George Burnside
Christ hates! That may surprise you. But it is true. Read it for yourself.
REVELATION 2:6 "But this thou has, that thou hate the deeds of the Nicolaitanes, which I also hate." It is worthy of note too that not only does Christ hate this false teaching, but He commends His people for also hating it. We should hate it, for what Christ does His followers do also. What Christ hates His disciples or followers also hate. This admonition is so important that our Lord repeats it as a warning to the next church.
REVELATION 2:15 "So has thou also them that hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitanes which thing I hate." Today we hear a lot about love and unity. But writing to the church of today Christ says:
REVELATION 3:15, 16 "I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou were cold or hot. 16. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spew thee out of my mouth."
Yes we hear a lot about "love and unity" today. Yet does not this Jesuit sugar coated pill lull millions into Laodicean slumber. It is true that Christ loves. He loves with a love beyond description, but He also hates. He hates because He loves. The mother hates the snake that attacks her child. She hates because she loves. Christ hates the doctrine of the Nicolaitanes because it should be hated. It is hateful. It will rob multitudes of eternal life. Christ hates that teaching because it is a "damnable" heresy. A damnable heresy is a heresy that can damn you. That is the reason Christ inspired His disciples to warn.
2 Peter 2:1 "There shall be false teachers among you, who privately bring in damnable heresies."
"The doctrine of the Nicolaitanes" is of the most deadly, dangerous and deceptive type. That is why our Lord hates it.
WHAT IS THE DOCTRINE OF THE NICOLAITANES?
Both history and Inspiration reveal this. "The Nicolaitanes were persons who excused certain forms of impurity, and made the grace of God a cloak for lasciviousness. I believe the heresy was known in latter days as Antinomianism, which declares that grace is sufficient, and that life is of little moment." G. Campbell Morgan, "The Letters of Our Lord." page 23 "The Nicolaitanes were the Antinomians of the Asiatic Church. The life and conduct were little thought of and the faith professed was everything." "The existence of a sect called Nicolaitanes in the second century is attested by Irenaeus, Tertullian and Clement of Alexander." The Commentary for Schools, Edited by C. J. Ellicott, D.D.
Their doctrines and lives were equally corrupt. They allowed the most abominable lewdness and adulteries, as well as sacrificing to idols; all of which they placed among things indifferent and pleaded for as branches of Christian liberty." John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the New Testament on REVELATION 2:6. Nicolaitanes taught and practiced "Ritualism without spirituality, knowledge without practice, justification by faith without holiness." Dr. Angus, Bible Handbook."
The first church to be warned of this deception was the church of the first century. Writing to the church of the same period we have this similar warning.
JUDE 1:3, 4 "I ... exhort you that you should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints. For there are certain men crept in unawares, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness."
Did you notice that history says that was the teaching of the Nicolaitanes. Inspiration adds this word. "The sin of the Nicolaitanes, turning the grace of God into lasciviousness." E.G.W., Review & Herald, June 7, 1887.
It is clear that the Nicolaitanes used the grace of God as an excuse for the violation of God's law - the moral law. They denied "the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ." Jude 1:4. The Nicolaitanes were willing to acknowledge Jesus as their Savior but not as their "Lord" and Master.
In Luke 6:46 Jesus asked "Why call you me Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?" It was this teaching of the Nicolaitanes in the first century that was still corrupting the church of Pergamos a few centuries later, (REVELATION 2:15) that led to the changing of God's "Royal Law," the Ten Commandments. The second commandment that forbids the worship of images was dropped from the ten. When the binding nature of that commandment was emphasized, it was lightly brushed aside with "We are not under law, but under grace," "Christians are free from the law," "We enjoy Christian liberty." The doctrine of the Nicolaitanes was all too evident.
ROMANS 3:31 "Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law." We are here warned of the same dangerous delusion. You will notice that the law is made "void through faith". It is made void not only by the word, but by professed believers. It is made void through faith. 'The Nicolaitanes professed to be Christians, but they reasoned that as long as you have faith in Jesus the law does not really matter. "Only Believe" Thus they would make the law void through faith.
This same teaching - the teaching, that God hates - crept into the church of the first century and will bring in the final conflict in earth's last century.
PSALM 119:126 "It is time for thee, Lord, to work: for they have made void thy law."
"Never was there a time when the Lord would manifest His great grace unto His chosen ones more fully than in the last days when His law is made void." Testimonies to Ministers, page 96.
This making void of Gods holy law will be done by professed Christians for it is done by faith. Faith is the weapon they use against God's law. Further it is being done right now. And by professed Adventists. They make void the law of their Christ, and they do it as prophecy reveals by faith." But they won't deceive all of God's people for we have Christ's warning words.
