让假道理滋生的教会
启示录二章18至29节
18你要写信给推雅推喇教会的使者，说：那眼目如火燄、脚像光明铜的神之子说：
19我知道你的行为、爱心、信心、勤劳、忍耐，又知道你末后所行的善事，比起初所行的更多。
20然而，有一件事我要责备你，就是你容让那自称是先知的妇人耶洗别教导我的仆人，引诱他们行奸淫，吃祭偶像之物。
21我曾给他悔改的机会，他却不肯悔改他的淫行。
22看哪，我要叫他病卧在床。那些与他行淫的人，若不悔改所行的，我也要叫他们同受大患难。
23我又要杀死他的党类（原文是儿女），叫众教会知道，我是那察看人肺腑心肠的，并要照你们的行为报应你们各人。
24至于你们推雅推喇其余的人，就是一切不从那教训、不晓得他们素常所说撒但深奥之理的人，我告诉你们，我不将别的担子放在你们身上。
25但你们已经有的，总要持守，直等到我来。
26那得胜又遵守我命令到底的，我要赐给他权柄制伏列国；
27他必用铁杖辖管（辖管：原文是牧）他们，将他们如同窑户的瓦器打得粉碎，像我从我父领受的权柄一样。
28我又要把晨星赐给他。
29圣灵向众教会所说的话，凡有耳的，就应当听！
信息分享
在七封致教会的书信中，这是最长的一封；而推雅推喇，则是当中最小的一个城。神绝不会因为那个地方细小，而减少对它的关心。
基督首先称赞这间教会有不少长处，它乐于行善便是其中最值表扬的。此外，祂还提到他们的爱心、信心、勤劳和忍耐。因着他们的努力，教会已日趋成长。
基督一方面称赞他们，但另一方面，祂却责备他们容让罪恶在教会里面滋生。我们同样需要留意这个警告。表面看来，推雅推拉教会是一间蓬勃发展的教会，访客一定对它留下美好的印象。那么，基督为到甚么责备他呢？因为他们似乎失去了圣洁。他们当中有一个叫「耶洗别」的妇人，引诱他们做出各样的罪行。「耶洗别」可能并非她的真名，基督只是暗喻此人活像旧约那个恶名昭著的耶洗别一样，将各种歪谬的道理和恶行带进教会，结果便为教会带来各式各样的问题，导致教会失去他的属灵能力和为基督作见证的力量。
基督如何教导那些不想随从恶道的人？祂教他们要分别为圣。我们很容易随波逐流，但我们却不能既跟从基督又追随世俗。我们不能既顺从基督又满足这世界的期望。我们不可能两者兼得。
倘若你重视你的信仰，就必须抗拒假道理和错误的行径，即使这表示你要屹立独行，也在所不辞。你若想基督将各种好处给予你和你的教会，就必须按正道而行，和凡事凭爱心而作。
祷告：
主啊，求你助我分辨甚么是属于你，甚么是属于这世界。
THE CHURCH THAT HAD FALSE DOCTRINE
Revelation 2:18-29
18 “And to the angel of the church in Thyatira write, ‘These things says the Son of God, who has eyes like a flame of fire, and His feet like fine brass:
19 “I know your works, love, service, faith, and your patience; and as for your works, the last are more than the first.
20 Nevertheless I have a few things against you, because you allow that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess, to teach and seduce My servants to commit sexual immorality and eat things sacrificed to idols.
21 And I gave her time to repent of her sexual immorality, and she did not repent.
22 Indeed I will cast her into a sickbed, and those who commit adultery with her into great tribulation, unless they repent of their deeds.
23 I will kill her children with death, and all the churches shall know that I am He who searches the minds and hearts. And I will give to each one of you according to your works.
24 Now to you I say, and to the rest in Thyatira, as many as do not have this doctrine, who have not known the depths of Satan, as they say, I will put on you no other burden.
25 But hold fast what you have till I come.
26 And he who overcomes, and keeps My works until the end, to him I will give power over the nations—
27 ‘He shall rule them with a rod of iron;They shall be dashed to pieces like the potter’s vessels’—as I also have received from My Father;
28 and I will give him the morning star.
29 “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”’
Message
This is the longest of the letters to the seven churches and it was written to the church in the smallest of the seven cities. Size doesn't always count with God.
Christ commended this church for a number of things, for its work first of all. He also mentions this church's love, faith and patience or perseverance. It was' a growing church because it was doing more now than when it started.
If that was all Christ had to say it would have been wonderful. Remember Christ is looking at the churches as he sees them from the throne, not as we look at them with our natural eyes.
Christ commended this church, but he also condemned it for some of the things that had been allowed to come in. Here is the warning for us. On the surface the church at Thyatira was a strong flourishing church that would look good to a visitor. What did Christ condemn? Holiness seems to have been missing. There was a woman named Jezebel, possibly that was not her real name, but like Jezebel in the Old Testament she had brought wrong doctrines and practices into the church. These must have included all kinds of sin and wrongdoing as well as wrong teaching.
When error comes into a church it causes endless trouble. Finally the church loses all its spiritual power and witness for Christ.
What did Christ say to those who stood out against those things? He called them to be absolutely separated: It is so easy to do what everybody else is doing. But you can't have Christ and the world too. You can't do what Christ wants and what the world wants at the same time. You can't have both.
If your Christian faith and experience is going to mean anything to you, you will have to stand out against false doctrine and false practices, even if you have to stand alone. Remember to do it in love, but you will have to stand for the right If you want Christ's best for yourself and for your church.
A PRAYER:
Lord, help me to see what belongs to the world and what belongs to you.