The deeds of the Nicolaitans, which Jesus hates. What were their deeds?

In the book of Revelations, we see Jesus judging seven churches. “The mystery of the seven stars which you saw in My right hand, and the seven golden lampstands: The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands which you saw are the seven churches.” Revelations 1:20

One of the churches was the loveless church – “I know your works, your labor, your patience, and that you cannot bear those who are evil. And you have tested those who say they are apostles and are not, and have found them liars; and you have persevered and have patience, and have labored for My name’s sake and have not become weary. Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love. Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works, or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from its place—unless you repent. But this you have, that you hate the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.” Revelations 2: 6

This ” loveless church” seemed to test those who say that are apostles and are not and have found them liars. First of all, it is important to remind ourselves who can have a title of the apostle. According to Acts 1, there were strict requirements for being one of the original Apostles which included being a follower of Jesus from Jesus’ baptism to his ascension and being a witness to his resurrection. Therefore someone who didn’t fulfil those requirements, could not be considered an apostle. Later those criteria has loosened due to the Apostle Paul, who claimed that seeing Jesus in a vision is enough to be considered an apostle and some of his companions like Barnabas or Timothy were also considered apostles due to their teachings about Jesus. However, we should be holding that title to the original 12 disciples only, rather than mixing criteria with those who showed more knowledge or devotion towards teachings of Jesus. Why? Because people might be showing outwardly that they are devoted to Jesus but they might have a hidden agenda. Therefore those specifically chosen by Jesus, whom He knew their hearts of, were the actual apostles that we can trust.

That is why Jesus will be judging all those who claimed to be apostles but are not. Those that just showed devotion and knowledge outwardly but in reality having hidden agenda hidden in their hearts like financial gains and similar. One of those apostles is the Apostle Paul who appointed himself for this role through the claim of seeing Jesus in a vision.

Jesus highlighted to the “Loveless church” that they hated the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which he also hates. Who were the Nicolaitans and why Jesus hated their deeds?

The Nicolaitans were a heretical sect in early Christianity, who advocated for spiritual compromise with the pagan world. They were promoting promiscuous behavior, encouraging believers to participate in sexual immorality and to eat food sacrificed to idols. Nicolaitans were advocating a distorted view of Christian liberty that essentially served as a “license to sin” under the guide of God’s grace. They twisted the concept of grace to justify moral compromise and viewing it as a way to coexist with the pagan world. They taught that grace made holiness optional, that believers would have been forgiven anyway. They promoted that under the doctrine of “grace” believers were protected and therefore free to enjoy life without facing spiritual consequences. They believed believers should socialize with pagans and participate in their festivals as a way to potentially win them over.

What stands out from this are few things: misinterpreting grace, Christian liberty, coexistence, acceptance of pagan traditions, food and participating in various festivals.

If that doesn’t scream modern Christianity, then I don’t know what does!

One question you have to ask yourself: if you decided to follow Jesus, you have to follow in his footsteps and walk as He walked. Did Jesus celebrate Christmas? Nope. What about Easter? Not really.. Valentines? Definitely not. He must have celebrated New Years?! Not even close. How about Thanksgiving? ermm again, no. Ok, so He must have celebrated Halloween and demons! Big fat No.

What all of those holidays have in common? They are all not mentioned in the Bible, they have pagan roots and have some sort of dinner or food associated with it! Therefore when you participate in those holidays, you consume food that spiritually has been sacrificed to idols. Because behind every of those holidays is a spirit that is not of God.

What stands out to me in those practices is their idea that under grace, there is this protection and essentially license to sin. They got this idea from Paul, who was preaching that grace covers us and we can also eat any food as all has been cleansed:

