REVELATION 2: PART 1 • LOSING OUR FIRST LOVE: THE CHURCH IN EPHESUS

Time: Pentecost to A.D. 100
 
Ephesus—“desirable”

The seven churches were literal churches in Asia Minor. And the messages in Revelation chapter two and three are messages to these churches. The messages also represent seven distinct eras or prevailing conditions in the church during the Christian age, from John’s time to just before the coming of Christ.

Revelation 2:1

Unto the angel of the church of Ephesus write; these things saith he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks.

In Ephesus Christ is revealed as the one who holds the churches, its leaders, and its people in His hand. Christ has promised His people, “My Father … is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of My Father’s hand” (John 10:29). The assurance of Christ’s watch care and concern strengthened the believers in the early church to press forward.

Revelation 2:2

I know thy works, and thy labor, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars.

I know your industry and activities, laborious toil and trouble, and your patient endurance, and how you cannot tolerate wicked [men] and have tested and critically appraised those who call [themselves] apostles (special messengers of Christ) and yet are not, and have found them to be imposters and liars. (Revelation 2:2 AMP)

I know how many good things you are doing. I have watched your hard work and your patience; I know you don’t tolerate sin among your members, and you have carefully examined the claims of those who say they are apostles but aren’t. You have found out how they lie. (Revelation 2:2 TLB)

“I know”

And the Spirit of the Lord fell upon me, and said unto me, Speak; Thus saith the Lord; Thus have ye said, O house of Israel: for I know the things that come into your mind, every one of them. (Ezekiel 11:5)

O God, You know my folly and blundering; my sins and my guilt are not hidden from You. (Psalm 69:5 AMP)

For I know your manifold transgressions and your mighty sins: they afflict the just, they take a bribe, and they turn aside the poor in the gate from their right. (Amos 5:12)

I know thy works, and tribulation, and poverty, (but thou art rich) and I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews, and are not, but are the synagogue of Satan. (Revelation 2:9)

I know thy works, and where thou dwellest. (Revelation 2:13)

I know thy works, and charity, and service, and faith, and thy patience, and thy works; and the last to be more than the first. (Revelation 2:19)

I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead. (Revelation 3:1)

I know thy works: behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it: for thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name. (Revelation 3:8)

I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou were cold or hot. (Revelation 3:15)

In each of the seven messages, Christ says He knows the condition of the church and thus the condition of each person, for there is nothing hidden from His sight. “O Lord, thou hast searched me, and known me. Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, Thou understandest my thought afar off. Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways. For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O Lord, thou knowest it altogether” (Psalm 139:1–4).

“Tried them which say … hast found them liars”

To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them. (Isaiah 8:20)

Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them. Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. (Matthew 7:15–21)

They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate. (Titus 1:16)

And they come unto thee as the people cometh, and they sit before thee as my people, and they hear thy words, but they will not do them: for with their mouth they show much love, but their heart goeth after their covetousness. (Ezekiel 33:31)

I have spread out my hands all the day unto a rebellious people, which walketh in a way that was not good, after their own thoughts; … which say, Stand by thyself, come not near to me; for I am holier than thou. These are a smoke in my nose, a fire that burneth all the day. (Isaiah 65:2, 5)

The genuineness of the Christian experience is determined by the Word of God and by the conduct of the life. In the genuine Christian will be seen the fruits of the Spirit, and the well-ordered conduct that follows the Scriptures as the rule of life. Their teachings will be faithful to the Word of God. If this experience is missing, there is no light in these people; they are false apostles or messengers. It was this critical appraisal of teachers and messengers that Ephesus was commended for, and one we would do well to take heed to in our day.

Revelation 2:3

And hast borne, and hast patience, and for my name’s sake hast labored, and hast not fainted.

I know you are enduring patiently and are bearing up for My name’s sake, and you have not fainted or become exhausted or grown weary. (Revelation 2:3 AMP)

The first experience of the church at Ephesus was marked with simplicity and fervor. Believers sought earnestly to obey every word of God, and their lives revealed an earnest, sincere love for Christ. They rejoiced to do the will of God because the Savior was in their hearts as an abiding presence.

Revelation 2:4

Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love.

But I have this [one charge to make] against you: that you have left (abandoned) the love that you had at first [you have deserted Me, your first love.] (Revelation 2:4 AMP)

“Thou hast left thy first love”

And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him. Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world. There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love. We love him, because he first loved us. (1 John 4:16–19)

And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. (Matthew 24:12)

Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh? (Galatians 3:3)

After a time, the zeal of the believers in Ephesus began to lessen, and their love for God and for one another diminished. Formality and coldness crept into the church. The love of God had been lost, which led to the absence of love for one another. Self was cherished, and there was a striving for supremacy. Without a reconversion, there would soon be such a lack of godliness that the church would be represented by the barren fig tree. (See Mark 11:12–14.)

