Revelation 2:12-17

3. Pergamos.

Vs. 12-17. The church at Pergamos had "held fast my name and hast not denied my faith, even in those days wherein Antipas was my faithful martyr who was slain among you." The deluge of fire and blood had already begun. The Roman persecutions were making themselves felt to the boundaries of the empire, and these churches were facing a period of trial the worst they had ever known. In the next few years they would see such convulsions and tribulation as the world had seldom witnessed, if ever. The first baptism of blood had already fallen upon the church at Pergamos. "But I have a few things against thee," eating things sacrificed to idols and committing fornication. Heathenism was saturated with immorality; even their worship; and converts were easily seduced. If they ate things sacrificed to idols that would be a stepping-stone to heathen associations and idol worship, and thus would they're drawn into its shameful immoralities. Christ would indeed have something against them if they should tolerate that; and therefore warns: "Repent or else I will come unto thee quickly," that is, to judge their sins.