Revelation 2:15-16 15So also you yourself have some who likewise hold the teaching of the Nicolaitans. 16Therefore, repent! But if not, I am coming to you quickly and make war against them with the sword of my mouth.
The church in Pergamum was struggling with false teachings and deceptions, just like the church in Ephesus (2:6). They needed to be careful not to be deceived by the teaching of the heretical group called the Nicolaitans. No further description of what this group taught is found in the Bible. The early church faced many false teachings. It is possible that the Nicolaitans had an interest in endless genealogies and speculations (1 Timothy 1:4) or leaned towards legalistic abstinence from marriage or certain foods (1 Timothy 4:3), teachings that were present in nearby Ephesus; however, there is no way to know with certainty what their error was.
The situation in the church in Pergamum was serious enough that Jesus gave a strong warning to some who had begun to follow this false teaching. The church in Ephesus responded differently by rejecting this group and its teachings, but the church in Pergamum was tolerating it. They had given in to the temptation to compromise in the areas of idolatry and immorality. They had let their culture influence them rather than living in holiness. They needed to do two things: 1) come to realize their sin and repent, and 2) make sure they knew the truth so that they could live in Christlikeness. Undoubtedly, this would be a difficult decision in a cultural environment where idolatry and immorality were common practices and even celebrated. To repent (metanoēson) would require a change of thinking and behavior, which is not always easy if a person has been deceived or has developed unhealthy habits.
If they failed, the sword from Jesus’ mouth would come and war against them. They would not receive blessings but condemnation. God’s presence, symbolized in the lampstand, would be withdrawn. The sword of Jesus’ words could either be a blessing to help them against the onslaught of culture, or it could become judgment and condemnation if they failed to change. The issue was not church-wide, since the pronoun shifts from you (singular), referring to the whole church, to them (plural), referring to the heretics. If this group were tolerated, it would affect the whole church.
Culture is a powerful force that conforms us to its image, often without us realizing it. The negative influence of culture can creep into anyone’s life if we are not aware of its danger and keep our focus on Jesus. We must be willing to allow Jesus’ words to penetrate our lives, guide us, and help us critique our culture.