03/25/2025 There is little known or at least found in the Scriptures, about the Nicolaitans mentioned (by name) except in Revelation 2:6, and again in Revelation 2:14-16. When I was born again, I began to wonder about things in Scripture I did not understand, names that must have been associated with different leaders, times, and eras. Now it’s time revisit Scripture and I have rethought about the practice of the Nicolaitans. Since little is accessible about them broadly, I did get to access information on Wikipedia (sketchy), about earlier church leaders, and their thoughts towards a deacon named Nicolaus, one of several deacons. He was supposedly a leader of a sect of people who used the grace of God to indulge in more sin, rather than using the grace of God to propel them into righteousness. I can gather information from resources about the Nicolaitans, but its not as recognized as many topics of the Bible. I also feel that I had personal insight as to what the practice could have been like. Here is an escerpt that I got from a project by Benjamin Stewart, who dissected and studied thoroughly the churches of revelation – see this link: https://slideplayer.com/slide/4307117/; it is excellent, at least this part I resourced;

12 The Nicolaitans ISBE Bible Dictionary
“The problem underlying the Nicolaitan controversy, though so little direct mention is made of it in Scripture, was in reality most important, and concerned the whole relation of Christianity to paganism and its usages. The Nicolaitans disobeyed the command issued to the Gentile churches, by the apostolic council held at Jerusalem in AD, that they should refrain from the eating of “things sacrificed to idols” (Acts 15:29). Such a restriction, though seemingly hard, in that it prevented the Christian communities from joining in public festivals, and so brought upon them suspicion and dislike, was yet necessary to prevent a return to a pagan laxity of morals.

I’m reminded that the “pagans” mentioned, in the passage above, like in Matthew, is like reading a word that sounds foreign as a little recognized in our culture or conversation. We don’t usually use the word “pagan”, but Jesus referred to the pagans in Matthew 5, 6 and 7. I always thought it meant wordly people who went after materialism, were selfish (Matthew 5:47), sought expensive food or had obsession with food, followed and embraced the temporal things of this world; but also after reading at Openbible.com (searching “Pagans” as a term) (see link https://www.openbible.info/topics/pagans) I find that there are a lot of meanings for the word, such as: also those who worship false Gods, who make idols, who are involved in magic, and found that they are in many places mentioned in Scripture as people outside of God’s influence, but rather under the influence of demons.

When Jesus rebukes the church of Ephesus, he bears into them hard with a rebuke to return to their former deeds, like those of praising the Lord God and telling the good news upon conversion. He does rebuke them harshly, but then he holds out a moment and credits them for hating the practice of the Nicolaitans. (Revelation 2:4-7)

Again, when Jesus is speaking to the angel of the church of Pergamum, He uses a doubled edged sword statement about Herod Antipas, and how even He was used in God’s sovereign plan against sin of the world and an unrepentant people. He bears into the church hard, and then insults them saying “You also have some who hold to the teaching of the Nicolaitans. Therefore repent.” (Revelation 2:15)

I am enlightened while trying to explain this, that I see He credited Ephesus for hating the practice of immorality, and false Christianity – which is nothing more than hypocrisy. Jesus was still preaching the same message to the angels of these churches as from the sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5, 6, and 7. Jesus wants our attention to be on the Father, and on Jesus Himself, because He knows how much He cares for us, and no other god can say that. The church of Pergamum was guilty of having some that actually held to the teaching of the Nicolaitans, which was probably teaching/preaching/dare I say pastoring such as “sexual sin like movies, jokes, and impure clothing is Ok, because after all, we have the grace of God now, because Jesus died on the cross”…or teaching parallel to “It doesn’t matter if you serve other God’s than the God of Jesus and the Bible, because after all, Jesus is a Lord of love, and there’s no condemnation for those in Christ”. Both of the statements are ridiculously untrue. The Scriptures are being interlaced and woven in to prove a false thing that Jesus would not have promoted. Anyone who has converted to Christ and has Him residing in the throne of their hearts, with Him as the “boss” of their soul, could tell you that God wants us to be closer to Him because of Jesus’ blood. Or that we should only serve God, the necessity of being holy, just as when Jesus was tempted by the devil to have all dominion (lie), Jesus responded, “Worship the Lord your God, and Him only should you serve.” (Matthew 4)

This is food for thought, but I went through a period upon being newly born again as a young adult, that I could start to see through the sins of my soul, the sins of the church, and the wretchedness I felt in attempting to worship God, when my heart felt blotted by the sins of my flesh. I had to repent, of sin, and of my flesh (Please read Romans 7 and 8).

Here are some verses that teach us aright! We are not to use God’s grace as a means towards ungodliness! On the contrary, because of Jesus’ coming to earth, and dying and raising to life, now we can actually be holy in our hearts, immediately having access to God!

“What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? ~ Paul the apostle (Romans 6:1-2)

“For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in the present age, waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ” ? ~ Paul (Titus 2:11-13)

I know better, and so do Jesus’ people. We know better than to do that. We deserve the rebuke.

God save us all from practice lawlessness like the world in sexual immorality, pluralism, and putting too much priority on the things of the world, temporal and passing as they are. What’s highly valued among men is still “detestable to God” (Luke 16:14-15). And again, we are not to condone wicked teaching, but hold all in suspicion that not teach the word of God as handling it rightly. The hour is late, and its no time for fornication, adultery, and impurity and perversion. God heal the church in Jesus’ name!