REVELATION 14:12 "Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus."
The doctrine of the Nicolaitanes is in our midst, but God is not dead. Neither is His truth. Christ will have a people who "keep the commandments of God."
WHY GOD HATE’S THE DOCTRINE OF THE NICOLAITANES?
This doctrine originated with "old Nick". It was well named. Satan was the originator of sin. He committed the "original sin". When the devil led mankind into sin he then claimed that humans could not obey God's commandments. Notice the clear and vital statements of inspiration:
"Satan argued that man could not keep the law of God, and therefore that God had been obliged to change the laws which He had made.... Man accepted the statements of him who was a liar from the beginning. Signs Of Times, March 7, 1895.
"The world's Redeemer passed over the ground where Adam fell because of his disobeying the expressed law of Jehovah; and the only begotten Son of God came to our world that men could keep the law of God. Satan, the fallen angel, had declared that no man could keep the law of God after the disobedience of Adam. He claimed the whole race under his control." MS 1, 1892.
"Satan declared that it was impossible for the sons and daughters of Adam to keep the law of God, and thus charged upon God a lack of wisdom and love. If they could not keep the law, then there was fault with the Lawgiver. Men who are under the control of Satan repeat these accusations against God, in asserting that men can not keep the law of God." Signs Of Times, January 16, 1896.
CHRIST SUPPLIES THE POWER TO THOSE WHO OBEY.
All Christ's commands are enablings.
"In this earth He performed His mission, and fulfilled His office, and, by obedience to the law of God, He testified to all its immutable character, while at the same time proving that its precepts could be perfectly obeyed through His grace by every son and daughter of Adam." Signs Times, March 14, 1895.
LUKE 17:14, "As they went they were cleansed."
Note carefully that it was when in harmony with Christ's command they obeyed and the lepers received the cleansing they longed for. If they had not obeyed they would not have been cleansed. They obeyed, because they believed Christ's word. True Faith obeys. True faith works and true faith receives the reward. To them Christ said:
LUKE 17:19 "Thy faith hath made thee whole."
The doctrine of the Nicolaitanes makes void the law and they do this devil work while professing "faith" in Christ. They make void the law through faith. This counterfeit faith our Lord hates.
TRUE FAITH KEEPS THE COMMANDMENTS OF GOD.
It is a faith that works. Faith and obedience cannot be separated. Faith obeys.
ACTS 5:36 "Obeyed" - "believed" Margin.
ACTS 5:37 "Obeyed" - "believed" Margin.
ROMANS 11:30 "Believed" - "Obeyed" Margin.
ROMANS 11:31 "Believed" - "Obeyed" Margin.
HEBREWS 4:11 "Unbelief" - "Disobedient" Margin.
HEBREWS 11:31 "That believed not - "that were disobedient" Margin.
EPHESIANS 5:6 "Disobedience" - "Unbelief" Margin.
JOHN 3:36 "He that believes on the Son, hath everlasting life. And he that believes not the Son shall not see life."
"Obey not" R.V.
"Disobeys" Moffatt, Weymouth. "Does not obey" R.S.V.
It is evident, from this array of Scripture that any profession of faith that does not produce obedience is no better than a devil's faith. JAMES 2:19,20 "Thou believe that there is one God; thou does well: the devils also believe, and tremble. But wilt thou know, 0 vain man, that faith without works is dead." Righteousness is imputed and imparted. Too often it is disputed and departed. It is not a doctrine to be exploited and abused. I have just been told of "one writer who has netted $50,000 over publishing his ideas" - "new light", "new theology" - Is this the reason he wants to keep it going? Remember, Righteousness by Faith is a POSSESSION - NOT A MERE PROFESSION. 2 CORINTHIANS 5:21 "That we might be made the righteousness of God in him." "That we through union with him might be made righteous." "The righteous are those who keep the commandments of God." Testimonies To Ministers, page 236. Righteousness is obedience.
PSALM 119:172 "All thy commandments are righteousness."
"The work of gaining salvation is one of co-partnership, a joint operation. There is to be cooperation between God and the repentant sinner." Acts of Apostles, page 482.
2 CORINTHIANS 6:1 “We then, as workers together with him, beseech you also that you receive not the grace of God in, vain."
It will be in vain, if grace does not produce righteousness obedience.
WE NEED "THE DOCTRINE OF CHRIST"
2 JOHN 1:9 You cannot be one who transgresses and at the same time abide in the doctrine of Christ. The doctrine of Christ is the opposite to the doctrine of the Nicolaitanes which Christ says he hates. The doctrine of the Nicolaitanes is the doctrine that would have you believe, only believe, the law of God counts for little or nothing. The doctrine of Christ produces results. Christ points out, "Here are they that keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus."