More Nicolaitan Nonsense

This is one more example of the tsunami of Nicolaitan nonsense which is engulfing the institutional church.

In case you need reminding, the Nicolaitan heresy was exposed and rejected  several times by the risen Lord Himself in the book of Revelations. Revelation 2:6, 2:15 Tells us He hates this doctrine. Strong words from our Lord. Why does the Lord speak so strongly against this doctrine? Because of its instituting of human control over people rather than encouraging and teaching that every believer is to be led by the Spirit of God. (Gal 5:18)

The marks of this heresy lay in its name. Translated from its original Greek it means ”conquering the laity”

You see it manifest in several different ways. 

* The promotion of an ecclesiastical elite who consider their primary task to rule the “peons” in the pews. Statements such as “You must get behind the vision of the pastor” etc demonstrate Nicolaitan tendencies.

* A ten percent temple tax wrongly called tithing to support the “clergy” and their temples. I’ve written on this before.

* Twisting scripture to “prove” people must regularly attend a “House of Worship” or they are in rebellion against God. I’ve covered this before also.

* Teaching that to question a leader is “touching the Lord’s anointed”… as if every believer is not anointed. Once again covered.

*and the issue my friends came up against…”operating outside of the covering”

As a student of the scriptures you may well ask,”where is this doctrine in the Bible?” Well as in the other Nicolaitan doctrines, it’s not.( Reading the Bible is a wonderful way to clarify what the Bible teaches. More church leaders should try it sometimes)

This is a teaching which is promoted for one reason only. To control the “serfs” in the congregation.

You will find as you read the account of the early church in the Scriptures that the believers had a revolutionary view. They each individually obeyed the Holy Spirit.

When Philip was preaching Christ at Samaria he was not instructed by an apostle or elder to leave the move of God and go to a deserted road in the desert and preach to and baptize one lone convert. The church news services today would hardly report it. One single convert while back at the revival mutitudes were coming to Christ and being healed and delivered, but the Spirit of God saw it as so important He devoted significant space in the Scriptures to it. And He is an expert at editing. (John 21:25)

You will note that Philip was not stood down or counselled about this. It was a commendable act of obedience. (Acts 8:26-40)

The only covering for the believer mentioned as far as ecclesiastical areas is the covering of Christ over every believer. (In families there is a parental covering and marital areas of submission… but again these need to be read in context) but the church is one body with one head; Christ. There is one Vine and we are all branches.

The Babylonian system is always attempting to figure out ways to get the people working on their towers but Christ’s model of Church is diametrically opposed to this cult of control.

While shepherds and leaders are indeed raised up by the Lord, they are to be shepherds and not CEOs or worse mediators between the believer and God. God has already appointed the only mediator he will ever appoint. Christ Jesus!

My friends have come up against a Nicolaitan heresy designed by satan to rob believers of our freedom in Christ. I can only hope they see it for what it is and abandon the heirarchical institutions of men and rest in the Vine who is Christ.