(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 wasMy 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.” ’
As with the previous two Churches, Jesus describes Himself to the Church at Pergamos. Notice what Jesus says in (2:12)…..“These things says He who has the sharp two-edged sword.” What a description of the Lord Jesus Christ (Isaiah 11:4) (Isaiah 55:11) (Revelation 1:16) (Revelation 19:15) (Revelation 19:21). This reminds us of the passage in (Hebrews 4:12). With all of the pagan teaching surrounding His Church in Pergamos, they were in desperate need of His word, they needed sound doctrine in their midst. How fitting then it is that Jesus describes Himself in this way.
When we see the word “doctrine” it simply means “teaching,” so doctrine is important, and from who or where we get it is just as important. Jesus warned His disciples about the doctrine of the Pharisees and Sadducees (Mathew 16:6-12). In contrast, the people were astonished at the “teaching” or “doctrine” of Christ because it was authoritative (Matthew 7:28-29). Correct doctrine is the inspired word that comes from our Lord (Galatians 1:11-12) (Ephesians 3:1-6) (2 Peter 1:20-21). All this to say that the Scriptures are not merely man’s own thoughts or a collection of ancient religious writings, but the revealed truth of God, given of God (2 Timothy 3:16).
What God has to say to us is conveyed with infallible accuracy (John 14:26) (John 16:13)(1 Corinthians 2:13) (1 Thessalonians 2:13). So when we change the Word of God, for whatever reason, we take the risk of presenting a false gospel (Galatians 1:6-9)
John warned that those who refused to abide in the “doctrine of Christ” did not have God (2 John 1:9), and we know that teaching is very important to making disciples (Matthew 28:18-20). So we cannot be fruitful in discipleship without the doctrine/teaching of Christ (John 15:7-8) (John 8:31-32) (Acts 2:42) (1 Timothy 1:3) (1 Timothy 4:16) (1 Timothy 6:3-5) (2 John 1:9). So John describes the powerful double-edged sword that Jesus yields, with which He speaks and judges (John 12:48) (Revelation 2:16).
God’s word is “living” (1 Peter 1:24-25), It is “active” (Gr. energes – from which we get our word energy), it is powerful, dynamic, full of energy, it does things no human being can possibly do. It touches where nothing else can touch and brings life. It is energizing, it is the power of God, it is the most powerful weapon in the universe. The potency of His word is seen in His creating word (Hebrews 11:3), and in His regenerating word (1 Peter 1:23). There is nothing sharper than the Word of God. It cuts! How sharp is it? It has an edge to it, it is not blunt it cuts its way into the innermost recesses of man’s being where no surgeon’s scalpel can go. It lays bare every sin of of the heart, and there is no creature that can remain untouched by the Word of God. It “judges the thoughts and intentions of the heart,” it penetrates into the depths of a person’s spiritual being, sifting, analyzing and judging the intentions of the mind and heart.
It deals with the realm of our thinking, our thoughts, and the inner reasoning that takes place in the mind. Even our secret sins are uncovered and laid bare before God’s eyes (Psalm 139:1-3) (Hebrews 4:13). There is nothing so hard or firm in a man that God’s Word does not penetrate through to it. You see, the Word of God brings conviction of sin and guilt, and it causes us to flee to the grace of God. This can never happen unless the Word penetrates to the depths of the heart
We must not be gently pricked or scratched, but we must be deeply wounded, to that we are laid low by the sense of eternal death and learn to die to ourselves. We shall never be renewed in our whole mind until our old man has been slain by the edge of this sword of the Spirit. God has therefore endued His Word with this power, to search out every part of the soul, to scrutinize the thoughts, to decide between the affections, and indeed to show itself as the judge.