Overcoming The End-Time Nicolaitanes
-by Rory Moore
"neither as lords over God's heritage" -1Peter 3
The time has arrived in saving people from the CLERGY over the LAITY Church SYSTEM.
The time has arrived in saving people from the CLERGY over the LAITY Church SYSTEM.
Disclaimer:
At times it may sound as if I am anti-pastor. This is not so. We love the pastors whom God has graciously put in our lives. The truth is aimed at the harlot system and her institutions,
and NOT at any individual that is trapped by the error of the Nicolaitanes.
At times it may sound as if I am anti-pastor. This is not so. We love the pastors whom God has graciously put in our lives. The truth is aimed at the harlot system and her institutions,
and NOT at any individual that is trapped by the error of the Nicolaitanes.
- "But this you have, that you hate the deeds of the Nicolaitanes".
VERY few Christians "hate" this, and if one cannot recognize the Nicolaitane error then one cannot "hate it" (i.e., despise it). - We do not "hate" the people snared in the Nicolaitane error. Jesus calls us to love when disagree.
Revelation 2: (To the church at Ephesus)
6 But this you have, that you hate the deeds of the Nicolaitanes, which I also hate;
15 So you also them that hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitanes, which I hate.
16 Repent; or else I will come to you quickly, and will fight against them (the Nicolaitanes) with the sword of my mouth.
6 But this you have, that you hate the deeds of the Nicolaitanes, which I also hate;
15 So you also them that hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitanes, which I hate.
16 Repent; or else I will come to you quickly, and will fight against them (the Nicolaitanes) with the sword of my mouth.
You cannot repent of this unless you know what it is and why Jesus hates it!
Here is truth:
Christ detests the formal, organized (usually 501c3 incorporated) church government found in almost every church and denomination. The Clergy over laity churches because it puts man in the place of God.
Christ detests the formal, organized (usually 501c3 incorporated) church government found in almost every church and denomination. The Clergy over laity churches because it puts man in the place of God.
"Nicolaitane" is from two Greek words "Nike" and "Laos"
The Greek word "nike" means "to conquer"…to dominate, intimidate, CONTROL, rule over, even to manipulate.
It means exercising carnal control. It means ruling by position, dominion, subjugation, and taking authority by these means.
The word "laos" means "the people", that is, the laity.
Hence, "nike-laity", i.e. "Nico-laitane" error.
Hence, "nike-laity", i.e. "Nico-laitane" error.
Thus we have by definition the deeds and teaching of those who conquer, dominate, manipulate, and "lead" the laity, or the people.
Why does Jesus "HATE" their deeds and doctrines?
Simply put, it is because it puts men in the place of God, seating them in the temple of God.
-whether they be called the church board, Elder, Senior Pastor, priest, Pope, Bishop, or some other ecclesiastical title.
-whether they be called the church board, Elder, Senior Pastor, priest, Pope, Bishop, or some other ecclesiastical title.
And it virtually guarantees the majority of God's people never mature into faith and their own ministry as Jesus.
Denominational, factious, competitive Christianity has given the church a hierarchical, professionalized, titled, system of church clergy organizing offering "strange fire".
Now Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, took their respective firepans, and after putting fire in them, placed incense on it and offered strange fire before the Lord, which He had not commanded them.
·
o
WHY is no Senior Pastor, Youth Leader, Choir Director, pope, cardinal,
Archbishop, priest, monsignor, or denominational structure found in scripture?
o
WHY no
scripture giving any Pastor-Priest sole ruler-ship, headship, or sole authority
over an assembly of God's people?
o
WHY were no
formal titles or labels attached to any New Testament disciples including the
obvious ones like the apostles?
o
WHY are no
church boards, assistant pastors, co-pastors, associate pastors, or senior church
officials in scripture?
The simple truth is because Jesus taught His disciples not to do those things.
Overcoming the Nicolaitane error and deeds
In Revelation 2, the people of God who have eyes and ears to overcome are told:
15-17: So have you also some that hold the teaching of the Nicolaitans in like manner.
Repent therefore;
or else I come to you quickly, and I will make war against them with the sword of my mouth.
He that has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.
To him that overcomes will I give of *the hidden manna....
15-17: So have you also some that hold the teaching of the Nicolaitans in like manner.
Repent therefore;
or else I come to you quickly, and I will make war against them with the sword of my mouth.
He that has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.
To him that overcomes will I give of *the hidden manna....
Serious words I never heard in church, never discussed or considered. Mysterious.
Yet strong admonitions are given in scripture in regard to what Jesus said was the relationship among the brethren and how actual church should function (like family and not am institution).
Yet strong admonitions are given in scripture in regard to what Jesus said was the relationship among the brethren and how actual church should function (like family and not am institution).
What Peter said in 1Peter 5:
1 The elders among you I exhort, who am a fellow-elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, who am also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed:
2 Tend the flock of God which is among you, exercising the oversight, not of constraint, but willingly, according to the will of God; nor yet for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind;
3 neither as lording it over the charge allotted to you, but making yourselves examples to the flock.
In this passage, note elderS (plural) are among us, Peter includes himself as an elder, and no mention of "pastors".
Why not?
Connect the dots friends.
-God gave a five headship ministries to oversee and serve God's people. Apostles, prophets, evangelists, teachers, pastors. Co-equal brethren, elders, men. (my post regarding qualifications to oversee)
Connect the dots friends.
-God gave a five headship ministries to oversee and serve God's people. Apostles, prophets, evangelists, teachers, pastors. Co-equal brethren, elders, men. (my post regarding qualifications to oversee)
-neither ... means " not even, no, not once".
