Chapter 7: Choices From The Heart

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the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.” God told Christ to compliment the church because they hated what the Nicolaitans were doing.

In contrast, God told Christ to criticize the church at Pergamos for having Nicolaitans within their congregation [Rev 2:15].

Who “hated” the Nicolaitans? God Almighty and His Son Jesus

Christ! Who were these Nicolaitans? Today’s Dictionary of The Bible1, 1982, Bethany House Publishers, provides the following information:

Nicolaitans “The church at Ephesus (Rev. 2:6) is commended for hating the ‘deeds’ of the

Nicolaitans, and the church of Pergamos is blamed for having them who hold their ‘doctrines’ (15). They were seemingly a class of professing Christians, who tried to introduce

into the church a false freedom or licentiousness, thus abusing Paul’s doctrine of grace (compare 2 Peter 2:15, 16, 19), and were probably identical with those who held the

doctrine of Baalam (Rev. 2:14).”

Licentious “Pursuing desires aggressively and selfishly, unchecked by morality, especially in sexual

matters.” Microsoft Word 2001 Dictionary2

Listen to the words of Apostle Peter as he describes these types of people [the Nicolaitans who were licentious like Baalam] and then carefully

consider the words of your own pastor or teacher.

“[14] Having eyes full of adultery and that cannot cease from sin, enticing unstable souls. They have a heart trained

in covetous practices, and are accursed children. They have forsaken the right way and gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Beor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness; but he was rebuked for his iniquity: a

dumb donkey speaking with a man’s voice restrained the madness of the prophet. These are wells without water,