What can we learn from the church of Thyatira?How can we protect ourselves and our churches from what the church of Thyatira experienced?
These things says the Son of God, who has eyes like a flame of fire, and His feet like fine brass: “I know your works, love, service, faith, and your patience; and as for your works, the last are more than the first. Nevertheless I have a few things against you, because you allow that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess, to teach and seduce My servants to commit sexual immorality and eat things sacrificed to idols. And I gave her time to repent of her sexual immorality, and she did not repent. Indeed I will cast her into a sickbed, and those who commit adultery with her into great tribulation, unless they repent of their deeds. I will kill her children with death, and all the churches shall know that I am He who searches the minds and hearts. And I will give to each one of you according to your works. Revelation 2:18-23
Be discerning
This was a good church with sound teaching, but it was passive toward one person who sinned and led others astray. The scriptures above serve as an important reminder for all of us to be discerning of the teaching we receive, regardless of the person or the success of the ministry. We cannot become gullible, simply believing and accepting everything we are taught.
Own your spiritual growth
Any person or church can become derailed over time. That’s why it is crucial to stay alert, study, and examine the scriptures to ensure that what is taught is both biblical and balanced.
If a leader falls into sin or strays from sound teaching, God will hold them accountable. At the same time, we are responsible for our own understanding of the Bible, not just what our leaders or pastors teach us. Jezebel’s followers faced the same judgment as her!
Be cautious when someone uses a scripture to prove a point! Look for other scriptures related to the topic and do your own study. God may not deal with someone’s error immediately, but short-term success does not indicate His approval. The Lord is never passive about sin.
This woman called herself a prophetess, and as a result, people accepted her words as if they were from God. Sometimes, we can be so captivated by an individual’s success, title, or popularity that we overlook the content of their message.
Be aware of becoming religious
One reason we become religious is that we subtly believe we have “arrived” and know everything there is to know about Christianity. We are no longer open to hearing from others, especially those outside our church or denomination. We assume we have reached the pinnacle of knowledge and understanding.
Some people become religious because of how long they have walked with God. They resist being challenged or hearing new revelations from those younger in the faith.
Others are still feeding on the “milk” of the Word and are not ready to chew on the “meat” required to handle deeper issues. They remain self-satisfied in their spiritual state due to a lack of knowledge. These individuals are vulnerable to being easily influenced!
Still, others are religious because they grew up in a culture of faith. They assume they have a direct line to God because their uncle or grandfather was a pastor. But what if this Jezebel were our aunt or mother? Would we be able to see her faults? Or would our love and affection cloud our judgment?
The main danger of being religious is overconfidence and becoming unteachable. The Lord likely sent voices of correction and conviction to this church! That’s why Jesus was waiting for her to repent. If we are open, we will hear the truth through His Word, His Spirit, or through others.
Sometimes we are surprised by the fall of a leader, but if we look closely, we see that God had been trying to get their attention for some time. They just refused to respond and continued confidently with their teaching and preaching, acting as though nothing was wrong!
Lord, protect our churches from Jezebels, false teachers, and false prophets. Help us to remain discerning while staying teachable!