“Therefore concerning the eating of things offered to idols, we know that an idol is nothing in the world, and that there is no other God but one. For even if there are so-called gods, whether in heaven or on earth (as there are many gods and many lords), yet for us there is one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we for Him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, through whom are all things, and through whom we live. However, there is not in everyone that knowledge; for some, with consciousness of the idol, until now eat it as a thing offered to an idol; and their conscience, being weak, is defiled. But food does not commend us to God; for neither if we eat are we the better, nor if we do not eat are we the worse. But beware lest somehow this liberty of yours become a stumbling block to those who are weak. For if anyone sees you who have knowledge eating in an idol’s temple, will not the conscience of him who is weak be emboldened to eat those things offered to idols? And because of your knowledge shall the weak brother perish, for whom Christ died? But when you thus sin against the brethren, and wound their weak conscience, you sin against Christ. Therefore, if food makes my brother stumble, I will never again eat meat, lest I make my brother stumble.” 1 Corinthians 8: 4-13

First of all, this is the longest answer ever. Instead of simple yes or now, Paul goes on this twisted journey and twisting words and making it very confusing. No wonder Nicolaitans understood this as everything is clean so I can eat everything! Paul was the biggest twister confusing everyone with the law, with food, with sin, always having very doubleminded stand and adjusting it according to who he was speaking to. Because no one could accuse him that he had a strong yes or a strong no, just maybe yes maybe no, depending how wind blows.

But to analyze Paul’s answer, first of all he alluded there are no idols, completely disregarding the history of Israelites and God’s constant fight with their idols. Paul just brushes it under the rug as they never existed, just don’t worry about it. But then he admits there are many gods and many lords. So which is it? Then Paul admits to the fact there is just one God and this is only obvious to those who follow God, but those who do not follow, they have the mind of idols. And then Paul takes doubleminded stand by saying: “for neither if we eat are we the better, nor if we do not eat are we the worse” – which essentially means if we eat we are not better off and if we don’t eat we are also not worse. Can you see the confusion? The simple question was can we eat food offered to idols. But Paul goes further, he then says that this however can be a stumbling block for some, so it would be better if they didn’t eat, but also if someone points out that you in fact are eating the food sacrificed to idols and you are not aware of that, but become aware of that, then you will perish. So it’s better that you eat but you are not aware of that, because only the awareness is harmful. Then Paul finishes that it’s just better to become a vegetarian, safer option.

Can you see how this example could have confused people in the first century with 3% of people being educated. They could not understand Paul’s stand on this! Because he was neither hot nor cold. It was in the middle and the answer was never straightforward but always very political. Therefore for them it was all good to eat, and others followed.

Paul’s stand on sin was equally doubleminded. When Paul was trying to explain his stand on the Law in the book of Romans, we see this twisted journey again:

“Therefore, my brethren, you also have become dead to the law through the body of Christ, that you may be married to another—to Him who was raised from the dead, that we should bear fruit to God. For when we were in the flesh, the sinful passions which were aroused by the law were at work in our members to bear fruit to death. But now we have been delivered from the law, having died to what we were held by, so that we should serve in the newness of the Spirit and not in the oldness of the letter. What shall we say then? Is the law sin? Certainly not! On the contrary, I would not have known sin except through the law. For I would not have known covetousness unless the law had said, “You shall not covet.” But sin, taking opportunity by the commandment, produced in me all manner of evil desire. For apart from the law sin was dead. I was alive once without the law, but when the commandment came, sin revived and I died. And the commandment, which was to bring life, I found to bring death. For sin, taking occasion by the commandment, deceived me, and by it killed me. Therefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy and just and good.” Romans 7: 4-12

To attempt to explain Paul’s stand on the Law, Paul first highlights that we have been freed from the law through Jesus’ death. We are now dead bodies but living spirits, and only living body would have all those sinful passions, but now we are walking spirits so we are free. Paul also claims that it was all because of the law, because the law was holding us back! However, even though we have dead bodies that doesn’t want to sin and only living spirit, we shall not sin again (which is weird because apparently only when body is alive we have sinful passions). Moreover, the law was useful to make Paul aware what was sin, because before he was blissfully unaware. But Paul didn’t like that, he didn’t like to have that awareness that he was in fact a sinner, therefore it was all commandment’s fault. Once he was aware what was sin through the Law, this produced in him all manner of evil desire. Because the awareness of the law highlighted all the sin in his face and he died. Law caused him death and was supposed to bring him life – “which was to bring life, I found to bring death”. Sin came and deceived him. So now you would think that Paul does not like the law and he is glad the law died with Jesus, but then Paul throws a curve ball and finishes – Therefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy and just and good.”

