Our First Love

Background Scripture: Revelation 1-2
Lesson Scripture: Revelation 2:1-7; Deuteronomy 10:12-15

Introduction

This is the first of some lessons taken from the book of Revelation. For some it may seem like a formidable book that is seldom read. It may help to divide it into sections. Chapter one introduces the resurrected Jesus Christ in his heavenly glory and all his power. Chapters two and three are letters to the seven churches of Asia and are applicable to the present-day congregations of the church of God. In chapters four through twenty there are five separate scenes depicting the gospel era in symbolic language. Each scene starts with the coming of Jesus bringing the gospel and ends with the end-of-time judgment and God’s final victory. The last two chapters may have several interpretations, but the primary one is a picture of the gospel church in its beauty. There are also some final warnings to be ready for Christ’s second coming.

A godly first love is not a condition of a sanctified, select few. Rather, it is a requirement of all true followers of Jesus Christ.

Key Verse

We love him, because he first loved us (1 John 4:19).

Lesson Scripture

Studying the Lesson

“The mystery of the seven stars which thou sawest in my right hand, and the seven golden candlesticks. The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches: and the seven candlesticks which thou sawest are the seven churches” (Rev. 1:20). In today’s language we might say the seven stars are the ministers or pastors of the churches, and the seven candlesticks are congregations. The messages to the churches are from Christ Himself. First, He commends the leaders for their well-doing. Then He admonishes or reproves them for what is missing.

The leadership is responsible for the congregation, but the congregation calls forth the leadership and in many ways is also responsible for their leaders by supporting and caring for them. In Ephesus, the church was kept in good order—spirits were reproved, and discipline was exercised, but there was a missing ingredient: first love.

“It is possible to love the doctrine more than the soul. It must be remembered that the purpose of doctrine is to save the soul. When a heart waxes cold, the saving of doctrine seems more important than the saving of the soul. The maintaining of doctrine must be to save the soul and not merely to save the doctrine. When doctrine is saved but souls are lost, little is gained. However, when the soul is saved by the saving of doctrine, then first love is at work.”1

Jesus taught that when iniquity abounds, love grows cold (Matt. 24:12). This happens to many and does not often happen suddenly. Rather, it is like a creeping paralysis, hardly discernible at first. The results are a lack of compassion, harshness in discipline, or a careless approach to Christ’s teachings as the heart’s affection is turned to other things. It then becomes easier to neglect the things of the kingdom of God. When love waxes cold, we become susceptible to offense.

It should be noted that first love is left, not lost. In the Old Testament, the children of Israel were tempted and drawn toward idolatry. Having a divided heart, they often tried to mix true God worship with idolatry. They knew what they should do but instead did what they wanted to do.

From the Israelites to the Ephesian church to the church in our time, God requires wholehearted allegiance and a willing obedience to his commands. This includes a deep love and appreciation for his church. “By this we know that we love the children of God, and keep his commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous” (1 John 5:2-3).

Practical Truths for Today.

Ever since Adam and Eve were driven out of Eden, the offspring of the human race have been born with a selfish nature. Our depraved nature loves self and therefore is motivated to look first and foremost after selfish desires. Through teaching and discipline, children can be taught to become interested in others and to be kind and considerate. However, unless an individual becomes born again and converted, it is only a learned trait.

The initial call of the gospel is repentance. Repentance from sin and selfishness will be a godly sorrow over past sins and the surrendering of one’s own will to the will of God. “Regeneration is the spiritual change wrought in the heart of man by the Holy Spirit in which his inherently sinful nature is changed so that he can respond to God in faith and live in accordance with his will. It extends to the whole nature of man, altering his governing disposition, illuminating his mind, freeing his will, and renewing his nature.”2 This is the result of true repentance.

