* Luís Alberto Alves
In the letter to the church in Pergamum, which was in Turkey, Jesus is emphatic: "To the overcomer will I give of the hidden manna. I will also give him a white stone with a new name inscribed on it, known only to him who receives it. "
Jesus used many figures of speech in conveying his messages to the people. When he used the mouth of the Apostle John to speak to the people of Pergamus, he used the example that the Justice of that city applied to the judges.
After receiving the conviction or acquittal, the judge handed a stone to the accused. If it were black, it was the loss of freedom; The white color symbolized being free and passport to ask for housing to any resident of that city. If he accepted, the stone was broken and each one was left with a piece. It was the password to enter that residence.
Today this white stone is our heart, cleansed by the blood of Jesus Christ shed on the cross of Calvary. He is the key to entering the Heavens. For the unclean in heart will not see God, as the Lord himself has warned.
In an age where wrong is right, and wrong wrong; Many Christians are trading the white stone for the black. With the famous "nothing to see" justification, they misbehave, disobey God's commandments, worship various evil entities, and refuse to flee from everything that looks evil.
At that time, a few decades after the death of Jesus Christ, a sect named Nicolaitan had already entered the church. He had the same Christian but distorted argument. They claimed that everything was lawful. God was love and his servants could plunge into prostitution, worship other deities, have depraved lives, and so on.
As it is these days. The good Christian church is one that accepts all kinds of error from its members. Flee from the law of the Lord not to hurt hearts accustomed to eating dishes of lentils. When Christ warned that only the winner would have the name written on this white stone, it was to show that sin will place the black stone in the hands of several Christians. They will not enter Heaven.
* Luís Alberto Alves is a pastor
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