So where actually Paul stood regarding the Law? We don’t know, because Paul changes depending on who he is speaking to. At the early stages of Paul’s ministry, he was questioned by the Jews as he was teaching everyone that the Law was finished which we see in the book of Acts:

“Men of Israel, help! This is the man who teaches all men everywhere against the people, the law, and this place; and furthermore he also brought Greeks into the temple and has defiled this holy place.” Acts 21: 28

“And all the city was disturbed; and the people ran together, seized Paul, and dragged him out of the temple; and immediately the doors were shut.” Acts 21:30

People were stirred up and wanted to persecute Paul, because according to Jewish law at that time, teaching against the Law of Moses was blasphemy and blasphemy was a capital offense punishable by death.

“Then as Paul was about to be led into the barracks, he said to the commander, “May I speak to you?”

“Brethren and fathers, hear my defense before you now.” And when they heard that he spoke to them in the Hebrew language, they kept all the more silent.” Acts 22: 1-2

Paul spoke in Hebrew highlighting ability to speak many languages. We know Paul spoke Greek, Hebrew and Aramaic which was used during those times. This proves that Paul was highly educated and used languages, word and communication to his advantage.

“And they listened to him until this word, and then they raised their voices and said, “Away with such a fellow from the earth, for he is not fit to live!” Acts 22:22

After telling them his conversion story and a vision of Jesus, Jews didn’t believe him and wanted him to be killed. However Paul then used another advantage he had – his citizenship.

 “And as they bound him with thongs, Paul said to the centurion who stood by, “Is it lawful for you to scourge a man who is a Roman, and uncondemned?” When the centurion heard that, he went and told the commander, saying, “Take care what you do, for this man is a Roman.” Acts 22: 25 -26

Further, being still judged by the council, he used his another advantage – that he was a Pharisee.

“But when Paul perceived that one part were Sadducees and the other Pharisees, he cried out in the council, “Men and brethren, I am a Pharisee, the son of a Pharisee; concerning the hope and resurrection of the dead I am being judged!” Acts 23:6

Paul, a man who said was imitating Jesus – “Imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ.” (1 Corinthians 11:1), when he was found in similar position as Jesus, he didn’t imitate Jesus but used his two advantages: his Roman citizenship and the fact that he was a Pharisee. Therefore he was saved not because they believed him, but because they were afraid to do anything to the Roman citizen and to a Pharisee. Eventually Paul spent two years in prison, where he was treated kindly by Julius and by centurion. In Rome, Paul called the leaders of the Jews together to explain his case. Please remember that originally he was persecuted by Jews because he was teaching against the Law of Moses, against Jews and that he mixed Jews and Gentiles together, which we can see in Acts 21:28:

“Men of Israel, help! This is the man who teaches all men everywhere against the people, the law, and this place; and furthermore he also brought Greeks into the temple and has defiled this holy place.”

However, when explaining himself to the Jews in Rome, he said:

 “Men and brethren, though I have done nothing against our people or the customs of our fathers, yet I was delivered as a prisoner from Jerusalem into the hands of the Romans, who, when they had examined me, wanted to let me go, because there was no cause for putting me to death. But when the Jews spoke against it, I was compelled to appeal to Caesar, not that I had anything of which to accuse my nation. For this reason therefore I have called for you, to see you and speak with you, because for the hope of Israel I am bound with this chain.” Acts 28: 17-20

Paul of course denied that he was teaching against the Law claiming his innocence. Originally Jews wanted to kill him due to his teachings against the Law and saying the Law has died with Jesus. According to Jewish law at that time, teaching against the Law of Moses was blasphemy and blasphemy was a capital offense punishable by death. Just as Jesus was persecuted to death for blasphemy and claiming to be the Son of God, which Jews didn’t believe in, Paul was accused of blasphemy for teaching against the Law. One had disadvantage of not speaking or trying to save himself, another used a lot of speech and arguments like Roman citizenship, being a Pharisee and eventually lying that he never taught against the law. The Roman government held ultimate power of capital punishment and in the case of Paul, they decided to save Roman citizen.

