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The '''Nicolaitans''' were one of the heretical sects that plagued the churches at Ephesus and at Pergamum, according to Revelation 2:6,15. [[Irenaeus of Lyons|Irenaeus]] relates them to [[Gnosticism]]: "John, the disciple of the Lord, preaches this faith (the deity of Christ), and seeks, by the proclamation of the Gospel, to remove that error which by Cerinthus had been disseminated among men, and a long time previously by those termed Nicolaitans, who are an offset of that 'knowledge' falsely so called, that he might confound them, and persuade them that there is but one God, who made all things by His Word."<ref>Irenaeus Against Heresies, Book 3, Chapter 11</ref>.
From what can be found in early historical sources, the doctrine of the Nicolaitans appears to have been a form of [[antinomianism]] ("against law"), which makes the fatal mistake of believing and teaching that man can freely partake in sin because the Law of God is no longer binding, supposing that a mere intellectual "belief" in this truth had a saving and liberating power.
There is also historical evidence of a Gnostic sect called Nicolaitans a century or so later.
Nicolaitans of the 2nd century seem to have continued and extended the views of the 1st century adherents, holding to the freedom of the flesh and sin, and teaching that the deeds of the flesh had no effect upon the health of the soul and consequently no relation to salvation.
Today, the same doctrine is now largely taught in the proclamation that the Gospel of Christ has made God's law of no effect: that by "believing in Christ alone" we are released from the necessity of being doers of the Word, "for Christ has set us free". This error is found in the doctrine of "unconditional eternal security", also called [[Once Saved, Always Saved]]. This is the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which Christ so unsparingly condemned in the book of Revelation.
Some preachers, declaring that the actual doctrine of the Nicolaitans is completely unknown today, because the New Testament does not explain what it was, have recourse to a literalistic [[etymology]] by breaking the word "Nicolaitan" into parts according to its apparent combination of Greek words, and deriving its meaning as being "those who are victors over the people", that is, those who triumphantly dominate the people of God by "lording it over them", domineering in positions of authority rather than service (1 Peter 5:2-3). This interpretation provides a basis for [[polemic]]al arguments in general against any church or denomination that has a [[hierarchy]] of authority, and against the authority of the Catholic Church in particular, by stating that their ecclesiastical structure is the very form of Nicolaitanism condemned by God in Revelation, and that since the time of [[Constantine]] it has pervaded and corrupted the whole of mainstream Christianity. The [[Churches of Christ]] are one example of an anti-hierarchical denomination.
==References==
{{reflist}}
==External links==
[http://www.theopedia.com/nicolaitans Nicolaitans - Theopedia (theopedia.com)]
[http://www.wordoftruthradio.com/questions/38.html What is the Nicolaitan spirit or doctrine? Who are they? (Revelation 2:6 & 15) (wordoftruthradio.com)]
[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nicolaism Nicolaism - Wikipedia (en.wikipedia.org)]
[http://www.biblestudy.org/basicart/why-does-god-hate-practices-of-the-nicolaitans.html Who are the Nicolaitans? (biblestudy.org)] ''The author says they are the hierarchical churches''.
History of the Christian Church, Volume II, § 122 by Philip Schaff
Catholic Encyclopedia entry
Easton's Bible Dictionary entry
[[category:Early Christians]]
[[category:Heresies]]
[[category:Protestantism]]
[[category:Fundamentalism]]
created page with external links, more to follow
The '''Nicolaitans''' were one of the heretical sects that plagued the churches at Ephesus and at Pergamum, according to Revelation 2:6,15. [[Irenaeus of Lyons|Irenaeus]] relates them to [[Gnosticism]]: "John, the disciple of the Lord, preaches this faith (the deity of Christ), and seeks, by the proclamation of the Gospel, to remove that error which by Cerinthus had been disseminated among men, and a long time previously by those termed Nicolaitans, who are an offset of that 'knowledge' falsely so called, that he might confound them, and persuade them that there is but one God, who made all things by His Word."<ref>Irenaeus Against Heresies, Book 3, Chapter 11</ref>.
From what can be found in early historical sources, the doctrine of the Nicolaitans appears to have been a form of [[antinomianism]] ("against law"), which makes the fatal mistake of believing and teaching that man can freely partake in sin because the Law of God is no longer binding, supposing that a mere intellectual "belief" in this truth had a saving and liberating power.
There is also historical evidence of a Gnostic sect called Nicolaitans a century or so later.
Nicolaitans of the 2nd century seem to have continued and extended the views of the 1st century adherents, holding to the freedom of the flesh and sin, and teaching that the deeds of the flesh had no effect upon the health of the soul and consequently no relation to salvation.
Today, the same doctrine is now largely taught in the proclamation that the Gospel of Christ has made God's law of no effect: that by "believing in Christ alone" we are released from the necessity of being doers of the Word, "for Christ has set us free". This error is found in the doctrine of "unconditional eternal security", also called [[Once Saved, Always Saved]]. This is the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which Christ so unsparingly condemned in the book of Revelation.
Some preachers, declaring that the actual doctrine of the Nicolaitans is completely unknown today, because the New Testament does not explain what it was, have recourse to a literalistic [[etymology]] by breaking the word "Nicolaitan" into parts according to its apparent combination of Greek words, and deriving its meaning as being "those who are victors over the people", that is, those who triumphantly dominate the people of God by "lording it over them", domineering in positions of authority rather than service (1 Peter 5:2-3). This interpretation provides a basis for [[polemic]]al arguments in general against any church or denomination that has a [[hierarchy]] of authority, and against the authority of the Catholic Church in particular, by stating that their ecclesiastical structure is the very form of Nicolaitanism condemned by God in Revelation, and that since the time of [[Constantine]] it has pervaded and corrupted the whole of mainstream Christianity. The [[Churches of Christ]] are one example of an anti-hierarchical denomination.
==References==
{{reflist}}
==External links==
[http://www.theopedia.com/nicolaitans Nicolaitans - Theopedia (theopedia.com)]
[http://www.wordoftruthradio.com/questions/38.html What is the Nicolaitan spirit or doctrine? Who are they? (Revelation 2:6 & 15) (wordoftruthradio.com)]
[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nicolaism Nicolaism - Wikipedia (en.wikipedia.org)]
[http://www.biblestudy.org/basicart/why-does-god-hate-practices-of-the-nicolaitans.html Who are the Nicolaitans? (biblestudy.org)] ''The author says they are the hierarchical churches''.
History of the Christian Church, Volume II, § 122 by Philip Schaff
Catholic Encyclopedia entry
Easton's Bible Dictionary entry
[[category:Early Christians]]
[[category:Heresies]]
[[category:Protestantism]]
[[category:Fundamentalism]]