“and hast borne, and hast patience, and for my name's sake hast laboured, and hast not fainted. 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 2:3-5 KJV
John delivers the message Jesus has for the Church through His messenger, “I also know how you have bravely endured trials and persecutions because of My Name, yet you have not become discouraged. But I have this against you: you have abandoned the passionate love you had for Me at the beginning. Think about how far you have fallen! Repent and do the works of love you did at first. I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place of influence if you do not repent.” Believers here have endured suffering without complaining but they have abandoned the exclusive and foremost love for the Lord Jesus that has first place in their hearts above all else. The Church of the Lord Jesus Christ needs to be known for: working for the Kingdom of God; persevering and yet not being tolerant of sin; examining the claims of ministries and enduring trials bravely. Yet doing all this without a passionate love for Jesus Christ weakens our power and witness in the world. This calls for repentance which is simply changing one’s mind. Every believer needs to turn from his or her error and take “another mind” - the mind of Christ. For “who has known the mind of the Lord that He may instruct him?” But we have the mind of Christ. Hallelujah!
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