"You have left your first love"

In Revelation 2 John writes the message of Christ to the church at Ephesus: “These things says He who holds the seven stars in His right hand, who walks in the midst of the seven golden lampstands: 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. 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.”

It is interesting to note that even though John commended them for being doctrinally and morally sound, they still stood condemned because of one point: they had left their first love. What was missing? Like many churches and individuals, they were doing God’s will, but they did not have the desire or zeal that they once had for doing it. When one becomes a Christian, they are “on fire” as you might say for God. But after time, even though they are still doing God’s work, they have lost the fire that they once had. They are now just going through the motions. This was the issue with the Ephesians. They had left their first love: zeal! This lesson shows us that even if we are a hard worker, being doctrinally and morally sound, we can still be condemned. God doesn’t just want service. He wants service with passion!

Jonathan Glaesemann