Have You Abandoned The Love You Had For Jesus At First?

The New Testament is filled with warnings. Warnings come from the love of God. In our day the pastors and teachers have abandoned the warnings, as a general rule. They are afraid of man and losing their job and many love the praise of people and money. So they tickle the ears of their hearers.

John records Jesus' warnings to the seven churches. It is clear Jesus does not tickle ears. He is concerned about the heart of the hearers. Jesus is Love and the very source of true love. However, we must obey him and turn from our sins. We are not to go on sinning. If we sin we are to confess it quickly and turn away from that sin.

Today we look at John's first letter to the church in Ephesus. It is sobering.

Revelation 1 ISV

1“To the messengera of the church in Ephesus, write:

‘The one who holds the seven stars in his right hand, the one who walks among the seven gold lamp stands, says this:

2‘I know what you’ve been doing, 

• your toil, and your endurance. 
• I also know that you cannot tolerate evil people. You have tested those who call themselves apostles, but are not, and have found them to be false. 
• 3You have endured and suffered because of my name, yet you have not grown weary. 

4However, I have this against you: 

• You have abandoned the love you had at first. 
• 5Therefore, remember how far you have fallen. 
• Repent and go back to what you were doing at first. 
• If you don’t, I will come to you and remove your lamp stand from its place—unless you repent. 
• 6But this is to your credit: You hate the actions of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.

7‘Let everyoneb listen to what the Spirit says to the churches. To everyone who conquers I will give the privilege of eating from the tree of life that is in God’s paradise.’”