This resulted in Paul staying in Rome, writing the book of Romans, teaching and spreading his ministry, which eventually became Christianity and spreading to pagan Rome who transformed it to the Roman Catholicism. Therefore Roman Catholicism started because of Paul’s letters and Roman Catholicism is also written in the book of Revelations as the Babylon and the woman arrayed in purple and scarlet situated on seven hills, which you can see in this post.

What we currently see Roman Catholicism is doing, is expanding it’s arms towards other religions in the name of “coexistence” and mixing religions. During an interreligious youth meeting in Singapore in September 2024, Pope Francis said that other religions are like “different languages that express the divine,” using the analogy to emphasize that while there is only one God, various faiths provide different paths to approach Him. Pope Francis argued against the idea of one religion being more important than another. His comments sparked controversy, with some critics accusing him of promoting religious pluralism, while supporters defended his view by pointing to the Catholic Church’s long history of believing in God’s universal grace. Pope Leo is continuing the work that Pope Francis started and expanding the church to different religions. We see now Vatican opening a special Muslim prayer room in October 2025. The same time, King Charles, the head of the Church of England praying with Pope in Vatican. This historic ecumenical service marked the first time a British monarch, who is the Supreme Governor of the Church of England, had prayed publicly with a Pope in nearly 500 years, since the Reformation. And of course the Abrahamic Family House, which purpose was to promote understanding, tolerance, and peaceful coexistence between Christianity, Islam, and Judaism—the three major Abrahamic faiths—by providing a space for them to worship and learn about one another’s traditions without hierarchy. 

While tolerance is important, God also wanted for Israel to set themselves apart from the Gentiles and their pagan traditions. That is why God was angry when Israelites mingled too much with the Gentiles, participated in their festivals and eventually, adapted to theirs customs. However God wanted for Israel to spread their teachings and their customs to the world and the Law to the Gentiles and for the Gentiles to adapt to Israel.

“And it shall come to pass
That from one New Moon to another,
And from one Sabbath to another,
All flesh shall come to worship before Me,” says the Lord.

“And they shall go forth and look
Upon the corpses of the men
Who have transgressed against Me.
For their worm does not die,
And their fire is not quenched.
They shall be an abhorrence to all flesh.” Isiah 66: 23-24

God was also very clear that he didn’t want Israel to mix with any other religion. It’s either faith in Him and following His Law, or you choose another religion and their gods, but the glory and blessings of God will be excluded from those people. God is sovereign, creator of the world and He has specific laws and rules that we should follow. If we, through our own free will, decide to go outside of those rules and laws, then we choose to go under the rule of other gods.

Let’s remind ourselves what were the deeds of the “Nicolaitans, which Jesus hated so much: misinterpreting grace, Christian liberty, coexistence, acceptance of pagan traditions, food and participating in various festivals. From this we can compare to what Paul was doing: teaching about the grace of God, confusing people on the stand of the Law and the stand on food, liberty from the law and not condemning pagan traditions but allowing pagan traditions to infiltrate the church. This resulted in Roman Catholicism, which essentially is pagan Babylonian religion repackaged and rebranded under different labels. I go into details about the link of Catholic church to Babylonian religion in this post.

I believe Paul’s teachings caused a lot of confusion, resulting in sects like the Nicolaitans misinterpreting his words. Paul was neither hot nor cold on the law, neither hot nor cold on the unclean food, neither hot nor cold on sin and extending grace of God to everyone, instead of bringing sinners to repentance. In his teachings we mainly hear about grace, not repentance. Notice that Jesus never used the word grace or highlighted the grace of God, but was calling people to repentance, turning from sin and promising that IF YOU REPENT, God will forgive. Paul was more relaxed on that stand which resulted in people interpreting his letters in different ways, depending on the country, culture and their understanding. Teachings of Paul caused many to stumble and people relaxed their ways towards the law, food, festivals and sin. Paul was the root problem and the fruit of it was the sect of Nicolaitans, of which deeds Jesus hated.

By Dagmara Z.