Revelation 2:4-5
Ps Paul Cheng
“…they did not lose it but they left it…”
~5 min read
Dear Bethelites,
Most people detest negative comments. Supposedly, someone commented certain positive remarks about you, you would probably be happily going along the line with him and then all of a sudden, he said, “nevertheless,” almost immediately your mood would sort of be engaged in a reverse mode, if not an angry one. We like to listen to positive commendations only, don’t we? However, if those negative things are true about us, and they are not made by some ordinary persons, but by the Almighty God, we have to stop everything immediately and deal with them straight away. We need to constantly learn from the Word of God and to make amends the things that are not right with the church, even our families and lives.
The church of Ephesus was built on sound doctrine and the people had faithfully defended the Word of God against false teachings. So far, everything well and good had been commented about the church, but toward the end, Jesus said to the church of Ephesus, Nevertheless, I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love. Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent (Revelation 2:4-5, emphasis mine). Nevertheless means in spite of all these. In other words, in spite of the fact that you were diligent, faithful, devoted and discerning, God said, I have somewhat against thee. What was their problem?
Thou hast left thy first love. The first love should be the Lord Jesus Christ, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul and with thy mind. This is the first and great commandment (Matthew 22:37). The only consolation is that they did not lose it but they left it. To lose something means that it is no longer in your possession but to leave something, you still have an opportunity to turn back and pick it up. They had fallen out of love with Christ, and their first love had grown cold. Perhaps their service, zeal and passion for Him had become so routine and mechanical. How sad!
Our first love is extremely vital (needless to say, people would understand its place and importance in courtships). In the spiritual dimension, it is also the motivation behind every action and service for God; the impetus why you defend the Word of God, the reason why you stand firm, and the drive behind your perseverance in times of adversities. Have you ever asked yourself, “What is the motivating factor behind all my services for God?” The motivating factor must be love.
If we are not motivated by love, we will not last. At some point, people may be serving but when persecution and trouble come, they may just throw in the towel. But when people are constrained by the love of Christ, they would endure no matter what happen. The Apostle Paul was one such example; he went from city to city preaching the Word of God and ministering to total stranger, but he was stoned, whipped and ostracised yet he endured, simply because he was constrained by the love of Christ.
If we are not motivated by love, it will have no meaning. The reason why we go to church, read the Bible, pray and engage ourselves in the service of the Lord is because of love and not some set dogmas, obligations or “the pastor told me to,” otherwise it will be meaningless.
If it is not motivated by love, it will have no value. Supposedly one day your wife says to you, “I have come to the conclusion that the reason why I cook your meals, wash your clothes, clean the house and have committed to stay with you for the rest of my life is not because of love, but simply out of duty.” That would be the saddest day in your marriage relationship, but how much more devastating would it be in your relationship to the One who has saved you for eternity? But a lot of Christians are serving God for the same reason, with no real devotion, passion and love for the Lord Jesus Christ. Dear friend, is love the motivating factor in all your spiritual endeavours? If you have left your first love, what should you do?
I. Remember
Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen. There was a time in our lives when we were fallen, totally depraved, in the miry pit of sin, condemned for eternal damnation. Then for the first time, we heard the gospel of Christ and how God has sent His only begotten Son to die on the cross for our sins and how our sins have been lifted up at Calvary, saved from eternal hell and given a salvation that we will never lose. Have we forgotten how the mercies of God had touched our lives? Some of us had wept and were in tears, others were relieved and knelt to pray, yet others had given their lives to serve Him. It is so easy to forget, isn’t it? The best way to stay in love with Christ is to remember what we were and where we were before the Almighty God found us.
II. Repent
Twice, God had said, repent… except thou repent. Here repent (metanoeo) is to change one’s mind or purpose and it involves a change for the better. Repentance is not just for lost people but also for God’s people. If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land (2 Chronicles 7:14).
The church of Ephesus was serving, worshipping, giving and defending the Word, and what have they got to repent? They have to repent and do all these things out of love and devotion and not out of work and routine. Dear friend, perhaps you have also been serving without the love for Christ constraining you. It is not too late, the battle is not finished yet until the Lord takes you home. Repent and ask God to stir within your heart the first love that you may serve the LORD with gladness (Psalm 100:2a), and serve Him afresh.
III. Return
Return and do the first work. Get back to loving those things that you loved so much when you were first saved by the grace of God. Remember how eager you were to attend church service, how interested you were to read the Bible, how zealous you were to serve the Lord, and how you used to have gospel tracks in your pocket and always ready to share the gospel of Christ. But nowadays, that first love has grown cold; no more zeal and passion, gospel sharing is just the thing to do, and you come to church to avoid people saying you are backsliding.
God said, I will come unto thee quickly. The Lord wants to deal with this sin quickly. To fall into spiritual apathy or to adopt a wrong motive for our services is a very serious sin, and even though people may not see it, but Christ who is the head of the church, walks in the midst of His people and knows your heart’s condition. Have you lost your first love? If you have, then remember, repent and return, to do the first work.
With love in Christ,
Pastor Paul Cheng
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