The seven churches and their different characteristics are a picture of the universal church at any given time in church history. Ephesus is the first of the seven churches listed. Not only was it first as to the postal route, but it was likely the most prominent. It was the mother church to the churches.
They excelled in their service and toil to Christ and in Doctrinal purity and integrity; even refusing to allow the false teachers to enter their midst. Paul had said (Acts. 20:29)years before that after his departure savage wolves would come in their midst, not sparing the flock. In many ways this was the ideal church, like many of our reformed churches today.
Yet, they lacked one thing..... they had left their first love. Their former devotion to Christ had cooled and waned. Without love, our labor and toil, even if doctrinally precise, will become burdensome and lifeless. Consider that Jacob could labor seven years for Rachel, precisely because of his great love for her. Genesis records that 'the seven years seemed to him but a few days because of the love he had for her'. Even doctrinal integrity will become cold and dead without love. Could it be that some of our Reformed churches are like Ephesus? We must use the means of grace to rekindle this love.
Jesus gives the divine prescription in the form of three imperatives. Remember from where you have fallen! Repent and be restored. Finally, then 'do' the first works, that is those former works that were done for His glory and with great zeal because of love. The application for most is clearly that we as God's children have allowed other things to crowd out our love for Christ. Return today!
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