observation Questions

1. What does Jesus commend the church in Pergamum for, and what does He rebuke them for? ([59:27])
2. According to the passage, what is the significance of Antipas, and why is he mentioned by name? ([48:00])
3. What are the teachings of Balaam and the Nicolaitans, and how were they affecting the church? ([01:01:22])
4. What promises does Jesus make to “the one who overcomes” in this passage? ([01:34:20])

Interpretation Questions

1. Why does Jesus see it as a problem for believers to hold to a verbal confession of faith but live in ways that contradict His commands? ([59:27])
2. How does the story of Balaam and Balak illustrate the enemy’s strategy when direct persecution fails? ([01:20:56])
3. What does it mean for a church or a believer to “hold to the teachings of Balaam” or the Nicolaitans today? ([01:27:06])
4. Why is repentance the only appropriate response when there is a gap between our confession and our conduct? ([01:38:57])

Application Questions

1. The sermon talked about how easy it is to settle for a faith that is “all talk and no transformation.” Are there areas in your life where your actions don’t match your confession of faith? What would it look like to address those areas this week? ([59:27])
2. The story of Balaam shows that when Satan can’t destroy the church through persecution, he tries to seduce believers into compromise. What are some subtle ways you’ve seen compromise or “soft apostasy” creep into your own life or the church? ([01:20:56])
3. The Nicolaitans taught that grace meant freedom to sin. Are there teachings or cultural pressures today that make it seem acceptable to live in sin while still claiming allegiance to Christ? How do you recognize and resist these influences? ([01:27:06])
4. Jesus calls for repentance and warns of judgment for those who persist in duplicity. What does genuine repentance look like for you—not just feeling sorry, but actually changing direction? ([01:38:57])
5. The promise to “the one who overcomes” is Christ Himself, hidden manna, and a new name. How does this promise motivate you to endure in both word and deed, especially when it’s hard? ([01:34:20])
6. The sermon challenged us to support one another in the fight for true faithfulness. Who in your life can you ask to help keep you accountable in both your confession and your conduct? ([01:44:15])
7. The pastor said, “The grace that saves is the same grace that transforms.” In what area of your life do you need to rely on God’s grace not just for forgiveness, but for real change? ([01:29:12])