IV. Anti-fornication and Idols

Revelation 2:20 records the Lord Jesus’ strong reproach of the local church in Thyatira for tolerating “the woman Jezebel, she who calls herself a prophetess and teaches and leads my slaves astray to commit fornication and to eat idol sacrifices” (Recovery Version). Witness Lee remarks on the spiritual application of the words fornication and idols.

The fourth epistle is to Thyatira, in which fornication and idols are dealt with. "Notwithstanding I have a few things 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" (Rev. 2:20).

Spiritual fornication is the union of the church with the world. Whenever the church is united to the world, that is a kind of spiritual fornication. The church has nothing to do with the world and must be absolutely separated from the world. The world is the world, and the church is the church….The church must have nothing to do with any worldly thing. A local church must be so pure, so utterly separated from worldliness.

Worldliness is always related to idols. If we are united to the world, we spontaneously have idols. The local churches should not have any kind of idols. An idol is simply a substitute of God. Anything that replaces God and possesses man is an idol. Nothing should ever be allowed to replace God in the local churches. And we should never have anything that possesses us. Our only possessor must be God Himself. Our relationship must only be with God; otherwise, we will bring in fornication and idolatry. The local churches must be so pure and separated from the world and idols. (71-72)

In His reproach to the church in Thyatira, the Lord exposes the grave sin of spiritual fornication. Witness Lee applies this exhortation to the local churches, charging them to have nothing to do with the world and its hidden idols, but rather, to allow only Christ to possess their hearts.