1- Warning against the doctrine of Balaam.
Revelation 2:12-17
12 “And to the angel of the church in Pergamos write, ‘These things says He who has the sharp two-edged sword: 13 “I know your works, and where you dwell, where Satan’s throne is. And you hold fast to My name, and did not deny My faith even in the days in which Antipas was My faithful martyr, who was killed among you, where Satan dwells. 14 But I have a few things against you, because you have there those who hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols, and to commit sexual immorality. 15 Thus you also have those who hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which thing I hate. 16 Repent, or else I will come to you quickly and will fight against them with the sword of My mouth.
17 “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give some of the hidden manna to eat. And I will give him a white stone, and on the stone a new name written which no one knows except him who receives it.” ’
The Church of Pergamos is told they tolerate the “teaching of Balaam,” or the “doctrine of Balaam.”
We find this person called Balaam in the book of Numbers chapters 22 to 25 and 31. Balaam was a prophet from Mesopotamia and was willing to use his God-given talents for illicit purposes. He received the Word of the Lord that clearly stated God’s will concerning Israel, they were God’s people and cannot be cursed, but he tried to sell his prophetic gifts to help King Balak, Israel’s enemy and all for money. When that didn’t work, Balaam counselled Balak on the most effective way to weaken Israel. This was through seduction, using Moabite and Midianite women to tempt the Israelites into sexual relationships and into pagan rituals. The Israelites who participated brought God’s judgment upon themselves.
We can learn from this story that the doctrine of Balaam is the attitude that one can be serving God, knowing how to attract God’s presence, hearing from God, and speaking in God’s behalf but also be fully cooperative with the world. This is called “compromise.” In fact the title given to this Church in Revelation in the NKJV is, “The Compromising Church.”
The doctrine of Balaam is a belief that “a little sin” doesn’t hurt, especially if there’s some financial or personal benefit involved. He acts to enable sinful behaviours for personal gain or even participate in them.
POINTS TO DISCUSS:
It’s obvious there are people in Church who behave just like Balaam even today as we are told in Revelation, not only they behave like Balaam but they make a doctrine of it and many follow that.
Balaam is in the Church but he still loves the world, let’s read 1 John 2:15-17 what the Lord thinks about this and what we are told to do, “Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world. And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.”
The message of the cross is to die to the worldly appetites which are sinful and selfish and live a life according to God’s will, pure and holy. Yet Balaam has hidden motives and his own agenda.
2- White Witchcraft.
Numbers 24:1
“Now when Balaam saw that it pleased the LORD to bless Israel, he did not go as at other times, to seek to use sorcery, but he set his face toward the wilderness.”
Balaam was using sorcery. Many people use sorcery in the Church, this sorcery is also know as white witchcraft. This are people who know God’s will as revealed in His Word yet they want to get their own way and try to twist God’s arm to get what they want. For example: 2 Corinthians 6:14 says, Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness?” It’s been made clear through this Scripture that born again believers cannot join together in a marriage covenant to an unbeliever, yet some Christians will insist that this does not apply to them and they get involved in romantic relationships with unbelievers and ask everyone to pray for them to be blessed. Relationship like this cannot have God’s approval or blessing because God’s will has already been manifested through this passage.
What does it mean to be unequally yoked?
A yoke is a wooden bar that joins two oxen to each other and to the burden they pull. An “unequally yoked” team has one stronger ox and one weaker, or one taller and one shorter. The weaker or shorter ox would walk more slowly than the taller, stronger one, causing the load to go around in circles. When oxen are unequally yoked, they cannot perform the task set before them. Instead of working together, they are at odds with one another.
Unbelievers have opposite world views and morals than born again believers and for the relationship to work, one or the other must abandon his moral centre and move toward that of the other. More often than not, it is the believer who finds himself pressured to leave his Christian principles behind for the sake of the other.
God’s plan is for a man and a woman to become “one flesh” (Genesis 2:24), a relationship so intimate that one literally and figuratively becomes part of the other. Uniting a believer with an unbeliever is essentially uniting opposites, which makes for a very difficult marriage relationship.
POINT TO DISCUSS:
Discuss what other areas Christians can often be tempted to compromise.
3- Seeking God’s will.
Matthew 16:24 NKJV
“Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.”
The teaching or doctrine of Balaam which Christ is against is the view that Christians can, or even should, compromise their convictions for the sake of popularity, money, sexual gratification, or personal gain.
It’s the attitude that treats sin as “no big deal.” This is not only a serious problem, but a devious one. When the frontal assault failed, Balaam took a back-door approach. How many believers seek after their own desires instead of Christ’s? The Lord warns His Church to repent or He will bring judgement.
It’s time for the Church to repent and follow Jesus’ example and say what He said: “Father, …not My will, but Yours, be done.” (Luke 22:42)
We must set out hearts to do God’s will. We are here on earth to bring the Kingdom of God and to share the Gospel of Christ not to have a great time while others are perishing. The pleasures of this world will pass away but God’s Kingdom will last forever. Seek Him and His Kingdom above all else. Now it’s time to confess sins and turn away from them, now it’s time to live for Christ!
Galatians 2:20 NKJV
“I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.”
Karina Maile