The Letter to the Church in Ephesus (Part 2: Condemnation)

This is the second of a series of several posts considering the seven letters to the churches in Revelation 2-3. 

In part one, I wrote that Christians have a responsibility to continually identify false teaching and call it what it is: evil. The Ephesians did that by “testing the spirits” with the word of God. 

In this piece, we continue to look at Revelation 2:1-7, the letter to the church at Ephesus, specifically verses 4-7. 

Jesus ends his commendation of the Ephesians in verse 3 and the tone of his letter shifts. The first part of the letter was spent in commending the Ephesians for not putting up with heresy in their church. The congregation patiently endured the onslaught of evil teaching and did not bear with it. Their orthodox theology prevailed against the heretical views of these people who claimed to be apostles but were not. However, the church in Ephesus was not perfect, as no church is. Jesus, the one who is among the lampstands (or churches), knows their good works, but he also levels a charge: You have abandoned the love you had at first. 

What is this love? This is the love of God. The Ephesian church had abandoned the love they had for God, and naturally then, the love they had for neighbors. The Ephesians, though enduring with patience and recognizing false teachers and refuting them, abandoned their love of God. Christ knows this fully and can write this with authority because he is among the lampstands. He is in the midst of the churches. Christ is the head of the church (Col 1:18) and purchased the church with his very own blood as he gave his life on the cross. He is present among the church through his Holy Spirit and walks among the churches. This adds a sobering element to their abandonment. The Ephesian church abandoned the love of the one that is the grounds by which they are existing as the church. 

The abandonment of the love of God referenced in verse 4 is tied closely to the loss of bearing witness of the gospel in the community. A church that is not sharing the gospel—not acting as a lampstand—ceases to be a church. 

Let us briefly talk about lampstands. First off, what is a lampstand? A lampstand is a, usually ornate, candleholder, or stand. The lampstand is placed on a table so that it’s elevated and lights up a room. Christ introduces himself as the one among the lampstands and then if the Ephesians don’t turn from their sin of abandoning their first love, he threatens to take away their lampstand, their status as a church. The status of a lampstand and its subsequent imagery (Ex 25:37; 2 Chron 4:19-22; Zech 4) are a symbol that hearkens back to Israel. Israel was to be a light unto the nations for the LORD. By their adherence to the law and faith in the coming Messiah, they were to shine forth the light of the Kingdom of God to the Gentiles. Israel themselves were to be a lampstand. However, they failed and their light was dimmed and extinguished by their sin and refusal to receive Jesus as the Messiah. Israel was even judged by God for their refusal to be a light unto the nations, bearing this punishment through the terrible times of the Judges and the Exile. Therefore, just as God willed before time began in his infinite wisdom, the church became the lampstand of the gospel, a city set on a hill. The witness of the church then brings light into the darkness. Churches are to act as lampstands in the world, showing the world the True Light, Jesus Himself. When the people of God cool in their love of God, they will cease bearing witness to the glory of his name in the world. Just as the prophets often did with Israel, Christ is indicating that the Ephesians have abandoned their first love and will receive the just consequence if they do not repent. 

The Ephesians loved good doctrine, but became insulated, and ceased bearing light into the world. They ceased loving God and neighbor. Jesus commands them to repent and return to their first love: The love of God that fueled their love for the world which results in evangelism. Use theology as a fuel in your lampstand. 

We must pursue theology. Our theological knowledge arms us to stand against the schemes of the evil one and identify false doctrine. However, we cannot pursue theology and abandon our love of God. Theology, when done and pursued rightly, grows our love of God and results in our proclaiming the gospel. May our churches not be charged with losing their first love.