The Doctrine Of The Church Pt. 4 by Apostle Michael Orokpo: MP3 Download & Sermon Notes

Series Overview and Context

We are still on our series on the doctrine of the church. By the mercies of God, we have been able to look at the etymology of the word church, the origin of the church, the structure and leadership of the church, the DNA of the church, the operations of the church, and last session we looked at the errors - the foundations of error in the church. God is drawing our attention to things that matter so that we can align ourselves. Areas where we are already in error, God will help us to realign. We are not teaching this because we are perfect. We are teaching it because it is part of the whole counsel of God.

Why Study the Errors of the Church

There are several reasons why it is important to study the errors of the church:

• It helps us avoid repeating the errors of past generations. In 1 Corinthians 10:1, the Bible says the things that happened to Israel happened for our example to warn us who live at the end of the age.
• In Romans 15:4, the things that were written at that time were written for our learning, so that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.
• Most of the errors the church has suffered and most of the mistakes it has made are because of the spirit of deception at work either in the leader or in the congregation.

The Seven Churches and Their Errors

Jesus in the book of Revelation addressed seven churches. In each case he identified commendations and corrections. These are not merely historical churches - they represent patterns and foundations of error the church must contend with.

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1. Ephesus - The Error of Loss of Love

   Jesus commended them for their works, their labor, and their patience. He said they had tested false apostles and found them to be liars. Yet he said, "I have somewhat against thee: thou hast left thy first love." This error is born from overworking for God without working with God. When ministry becomes a mechanical function divorced from love for God, this error enters. The correction is simple: return to your first works. Return to your first love.

2. Smyrna - The Error of Blasphemy and Persecution

   This church was in tribulation and poverty. Jesus commended them but warned them of a spirit of blasphemy at work - those who said they were of the synagogue of God but were not. This error is rooted in what happens when track record in the spirit is not built. When there is no authentic encounter with God, alternatives are offered that lead to compromise under pressure. Fear of suffering and poverty becomes the gateway for this error.

3. Pergamos - The Doctrine of Balaam and the Nicolaitans

   This church held fast to the name of Jesus and did not deny their faith. But Jesus rebuked them for holding two doctrines: the doctrine of Balaam and the doctrine of the Nicolaitans.

   The doctrine of Balaam encompasses the systematic enticing of God's people into immorality and idolatry in order to weaken them. You have to go and study the book of Numbers 22–25. When Balak could not fight Israel by force because he knew what God had done for them, he sought Balaam who advised him: seduce Israel, draw them into immorality. When Israel fell into immorality, in one day 23,000 Israelites fell. Anything that is systematically structured to woo the church into immorality and idolatry is a manifestation of the doctrine of Balaam.

   The doctrine of the Nicolaitans operates in two ways. First, it creates an excessive separation between ministers and the congregation to the point of deification - when men become God in church because they are ministers. Somebody who cannot give an offering to honor God can give a large seed to a man of God without knowing what is going on - that is the Nicolaitan spirit. A woman who does not honor her husband at home will prostrate to greet an apostle - that is Nicolaitan. We honor ministers. But when it becomes so exalted that the man of God is blocking Christ, that is deification. When papa has become so big that he is now the Jesus you are seeing - that is the doctrine of the Nicolaitans. Second, the Nicolaitans trivialize sin. They make immorality look like something you should not be serious about. When you hear teachings that say it does not matter what you do with your body, your spirit is what matters - that is a Nicolaitan foundation.

4. Thyatira - Tolerance of the Spirit of Jezebel

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   Apostle Michael Orokpo

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   Jesus commended their charity, service, faith, and works - and noted that the last works were more than the first. But he said, "I have somewhat against thee, because thou sufferest that woman Jezebel, which calleth herself a prophetess, to teach and to seduce my servants to commit fornication and to eat things sacrificed unto idols." This church tolerated false prophecy, fornication, and idolatry. The spirit of Jezebel does not merely create an atmosphere for immorality - its influence is institutionalized, intoxicating, and its primary target is leadership: kings and prophets. When you see a system designed to bring down the pastor or a leader through seduction, Jezebel is at work. When we become tolerant of error in a bid to show unity, we create an atmosphere for destruction. The foundational error of this church is tolerance for the spirit of Jezebel, false prophecy, and iniquity at large.

