Who are our modern Nicolaitians?

[Van]

We can find differing opinions about just what beliefs or practices causedJesus to hate them, Revelation 2:6.

I believe mistreatment of the laity by teaching from authority things that dupe people into unfaithful practices describes the Nicolaitian sin.

Similar to Balaam, the Nicolaitians put stumbling blocks before believers to get them off the track of faithfulness. And they did so from authority, "lording it over the flock."

Another practitioner seems to be Jezebel, who enticed people into "spiritual adultery" (not being faithful to God's requirements).

Today we have various factions teaching differing doctrines, with all claiming the authority of God's word, rightly discerned.

Traditional Baptists might hate modern day Nicolaitians, because they oppose dictates that differ from God's word, as they understand its plain meaning.

One well known stumbling block is the idea that once we trust in Christ, we can live as we want, which is called "Easy Believism." Some folks think we can make an accommodation with fleshly desires, or worldly behaviors, rather than sticking with Christ through thick and thin.

 

[Van]

Certainly one aspect of Nicolaitian behavior is insistence on "my way or the highway," where their view is not up for discussion or study. But it would be wrong to claim the behavior turns a believer into a dreaded "Nicolaitian." On the other hand, those enticed to go with the favored view, the easy way, the go with the flow way, are not being led in the way of righteousness.

Last point, concerning those Ephesians who "hate" Nicolaitians, they can preserve persecution, accepting trials and tribulations, but are intolerant of perversion of God's word.