Information Related to "Do You Still Have Your First Love?"
| Audio/Video |
Do You Still Have Your First Love? By Tom Damour Christ warned the church at Ephesus that He was about to remove his candlestick from their presence. We're told they lost their first love. How does this warning relate to the modern Church?
n the book of Revelation, chapters 2 and 3, God comments on the spiritual condition of seven churches in the Roman province of Asia. These churches were on a common mail route and each congregation is mentioned in the order in which the letter was to be delivered. The first church on this route was the congregation at Ephesus. In this article we will focus specifically on that congregation.
The Ephesians were told to "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" (Revelation 2:5). Jesus Christ cautioned them to consider the magnitude of their problem. What did they fall away from? What lessons can the modern Church learn from this ancient congregation? According to Revelation 1:20, "the seven lampstands are the seven churches." It is difficult to know exactly what is meant by "remove your lampstand from its place." Clearly, it is a warning of a serious judgment and consequence. It may mean that Christ will remove the light of His Holy Spirit and blessings. It may mean that this important center of God's work would be removed to another location where God's people are maintaining their zeal and love for God. The first love God's warning and subsequent correction of the Ephesian church seems, at first glance, to be disproportional. Why did God say, "Nevertheless, I have this against you, that you have left your first love" (Revelation 2:4-5)? The "first love" of the church may mean first in point of time, referring to losing the passion and zeal they had after they were first called by God. Or it may mean first in importance, referring to love for God and love for neighbor as emphasized in the two great commandments (Matthew 22:37-38). It probably means both, since they usually go hand in hand.
Even though they were doing a lot of right things, many lost sight as to who they were called into a relationship with. While struggling to defend against doctrinal corruption, they lost sight of the most important aspect of their Christianity -- Jesus Christ Himself. While it is essential to remain faithful to the teaching once delivered (Jude 3), Christians must remember their relationship with Christ is paramount. In fact, to remain faithful to our profession of faith requires that we keep our relationship with God as a first priority, while not neglecting the other. Many within the church at Ephesus had forgotten this truth.
Call to a restored relationship Throughout history, God has desired a relationship with His human creation. Time and again, Satan has been on the scene attempting to thwart this endeavor. Paul illustrated the nature of this proposed relationship by discussing the spiritual purpose of marriage. "For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.' This is a great mystery, but I speak concerning Christ and the church'" (Ephesians 5:31-32).
As with any relationship, our personal bond with God the Father and Jesus Christ must be nourished if it is to grow. When we first became Christians, we desired to spend time with God in prayer, Bible study and meditation. We hungered for fellowship with others who shared the same beliefs and convictions. Our zeal was evident to others, and perhaps, even inspired others to review their relationship with God. The apostle Paul understood this dynamic when he spoke of his longing to visit the brethren at Rome. "For I long to see you, that I may impart to you some spiritual gift, so that you may be established -- that is, that I may be encouraged together with you by the mutual faith both of you and me" (Romans 1:11-12). Unless you exceed their righteousness Religious convictions that do not stress the importance of loving God and our fellow man often succeed at creating a belief system emphasizing the importance of adhering to a strict body of teachings and confusing those teachings with godliness. Jesus made this point clear when He answered a question put to Him by an expert of the law. "Then one of them, a lawyer, asked Him a question, testing Him, and saying, 'Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?' Jesus said to him, '"You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind." This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets'" (Matthew 22:35-40).
The Israelites of his day suffered the same ailment as he once did. Paul identifies their problem when he wrote; "Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they may be saved. For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted to the righteousness of God. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes" (Romans 10:1-4). That is to say, Jesus' example should be the end goal or outcome we desire in our own lives.
What did Jesus mean by this? He was speaking about proper motivation. Jesus Christ did not want His followers to merely embrace yet another religion and primarily be concerned with lists of dos and don'ts. Colossians 2:20-22, summarizes the typical legalistic and ascetic religions of the world: "Therefore, if you died with Christ from the basic principles of the world, why, as though living in the world, do you subject yourselves to regulations -- 'Do not touch, do not taste, do not handle,' which all concern things which perish with the using -- according to the commandments and doctrines of men?"
Jesus Christ came to introduce a new way of living motivated by a unique relationship between God and the believer. That relationship, when properly understood would radically alter the way people respond to each other and the world. "By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another" (John 13:35). The message to the church at Ephesus remains relevant after almost two millennia. It warns God's people against losing sight of the importance of having a proper relationship with Him. It warns us to not confuse legalism (supposing salvation is earned by works) with true Christianity. We are warned against confusing knowledge about God with the righteousness of God. The message warns us to cling to our first love and to truly understand what our love for Jesus Christ must entail. "He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches" (Revelation 2:7). Copyright 2007 by United Church of God, an International Association All rights reserved. |
||||||||||||||||||||||||
Related Information:
Other Articles by Tom Damour
Origin of article "Do You Still Have Your First Love?"
Keywords: first love relationship to God
God, relationship with: