What Was Jesus’ Message To The Church In Ephesus?

Name: Rebecca L.
Question: I would greatly appreciate it if you could clarify Revelations 2:4-5. I have read it several times and what I understand is that Christ is saying he has something against those who have forgotten our first love (GOD) and if we do not repent that he will quickly remove our candlestick, unless we repent.

Is he talking to a church, or someone specific? I even tried reading the whole chapter to get the “just” of it, and I am not quite sure.

Answer: Thank you for the question Rebecca.

Jesus was talking with John, though Christ told him, “what thou seest, write in a book, and send it unto the seven churches,” (Revelation 1:11). That’s what Revelation 2-3 is about, the 7 Churches of Revelation.

In Revelation 2:1-7, Jesus spoke concerning the church of Ephesus. This is where your question comes in. Now, before we move forward, we’re going to dial in the time frame so we can properly understand this subject.

The Lord’s Day

When did this conversation take place?

In the future, on the Lord’s Day.

Revelation 1:10
I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet,

In verse 10, John was speaking, and the great voice was that of Jesus, (Revelation 1:12-13, 18). So this all took place in the future, on the Lord’s Day, which is the Millennium that occurs after the Tribulation.

Why is it so important to understand the time frame?

The Millennium is future to us, Jesus has not yet returned. We also know these churches no longer exist in Asia, or anywhere else for that matter. So this message was for John to bring back to his present time, and to convey the message to the seven churches.

However, this message still applies to us today, but it’s not for any particular denomination or church.

Instead, this message belongs to the people themselves, the message to each church concerns what each and every one of us accept into our heart as truth. The message concerns the actions we take in life, symbolizing which church we belong to.

In turn, this tells us how Christ judges our works.

The Church Of Ephesus

Now, let’s begin reading with Christ’s Words concerning “the church of Ephesus,” (Revelation 2:1).

Revelation 2:2-3
2 I know thy works, and thy labour, 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:

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

The Ephesians were good Christians, they really were. They were holding people accountable to the Word of God, no doubt about it.

However…

Revelation 2:4
Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love.

Who was their first love?

Jesus Christ.

How could the church of Ephesus be doing Christ’s work, but forget about their first love?

On one level, this can happen to all of us if we are not careful. We may think about Jesus, we may talk about Jesus and the Word, but is the Word really alive in us, or has it faded away just a bit?

On yet another level, this echos the words of Jesus in Matthew 7, let us read it together.

Matthew 7:21-22
21 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.

22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?

The church of Ephesus certainly fits this bill.

They did right by Jesus, but not to the fullest, not completely. Instead, their lamps ran out of oil. They become unprofitable servants. If that were not true, Jesus would have never told them,

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.

The seven candlesticks are the seven churches, (Revelation 1:20).

Essentially, Jesus was saying, the church of Ephesus was going to lose their church. They were going to lose their ministry, lose their place in the Kingdom of Christ if they do not accomplish their first work. That is staying true to Jesus, and not losing sight of Him.

Unfortunately, the church of Ephesus left their first love by losing sight of Jesus and falling away.

If we do that, without repentance, then Jesus will say to us,

“…I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.”

Matthew 7:23

This is why Jesus would say, “depart from me” in Matthew 7, and they ‘left their first love’ in Revelation 2.

Do not be like the church of Ephesus.

Stay true to your first love.

Stay true to Jesus Christ and never fall away from Him.

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