5. Sardis - The Error of Spiritual Deadness

   Jesus said to this church, "I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead." This is a prayerless church. The word of God is not there. No fasting, no spiritual engagement. Intelligence replaces anointing. Excellence in programming replaces the fire of the Spirit. The things the church cannot achieve spiritually, it achieves through mechanical means. If the church is not stretching your spirit for growth in revelation and intimacy with God, something is wrong. This error largely comes from wealth. When a church becomes so resourced that it begins to undermine the spirit realm, the spirit dies. The moment provision removes the dependence on God, deadness enters. You have not fasted for seven days? You have not prayed for more than two hours? A church is alive when spiritual activities are normal and your spirit is being stretched.

6. Laodicea - The Error of Lukewarmness

   This is the lukewarm church. They are neither hot nor cold. Jesus said, "I will spew you out of my mouth." These people are also self-sufficient - they say, "I am rich, increased with goods, and have need of nothing," but they do not know that they are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked. There is a difference between excitement and fire. A person can be excited about God without having fire. After two or three months of excitement, such people disappear. Lukewarmness is born from self-sufficiency. When self-sufficiency increases, zeal for God decreases.

Summary of the Six Foundations of Error

• Foundation 1: Loss of love for God - born from overworking for God without working with God.
• Foundation 2: Blasphemy - born from lack of track record in the spirit and fear of suffering.
• Foundation 3: The doctrines of Balaam and the Nicolaitans - enticement into immorality and idolatry, and the over-exaltation of ministers to the point of deification, as well as the trivializing of sin.
• Foundation 4: Tolerance of Jezebel - false prophecy, seduction of leadership, and tolerance of iniquity at large.

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• Foundation 5: Spiritual deadness - becoming intellectual and strategic without spirit life, born from wealth and prosperity.
• Foundation 6: Lukewarmness - lack of zeal and passion for the things of God, born from self-sufficiency.

The only church that truly had no error was the church of Philadelphia. Their secret was humility. No matter how strong you are, if you humble yourself, the defense of God comes. The only shield God considers to defend you is humility.

Five Categories of Error to Address

Having established the foundations, let us now look at five categories of error the church must trust God to overcome.

1. Spiritual Errors or Weaknesses

   These are errors that are character-related and related to our relationship with the Holy Spirit. They include prayerlessness, lack of fasting, absence of spiritual disciplines, and operating in ministry without intimacy with the Spirit. When a church's prayer life is absent, spiritual intelligence fails and the church operates only at the level of natural wisdom.

2. Moral Errors or Weaknesses

   These include all forms of immorality - fornication, adultery, and the systemic tolerance of sexual sin in the church. These errors are often connected to the foundations of Balaam and Jezebel. The moment immorality is trivialized in the pulpit or in the pew, moral error has entered. Fornication destroys anointing. It disrupts spiritual authority. It is not a small matter.

3. Doctrinal Errors or Weaknesses

   These are errors in the teaching of the word. Strange teachings that say what you do with your body does not matter, your spirit is what matters. Teachings that remove repentance from the gospel. Teachings that say sin is already forgiven so it requires no change in life. Any doctrine that undermines holiness or removes personal accountability has a Nicolaitan root. Doctrine matters because it is the blueprint people build their lives on.

4. Relational Errors or Weaknesses

   These include division, unforgiveness, partiality and favoritism - special recognition for those who give money while those who intercede are overlooked. Slander, gossip, and evil speaking. Failure to restore those who are falling. It is in the church that wounded soldiers are sometimes killed. When a leader falls, the attitude must be one of insisting on repentance and then extending restoration - not permanent condemnation. There is a place to insist on repentance, but repentance must lead to restoration. We must be careful not to destroy what God is rebuilding.

   Somebody who cannot support another with school fees but is a major kingdom partner because the ministry calls his name publicly - he says he loves people, but anyone who does not bring him to the limelight, he does not serve. That is Balaam in relational garments.

5. Ministry or Ministerial Errors or Weaknesses

   One of the grave ministerial errors is charging money to preach the gospel. Show me one apostle in scripture who charged money to preach. The same gospel they died for - what justification exists in the 21st century for charging for it? Another ministerial error is imbalanced investment - only serving those who give, only giving energy to platforms that promote you. The man who is keeping malice with his roommate and going out to win souls for Jesus - he says he will die for souls, but the one in his house he cannot serve. Genuine ministry does not bypass the relational for the spectacular.

These are grave errors. We trust the Lord to help us to outgrow them. Ask God to grant you grace. There are issues dealt with here that require help from God himself. Areas where we are in error, he will help us to realign - not because we are perfect, but because we are willing to submit to the whole counsel of God.