There is also a lesson for our own day in the message to the church at Ephesus. The love of Christ brings forth love in our own hearts, for “we love Him, because He first loved us” (1 John 4:19). But many, having begun in the Spirit, begin to rely on outward forms, which take the place of love for the Savior. The prevailing iniquity in society around them causes their love to grow cold. They are in danger of having a profession and a zeal, but lacking in true love for Christ as formality takes the place of heaven-born love in the heart.

Revelation 2:5

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.

Fallen—to drop away; be driven out of one’s course; figurative to lose, become inefficient¹

Quickly—shortly, i.e. without delay, soon, or (by surprise) suddenly²

“Remember therefore”

I will remember the works of the Lord: surely I will remember thy wonders of old. I will meditate also of all thy work, and talk of thy doings. (Psalm 77:11–12)

And thou shalt remember all the way which the Lord thy God led thee these forty years in the wilderness, to humble thee, and to prove thee, to know what was in thine heart, whether thou wouldest keep his commandments, or no. (Deuteronomy 8:2)

God continually calls His children to remember. We get so caught up in our daily lives, our pleasures, the work for God, and sadly, at times, our sins, the heart forgets the God of our salvation. This is what happened to the believers in Ephesus, which is why God called them to remember. The believers did not sense their spiritual fall. They did not know that a change had taken place in their hearts and that they needed to repent of the loss of their first love. But Jesus, in His mercy, called for repentance and called them to the works that are the result of true, Christ-like love.

“I will come unto thee quickly”

Repent; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth. (Revelation 2:16)

Inasmuch as it is conditional, the coming mentioned in verse five (and our example in verse sixteen) is figurative, describing a visitation of judgment, which inevitably results from our separation from God. Repentance was the only thing that could turn back the impending ruin that was to come with surprise or suddenness. “And rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the Lord your God: for He is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth Him of the evil” (Joel 2:13).

“Will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent”

And the Lord said, I will remove Judah also out of my sight, as I have removed Israel, and will cast off this city Jerusalem which I have chosen, and the house of which I said, My name shall be there. (2 Kings 23:27)

This warning of the candlestick being removed signifies that Christ would reject them as His representatives to bear the light of His truth and gospel before the world. This warning is just as applicable today to individuals and churches. No light from the candlestick means the life of the individual or the church is in darkness. The church would still have a form, a name, and a profession, but it would be devoid of the light of Christ.

Revelation 2:6

But this thou hast, that thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolatians, which I also hate.
Yet you have this [in your favor and to your credit]: you hate the works of the Nicolaitans [what they are doing as corrupters of the people], which I Myself also detest. (Revelation 2:6 AMP)

But there is this about you that is good: You hate the deeds of the licentious Nicolaitans, just as I do. (Revelation 2:6 TLB)

“The deeds of the Nicolaitans”

For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. (2 Timothy 3:2–5)

For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ. (Jude 4)

Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: and every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world. Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world. They are of the world: therefore speak they of the world, and the world heareth them. (1 John 4:2–5)

Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself. (1 Timothy 6:5)

Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith. (2 Timothy 3:8)

The Nicolaitans comprised a heretical sect that plagued the churches at Ephesus and Pergamos and perhaps elsewhere. They are only mentioned here in the book of Revelation.

Professed Christians who continue in sin in the name of religion are the Nicolaitans of today. Many believe and teach that the gospel of Christ has made the law of God of no effect, and that by “believing” we are released from the necessity of being doers of the Word. This teaching leads people to ignore the biblical standard of true faith, which works by love, leading to obedience. This doctrine of being saved in our sins, of not being doers of the will and word and law of God, is the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which Christ unsparingly condemned.

Revelation 2:7

He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; to him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.

“To him that overcometh”

Those in the church of Ephesus as well you and I are called to overcome the following:

• Loss of Christ, our first love

• Formality and zeal but without the love of Christ

• A firm stand against error and falsehood but without the sweet spirit of Christ our righteousness

The Overcomers’ Promise:

To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God. Revelation 2:7

And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb. In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him. (Revelation 22:1–3)

Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city. (Revelation 22:14)


Endnotes

1.  James Strong, Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible, (Grand Rapids, Mich.: Baker Book House, 1987).

2.  Ibid.