Unfortunately, there are many churches today that are like the one in Ephesus. These churches meet every week, singing hymns, saying creeds, and doing good deeds in the community. But they have no real spiritual impact. They don’t see people’s lives changing, they don’t help people turn away from sin, and they don’t bring about any moral or spiritual change in the community. Their light has stopped shining Praise for the Church in Ephesus.
The Reason for This Condition
What causes this problem? Jesus says it happens because they have left their first love. They’ve abandoned it. When we ask, “What is first love?” the answer is simple. It’s the love you felt for Jesus when you first came to know Him. It’s the excitement and joy of discovering that He loves you, has saved you, and forgiven your sins. At that moment, your heart is full of gratitude and you focus only on Him Local Ephesus Tour Guides.
First Love A Heart Full of Gratitude
Think about a couple who just fell in love. They are so focused on each other that they don’t notice anything else. They are lost in their feelings for one another. That’s how a new Christian feels when they first come to Jesus. Their heart is filled with thankfulness, amazed that they have been forgiven by Jesus. This new love for Jesus often leads to emotional reactions, like tears, because the experience of forgiveness and salvation is so overwhelming.
This is what it feels like when you first come to know Jesus. You can hardly believe that He loves you and has forgiven you. Everything about your life feels different, and the love of Christ feels almost too good to be true.
A Powerful Example John Newton’s Poem
John Newton, the writer of the famous hymn “Amazing Grace,” describes this feeling in his poem:
In evil long I took delight, gnawed by shame or fear,
Until a new object met my sight,
And stopped my wild career.
In this poem, Newton talks about how he was living in sin until he saw the love of Jesus and his life changed forever.
This first love is something we must hold on to. When a church or person loses their love for Jesus, they may still be doing religious things, but their impact on the world fades away. Jesus calls us to keep that love strong and central in our lives, as it is the source of true spiritual power and change.
