Jesus Hated the Nicolaitan Model of Church
It is hard to go to a church and not find a Nicolaitan church of the kind Christ Hates. Twice the risen Christ who appears to John speaks of his hate of the Nicolaitans; Revelation of Jesus Christ 2:6, 2:15 . Jesus hates the Nicolaitans. But what does that mean?
I am taking a bold leap in interpretation here. Look at the literal Greek in the word ‘Nicolaitan’ and it means: “triumph over the lay people,” “victory over the laity” or “conquer the people.” I believe it refers to the hierarchical structure that the Romans used everywhere to pacify a city or people. The Roman Catholic Church applied that model on the church ruthlessly enforcing the rule that over every city there was one person in charge.
What dies when one man rules the local congregation is the church that Jesus would build. Jesus said “I will build my church.” When one man rule is present you can always frame a sentence like this: “That is Rafe’s church.” If you can make that statement with confidence, then my rule of thumb is that it is a place where the true Body of Christ is oppressed under the rule of a man (the pastor.)
As we read chapter 4 of Demons in the Sanctuary we see an example of this kind of church structure with one man clearly in charge. Pastor R. clearly not only preaches he leads the worship service. Pastor R. personally calls people to ensure attendance. Pastor R. exhorts on tithing to ensure finances. Pastor R. gives a ‘pre-rehearsed’ prophecy that places him back in the spot-light. There is no doubt; this is Pastor Rutherford’s church.
The problem with this is that it does not please Christ and does not build up and free the Body of Christ to operate in fullness. It defeats the sense of unity that allowed the Holy Spirit to descend at Pentecost in the first place (Acts 2:2). It defeats the sense of a collegial team of peers that was present in the early church as Paul called for unity of the body in places like: Ephesians 4:3, Philippians 2:2, 1 Corinthians 12.
In Demons in the Sanctuary Mira – Board treasurer – in not looking forward to confronting Pastor Rutherford regarding some bills. She has started to feel resentment at his misspending. She asks questions hesitatingly. He is short, then annoyed, cold and displeased and impatient.
He leaves this confrontation affronted at, what he considered, her “lack of support.” The author explains that he felt entitled to unquestioning loyalty from everyone around him.
He does not expect a problem because “There was no one capable of threatening his authority here.” He had memories of ‘board members in the past who ha given him some trouble’ but “He had ultimately triumphed over them.”
Pastor R. is in a position to triumph over the lay people in part because he is in a Nicolaitan church structure – an unbiblical hierarchical model imposed on the church by the Romans.
Other posts in this series on Demons in the Sanctuary: 1. Masculine Tough and Feminine Soft, 2. Narcissistic Personality Pastor, 3. Nicolaitanism – triumph over the lay people, 4. Church Scandal and Financial Wrongdoing, 5. Attitude of a Good Pastor.
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