Forsaken your first love

[nebula]

Revelation 2

1 "To the angel of the church of Ephesus write,'These things says He who holds the seven stars in His right hand, who walks in the midst of the seven golden lampstands:

2 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;

3 and you have persevered and have patience, and have labored for My name's sake and have not become weary.

4 Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love.

5 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.

6 But this you have, that you hate the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.

7 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." '

Here is a church that seems to be faithful to the Lord - they work for Him, labor for Him, are patient, oppose evil, test the spirits, persevered -

yet the Lord rebukes them for forsaking their first love.

What does it mean: "You have forsaken your first love"?

What were they doing wrong?

In what way had they forsaken their first love?

[yomotalking]

well, they might be faithful, but their first FIRE has seemed to have dwindled away....

[nebula]

OK, what do you mean by their FIRE has dwindled away? What does this "look" like?

[yomotalking]

Their enthusiasm for God. I don't mean their faithfulness, I mean, real burning in their hearts to follow Him, and do His ways.( and see the lost saved.)

[nebula]

I guess what I'm trying to get after is -

How do you know if you or someone else has forsaken your/their first love?

You are walking the walk and talking the talk . . . but you have forsaken your first love. What is missing? How do you measure your heart that you have or have not forsaken your first love?

Is it merely zeal?

[BlindSeeker]

They lost the relationship but kept the religion.

[Keith]

Here are other translations of how verse 4 reads:

New Living Translation: "But I have this complaint against you. You don't love me or each other as you did at first.

NIV: "Yet I hold this against you: you have forsaken your first love."

Amplified: "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]."

Message Bible: "But you walked away from your first love - why? What's going on with you, anyway? Do you have any idea how far you've fallen? A Lucifer fall!"

What I get from this is that the church lost it's heart. They seem to just be going through the motions, on auto-pilot. They lost their focus of why they're doing what they're doing in the first place. For whom are they working? They're doing all the right things, but are leaving God out of their lives. And that's dangerous, especially if a person believes in OSAS.

[nebula]

KEITH!!

Great to hear from you again!

[Keith]

KEITH!!

Great to hear from you again!

Thank you! I haven't been on the computer at all for about two months. Not even for my writing. My life has pretty much taken a sharp turn. I get up early, have time with the Lord, go to work, come home and either have time with the Lord or go to my volunteer work. I can't seem to get enough time with Him.

[mike2]

I guess what I'm trying to get after is -

How do you know if you or someone else has forsaken your/their first love?

You are walking the walk and talking the talk . . . but you have forsaken your first love. What is missing? How do you measure your heart that you have or have not forsaken your first love?

Is it merely zeal?

I think when a person stops asking questions like you are asking, it is a sign.

I think if someone stops doubting themselves worthy of Gods forgiveness, it is a sign.

It is, when you think about it, a sign of being humble. When that is gone, I believe a person can slip into self worship and put confidance in themselves.