In Too Deep: The Road Back from Thyatira

    Have you ever felt like sin has its "hooks" in you and won't let go? Sometimes we aren't just flirting with a bad habit or "straddling the fence"—we have fallen into outright depravity. It often starts small: a single look, one drink, or hanging out with the wrong crowd. But eventually, we find ourselves like the Prodigal Son, sitting in a pig trough and trying to satisfy our souls with the "slop" of this world.

    The church in Thyatira reached this point. Outwardly, they looked like a "super-church"—they had love, service, faith, and patience. But inwardly, they had a major blemish: they readily accepted a false teacher whom Jesus calls "Jezebel". This woman led the church into deep wickedness, and because she was charming or perhaps a major contributor, they allowed her to stay.

    If you feel like you are struggling alone, remember: church is for recovering sinners. Every one of us is, in a sense, addicted to sin. Yet that does not mean that we stay in that state, nor does it mean that there is no help. All of us are sinners and we all slid into sin, but we have a Savior who can break every chain of sin in our lives.

The Cost of Ignoring the Father's Voice

    In our modern world, the idea of "consequences" for sin is often ignored. However, the spiritual reality is that our actions have weight. 

    Statistics on parental involvement suggest that children who receive consistent, loving correction are 40% less likely to engage in self-destructive behaviors later in life.  Similarly, God uses "chastening" not to hurt us, but because He is a loving Father who refuses to watch us destroy ourselves.

"And to the angel of the church in Thyatira write... 'I know your works, love, service, faith, and your patience; and as for your works, the last are more than the first. Nevertheless I have a few things against you, because you allow that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess, to teach and seduce My servants to commit sexual immorality and eat things sacrificed to idols. And I gave her time to repent, and she did not repent of her sexual immorality. Indeed I will cast her into a sickbed, and those who commit adultery with her into great tribulation, unless they repent of their deeds.'" — Revelation 2:18-22 (NKJV) 

The Prescription for the Depths

    When we are in "the slop," Jesus offers three things we must realize to find our way back:

1. Discern God’s Chastening

    If you are being punished or corrected, it is actually proof that you belong to God. It's not a sign that God hates you but it proves His love for you. An unloving father doesn't care if his child gets hurt or if his Childs actions lead down destructive roads; a loving Father warns and corrects. Jesus warned Jezebel and her followers with "great tribulation" in the hopes of leading them to repentance. If you feel the "heat" of correction, don't despise it; lean into it—it's an invitation to come home.

2. Discover God’s Omniscience

    We love to hide from God when we sin, just like Adam and Eve did. We even fool our own hearts by saying, "I don't feel like this is wrong". But the Bible tells us the heart is desperately sick and deceitful. God is all-knowing; He sees past our masks and our excuses. We must allow Him to search our hearts and expose the sin we’ve been trying to hide.

3. Discover True Forgiveness

    The world says forgiveness must be earned by the offender: you have to prove yourself and earn back trust. But God's forgiveness comes at the cost of the Offended—Jesus died in your place. Even in the corruption of Thyatira, Jesus offered forgiveness to those who would turn back. If you aren't the one in the "slop," your job is to "hold fast" and be a lighthouse for those who are drowning in sin.

A famous theologian once said that "costly grace" is what justifies the repentant sinner. You cannot be satisfied for long with the "baloney" of this world when you could be dining on "steak" at the Father’s table.

Listen to the Discipline: Has God been trying to get ahold of you through a difficult situation?. Stop running and start listening.

Remove the Mask: Stop following your heart and start following God's Word. Listen to what God is trying to say to you through His word and through prayer.

Be the Light: If you see a brother or sister drowning, offer Christ-like compassion rather than self-righteous judgment.

Are you willing to let God search your heart today and lead you back to true forgiveness?.