First Love

¹ “To the angel of the church of Ephesus write,
‘These things says He who holds the seven stars in His right hand, who walks in the midst of the seven golden lampstands: ² “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; ³ and you have persevered and have patience, and have labored for My name’s sake and have not become weary. ⁴ Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love. ⁵ 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. ⁶ But this you have, that you hate the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.
⁷ “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give to eat from the tree of life, which is in the midst of the Paradise of God.”’ (Revelation 2:1-7, New King James Version)

This passage is Christ’s message to the church in Ephesus, one of the seven churches mentioned in Revelation 2. Jesus commends them for their faithful fight against false teachers and false doctrines. He praises their effort, labor, and patience in hard times. However, he reprimanded them for their lack of love. They had fallen away from their first love, the Lord Jesus Christ. They had right doctrine. They were hard working. They were patient and persevering in trials and suffering. What they lacked was a love and passion for the Lord. Their ardent struggle for right doctrine and truth led them to forsake their initial love for Christ. Sound theology without love is fruitless.

Christ commanded the Ephesians to repent and to return to the life characterized by a fervent love for Christ and (subsequently) for others. They were to remember and continue in the overwhelming love they experienced in the beginning at their conversion. Jesus promised eternal life with Him in paradise for those who repent.

I sometimes fall into the paradigm of the Ephesians church. I have a similar tendency to leave my first love. I do not want to be a loveless intellectual, or merely a scholar, or teacher of the law, or Pharisee. I must be careful not to betray the truth in my effort to serve God. Love is a necessary component in the life of a follower of Christ. Without love, I am nothing.

¹ Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. ² And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. ³ And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing.
(1 Corinthians 13:1-3, New King James Version)

This post is my repentance; a reminder to myself not to get so caught of in the things of God that I neglect the person of God.

Truth and love.

for His glory,

DJ