“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.” rev.2:4,5…

By Edward O’Hara

Do you remember your fist love? No, I don’t mean the first girl or guy you thought you were in love with. I mean the love in your heart that you had for Jesus when you first found out how much He loves you that brought you to trust in Him at first. 

In this passage Jesus speaks to the church at Ephesus saying how they have been doing so well in so many areas. Yet He says after these encouraging words that because they have left their first love He may remove their candle stick. 

Paul says this another way in Gal.3 asking the Galatians if “after having begun in the Spirit are you now made perfect by the flesh?” He is asking why they are now believing that good works, particularly the works of the law, have become the way of salvation when remaining faithful to their first love is the only way. 

And lest you think that Paul only refers to our own works as getting in the way of our first love, you need only to look at Gal.2:16 to see that he refers to the works that many attribute to Jesus as playing a role in our salvation too. Paul says here that His works can not justify anyone. But, only His kind of faith can. His own first love if you will. The love between Him and the Father. 

So what exactly is this first love? And is it something all of us need to be remembering? Or is it just the church at Ephesus?

In the verses cited above Jesus makes reference to them needing to “do the first works”. The question is what works does a new believer do at the first that joins them in their relationship with Christ? Is it works as the natural man understands them? Doing good things and keeping the law? Or are they what the Bible says? They are what the Bible says they are. 

And to see what the Bible says we can look at what Jesus told the people who asked Him what they must do to do the work of God in Mt.5:28,29. We see Jesus’ answer is probably not what the doctrine of original sin and sin nature teach. Because that doctrine is a works based doctrine. He said “This is the work of God.” Listen for it… listen for it…”That you believe in the one whom He has sent.” 

So this is the work Jesus was referring to when He told the church at Ephesus to return to their first love and do the first works. The first works were to believe in Him. Focusing solely on Him so that He is all we see. Being so focused that anything else that would come between us and simply trusting in Him disappears. 

The song Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus comes to mind. It tells us to look full in His wonderful face. And the things of earth will grow strangely dim. In the light of His glory and grace. This is our first love. 

It’s so easy to get caught up in a works treadmill when it comes to our attempts at living for the Lord. This is because it is the way the natural man thinks. Because the flesh considers works to be a display of trust. When all they really are is a by product. And God looks on the heart. So with God works are not necessary for Him to know our heart.

This is why Paul said to be in the flesh is to be carnally minded. Because to be “made perfect by the flesh” is to regard works as the means and expression of faith. When all works are is a by product of faith. An incidental that carries no weight in regard to our relationship with Jesus and His saving grace. 

This is why Jesus while commending the Ephesus church for their works, quickly turned to reproving them for their focus on them instead of on Him. Because by changing their focus to works they are turned from focusing on their personal relationship with Jesus. 

So don’t allow yourself to let a focus on works get in the way of remembering your first love. Don’t allow the word that was planted in your heart at the first to be choked by the fleshly pursuit of a relationship with God through good works. Don’t be fooled into believing after having begun in the Spirit you can now be made perfect by the flesh. Don’t be fooled into the belief that works are the way you show your love for God. 

Because just as Jesus said to the church at Ephesus that they must return to their first love. So Jesus is telling all who have believed they are justified by works to do the same. Don’t be among those who after having left your first love wind up at the great white throne judgment hearing Jesus say, “Away from me you that work iniquity for I never knew you”. 

Our first love is that love we had for Jesus before works ever came into our mind. The love that simply recognized His love for us. And our response of love to Him for His love. Love that was there before we “prophesied in His name”. Before we did “many wonderful works in His name”. Works that count for nothing for salvation. 

But, because the works they were doing became the focus instead of the love and trust they had in Jesus when they first believed they were reproved for leaving their first love. Because even while they may be good works, they’re still only works. Works that can not save anyone. For as Paul said “by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified”. And these works that can not keep anyone saved. Works that Jesus said come between us and Him, who alone delivers unto eternal life, when we are deceived to believe they play any role in our salvation. 

Works that can become a stumbling block. Becoming for them the stone the builders who came to trust in works for righteousness rejected. Works that move us from relating personally with Jesus to a very impersonal relationship to the law. Led by flesh under the law rather than the Spirit. 

If you want that first love then thank God now for showing you how to have and retain it. Thank Jesus for joining with you in death. So that you can join with Him in eternal life. 

Eternal life that is the personal relationship with Him that is by grace through faith without works. The personal relationship in which He is forever showing us how much He loves and cares for us. Live in that first love and never let works get in the way of your complete and total focus on Jesus. 

See you there or in the air!

This message can also be heard at: Rumble