Keeping the World Out of the Church

If you walked into the church at Ephesus you would be impressed with how busy it was.
If you walked into the church at Smyrna you would be aghast at the poverty of its people.
It you went into the church at Pergamos you would be shocked at the worldliness of some of its members. This is the infected church – infected by the world.
Those who followed the doctrine of Balaam and those who followed the doctrine of the Nicolaitanes were a bad influence on the whole ministry of the church and they were spreading their leaven.
In contemporary times it would be like a group of marijuana smoking long haired hippies seeking to incorporate life in the church and their lifestyle of rebellion. They call themselves Christian. They say that they believe the gospel and they claim that their interest is to live for God.