“Yet this you have: you hate the works of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.”
(Revelation 2:6)
Just as disease infects and systematically destroys a healthy physical body, the disease of false doctrine infects and systematically undermines the spiritual health of Christ’s body, the church.
Paul in his second letter to Timothy charges young Timothy and those believers under his care to study the scriptures diligently, in order that they might be able to understand God’s Word rightly as He gave it. In contrast, he warned them to avoid those who spread heresies and false teachings leading to ungodliness, for such will infect the church “like gangrene,” (2 Tim. 2:15-17).
Should a person who insists on spreading false doctrine be removed from the church? Scripture is straightforward in answering how those who insist on disrupting the body of Christ should be handled (Titus 3:10-11, 1 Tim. 1:19-20). Those who demonstrate opposition to the fundamental truths of the Gospel and instead “make a shipwreck of the faith” cannot be useful to the church. They only bring division and schism, and those who insist on continuing such behaviors ought to be disciplined and removed accordingly (Matt. 16, 18).
The commendation of Christ to the church of Ephesus is that they had a knowledge of the Nicolaitan’s doctrine and works, and they avoided these pagan teachings that Christ hates (Rev. 2:6). This meant they had to know God’s Word to such an extent so as to be guarded by it when any false teaching began to infiltrate the church body. To “contend earnestly for the faith once delivered to the saints” means to be thoroughly acquainted with the Word, to believe it, and to live it out. Are you as prepared as the church at Ephesus for such things? How well do you know the Word of the Lord?
Disagreements between members of the church body on lesser matters (not on fundamentals) may be tolerated, though even this does not give rise to a healthy church. A church is healthiest when all members peaceably enter into fellowship which aligns with godly principles and leads to godly worship. And if there are those whose differing opinions tend to disturb the peace of the church, or hinder it in any way, they should be met with church discipline as much as this is very unpopular today.
God is a God of truth (Deut. 32:4) as well as a God of order. He abhors confusions and schisms in His church (1 Cor. 14:33). And yet, as the Sovereign God over His people, He allows errors and heresies to test the knowledge of His people. God tries our faith and our faithfulness to His Word and His people by allowing such things to arise. In doing so He advances His own glory and the good of His church. Augustine states, “Why doesn’t God, since He hates errors, sweep them out of the world? Because it is an act of greater power to bring good out of evil, than not to suffer evils to be at all.”
- Lord, am I so attuned to Your will that there is conformity between Your will and mine? Do I hate what You hate and love what You love? The church at Ephesus hated false doctrine, and that pleased You. Help me continue in a sound knowledge of Your Word and Your will that I might be found loving what You love and hating what You hate.
- Lord, I do not want to forget my First Love (Rev. 2:5-7). How I desire to remain steady in my walk, rejecting error, and holding to the truth of the Word and to Christ Himself. Help me guard against losing the high esteem I should have of Your Word, the ordinances of Christ, the communion of saints, and earnest zeal for the faith.
- Have I repented of any unsound doctrine I might be holding in my heart? Show me, Lord, where I might be mishandling Your Word. Where do I fall short? I should have a hearty hatred of false doctrine, as You hate it. Such a hatred would propel me to good works and a sound study of Your Word. I want a resolve that is universally against sin and relentless without compromise, never allowing myself to tolerate that which You hate.
- Lord, help me avoid unsound doctrine as sin, and follow my God-given duty of guarding against false teachings (Jude 1:3). Help me seek to know Your Word in truth and use it to remove whatever hinders a holy life before You, that I may adore You all my days.
Further References for Rev. 2:6
Rev. 2:14-15; Titus 1:9; 1 Tim. 1:10; Jer. 1:7; 2 Tim. 1:13; Titus 3:8
