INTRO: I ran out of time in the previous message, and so let me give you the conclusion to that message as an introduction to this one. Here is how I was supposed to conclude: Well, we wrap up this message. We began this message with the criticism. Ephesus had left their first love. It is not clear nor are all agreed as to what that means. I tend to think it means keeping the vibrancy of first Christianity going. You would think if children grow up in a Christian home and are taught the truth from young, their chances of keeping Christianity strong would be much better than the first generation Christians, but it is not. It is much harder. Third generation Christianity is even harder to keep there. Usually by that time liberalism has set in and has a strong hold.
What was the counsel? First, remember! Remember from where you have fallen. They fell, as I see it, by simply letting go. This is the church of declension or letting go. This is the danger of every new Christian, every new church and every new Christian work. And there is one solution: Repent! A change of mind must occur, or the light of the church will be extinguished. And their repentance had to do with their works, and now they were to go back to where they were at the beginning, and do the first works.
You see, our second and third generation Christians may not be able to see what is wrong with the music, or the clothing, or the demeanor, or the talk, or the videos etc… that their parents are concerned about. How can you bring that generation to go back to where their parents were? You know that this is almost an impossible task. |