Because God is love and is a giver, we are able to receive a portion of that love. With a new nature, the old things are passed away, and self-love is replaced by the love of God. This love is turned outward and is the first fruit of the Spirit mentioned in Galatians 5:22. Therefore, it can rightly be called first love because its beginning is of God. The term “first love” can then be used to define God’s love abiding within and a heart’s devotion set on God alone. As long as the will remains surrendered to God and in humble obedience to Him, first love will abide in the heart of the believer. In a conversation Jesus had with a lawyer, He showed that first love was also a requirement of the law: “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself” (Luke 10:27). It is a heart matter and cannot be pasted on through hypocrisy; but it is to be genuine and unfeigned, a fact reinforced throughout the New Testament.

Relationships are largely built on love and trust. Christian parents love their children. We may think, “Of course, parents love their children,” but this is not always true. Self-centeredness creates major problems in a home and cannot properly be called first love. Husband and wife may love each other in a natural way, but that will be enhanced when each has scriptural first love in their hearts.

Our baptismal vow asks us to love and care for our brothers and sisters in Christ. First love is the primary driver in such care. Brotherly love requires self-sacrifice. Due to fear of rejection or rebuttal, it is probably a common struggle to actually be moved to action when the Spirit impresses us to inquire about our brother or sister’s welfare. With first love in our hearts, we are able to overcome our fears. “By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another” (John 13:35). Matthew 18 and Galatians 6:1 give us good direction how to care one for another. When first love is in our heart, we will humbly help our brothers and sisters who are faltering. If we excuse ourselves from this responsibility, it is likely that we have left our first love. To truly love our neighbor as ourselves requires first love. Otherwise, our love becomes partial. Finally, first love motivates us to love our enemies, even though we may not trust them.

We are to “set our affection on things above” (Col. 3:2) and are not to love the world or the things that are in the world (1 John 2:15). When we leave our first love, we are soon tempted to add to or upgrade our possessions. Does the present trend to acquire large toys for recreation give some indication as to where our affections are? Does an undue interest in the styles and fashions in clothing and home decoration speak of an emptiness within the heart? Does the purchase of higher-end vehicles speak of insecurities? Laying up earthly treasure is a vain pursuit and may well indicate misplaced affections. When first love is alive, we have the spirit of Abraham, who was detached from this world’s goods, seeking a better country. “Where our love is, there our thoughts are also. . . . Therefore, if we love God with all our heart, mind, strength, and being, we endeavour to keep His commandments and to please Him in everything, though it may lead through fire, water, bonds and prison, yea, even unto death. . . .

“In the strength of first love, we are drawn away from carnal things and stand in the liberty of Christ, having ill will toward no man, but sincerely love and pray for [all].”3

Leaving our first love is a very serious matter and requires repentance to reclaim it. To exercise church discipline without first love will give grounds for offense. This is not to say discipline should not be applied. Rather, let first love rule. This will provide an incentive for the disciplined party to repent.

Illustration

The evidences of lost first love:

1. When my delight in the Lord is no longer as great as my delight for something else.

2. When my soul does not long for sweet fellowship in God’s Word and prayer.

3. When I hide under the claim to be only human and easily give in to that which is displeasing to God.

4. When my leisure thoughts seldom are a reflection on God and eternal things.

5. When I do not cheerfully and willingly give to God and minister to the needs of others.

6. When I view the commands of Christ as restrictions instead of delighting to do his will.

7. When I inwardly strive for the approval of the world rather than that of the Lord.

8. When I fail to to be obedient to Christ or his Word because I fear rejection.

9. When I refuse to give up an activity that is offending a weak Christian.

10. When I am unable to forgive someone who offended me.

Questions

1. What are some of the early indicators that our first love is growing cold?
2. Could the angel of the church at Ephesus have been aware that he had left his first love? Are we able to see that without the help of others?
3. How is first love connected to maintaining personal devotions?
4. 1 Wilbur Koehn, 102 Devotional Sermonettes, p. 58
5. 2 Unknown
6. 3 John Holdeman, Mirror of Truth, pp. 242-243
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Source: COGICM Daily Bible Readings (Daily Bible Readings, PO Box 124, Glenn, CA 95943).