-as lording: means: "to lord against, that is, control, subjugate: - exercise dominion over (lordship), be lord over, overcome."
Yet this is exactly what the Nicolaitane error does and Peter said not even once was the flock to be carnally subjugated, controlled, or have someone exercise dominion over.
As the Christian sees the truth of scripture, he will need to simply repent and realign his thinking in terms of what the New Testament ministry truly is, not from what we have seen all around us.
1 Corinthians 11:3 But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ;
The ministry is given to serve, edify, and steward the faith. Those who minister are to comfort, correct, and contend for the faith.
The faith they are to contend for is THE faith as it is written (not the fragmented, conflicted, sectarian mish-mash of faith found in the church world).
The faith they are to contend for is THE faith as it is written (not the fragmented, conflicted, sectarian mish-mash of faith found in the church world).
Friends, Jesus gave, taught, and lived THE faith to His disciples, who in turn gave the same gospel and the same faith to the churches they established.
Many pastors compare their ministry to Moses who led the people of God to the "Promised Land" with the idea that there must be a leader-centered administration of a church body.
But that is not a model found in the New Testament because we have Christ and the Holy Spirit given to direct an assembly if they are Spirit-filled and Spirit led. Most churches simply fall back into the traditions of men in their structure.
But that is not a model found in the New Testament because we have Christ and the Holy Spirit given to direct an assembly if they are Spirit-filled and Spirit led. Most churches simply fall back into the traditions of men in their structure.
And the 501c3 Incorporation so common to church groups legally places Caesar above Christ.
You see, when the Nicolaitanes imposed their error and deeds upon the church, the pastor-priest became the preeminent personage.
T'was never meant to be and there is not one positive New Testament example of that.
T'was never meant to be and there is not one positive New Testament example of that.
Who gave the pastor-priest preeminence over the rest of the five-fold ministry and the false hierarchial system of "accountability"?
It was the work of the Nicolaitane clergy.
As many of us finally realize, this is the most common form of church government around us. .
As many of us finally realize, this is the most common form of church government around us. .
How do you "overcome" the clergy-laity Nicolaitanes?
Love them but Renounce and resign from all official memberships.
Ask God to take their error and deeds out of your heart.
Then pray to assemble with others.
Ask God to take their error and deeds out of your heart.
Then pray to assemble with others.
If these steps are not done, or the deeds and error of the Nicolaitanes not spoken out in the church, then excuses, justifications, and having faith with "respect of persons" (see James 2:1) will keep you within the body of the harlot church system. -and the cycle of church to church will continue.
James 2:1 NCV
James 2:1 NCV
My dear brothers and sisters, as believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ,
never think some people are more important than others.
never think some people are more important than others.
*the hidden manna....: is the Truth revealed by the Holy Spirit. The "hidden manna" revelation of what the Nicolaitane deeds and error in this post was revealed to me by the Holy Spirit.
My prayer is others will see this and take it to heart. People will rise or fall with the Clergy church system. They will walk in Light or darkness, be deceived or be delivered.
Study References:
James 2:1
Matthew 23
Matthew 20: 21-27
1 Peter 5:1-5
Revelation 2:1-20
Acts 20:17-35
Study References:
James 2:1
Matthew 23
Matthew 20: 21-27
1 Peter 5:1-5
Revelation 2:1-20
Acts 20:17-35
Great article, Rory. Yes, the churches do have it all wrong, that is why there is so much division, lethargy, luke-warmness and outright foolishness that goes on in today's churches. It is also why we see so little of the true power of the Lord and the Kingdom of Heaven today. If the leadership is out of order then everything that follows will be out of order as well. We now see man's kingdom in the churches instead of God's. Sad, very, very sad.
ReplyDeleteI think you answered my question I left on an earlier, (similar) post. I think this one issue has become a real snare to the Body of Christ, and they are so used to their traditions, they are blinded by them. It's a shame because for one thing, I believe it keeps the so called laity dependent upon the so called leadership and they never grow up into a completion of the body unity the Lord intended for them, where they flow together like a fine tuned orchestra. Of course, you never hear this sort of thing preached in the churches by the one man band. At least, I never did. The LORD had to show it to me after he pulled me out of the mess, (with their help of course, lol)
ReplyDeleteThanks for bringing this out. I hope the people see it and take heed.
God bless you
As a side note, references in early church literature indicate that the origin of Nicolaitans to be related to one of the early church deacons (Acts 6:5) not to parsing the Greek roots of the word. Below are some references.
ReplyDelete“The Nicolaitanes are the followers of that Nicolas who was one of the seven first ordained to the diaconate by the apostles" (Irenaeus Of Lyons [c.120-202],Against Heresies, 1:26:3).
The literature indicates that Nicolas initially taught a form of asceticism; “that the flesh must be abused (Clement Of Alexandria [d. c.215],Stromata, 2:20].”
Those called Nicolaitans twisted this so that abusing the flesh became self-indulgence in such a way that they became known for "their maintenance of lust and luxury" (Tertullian [c.160-c.230], The Five Books Against Marcion, 1:29).
All three of these writers were known to be fluent in Greek and capable of the parsing exercise but explained the Nicolaitan problem differently.
Please note that I am not defending church hiearchy and structures, just providing an alternative view of what Nicolaitan heresy was about.
If this were about followers of Nicolas wouldn't the term he different? Not Nicolaitans, but something like Nicolasians. Parsing it does break it into more understandable language. Even the early church fathers did not agree on everything or understand all. I agree with Rory. It makes a lot more sense. Also Christ introduces Himself to Pergamum as the one with "the sharp, two edged sword" which dealt with matters of the mouth,such as would come from those who love it over others.
ReplyDelete