The believers in the church at Ephesus are condemned by Christ for losing their love for Him. Their love had cooled and they have waned in their devotion to Him. Their lives were no longer arranged around Him. Their depth of love for Him not only wasn't growing as it should, but had deteriorated and gotten superficial to the extent they were going through the motions. Christ demands that love for Him be the prime motivation for obedience and service that results in actions. Zeal for Him then energizes the actions in the ministry of the church.
Christ's commands to correct their behavior and conduct were threefold. They were to be remembering, to repent and do.
To be remembering did not mean they were to live in the past, but they were to think back and realize in comparison to where and who they were at first, they have drifted.
They were to repent, calling for an immediate change with no excuses. Having repented they were do immediately the deeds or works they had done at first. What this love had done at first was hear the Word of God, delight in it, meditate on it and taking it to heart, put it into action by doing what it said. What believers do in genuine obedience and acceptable service is driven by love for God, and being so becomes a pattern or lifestyle.
What Christ has commended must continue and what He has condemned must be changed immediately.
The standards by which Christ evaluates churches today has not changed. Each church continues to be held accountable to these standards. Each one must examine themselves in light of what He deems commendable, what He condemns, and make any necessary changes.
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In the fall of 1969, Gil began a full-time teaching ministry as Senior Pastor of Indian Hills Community Church. He also earned his Ph.D. from the California Graduate School of Theology. The focus of Pastor Rugh’s ministry is systematic, verse-by-verse teaching of the Bible. As a...
