The second major problem in the church at Pergamum was the influence of the Nicolaitans. While we don’t know everything about this group, the name “Nicolaitans” means “conquerors of the people.”
They were likely religious leaders who claimed to have a special connection with God—as if God spoke to them in a way He didn’t speak to others. They acted as if they were better or closer to God than the rest of the believers The White Stone with a Secret Name.
Taking Power Like Priests
These people acted like the priests in the old Jewish religion, claiming to have spiritual authority that set them apart. Sadly, this wrong idea crept into the Christian church.
These teachings caused two main problems:
One group encouraged immoral behavior (like sexual sin)
The other fed people’s pride and desire for power
We still see both problems today. In some churches, certain pastors or leaders are treated as if they are more important or more spiritual than regular believers. This is not how God designed the church to work Ephesus Sightseeing Tours.
The Cure God’s Word
How do we deal with these kinds of errors? Jesus tells us: Use the sharp, two-edged sword—which means the Word of God.
He says:
“Repent. Otherwise, I will come to you and fight against them with the sword of my mouth.”
God’s Word exposes both:
Sexual sin
Prideful religious leadership
This is one reason why many churches resist strong Bible teaching—because it reveals truth and confronts sin.
A Look at Church History
This part of the message also represents a time in church history—from around 320 A.D. to the 6th century. This period began when Constantine became emperor and claimed to convert to Christianity.
During this time:
The church held important meetings (called church councils) like the Council of Nicaea and Council of Chalcedon to decide correct beliefs about Jesus—that He is both fully God and fully man.
But it was also a time when the church became closely tied to the government. The church and the world started to “marry” or blend together.
The name Pergamum actually means “marriage,” which fits this period where faith and politics became mixed.
