Hello All,
(Just a general disclaimer that I must insert here at the beginning. I am but a lay person, like most of you. And these weekly “thoughts” are but my own. Not the definitive word on this or any topic. Just my own conclusions derived from my own study and faith in God. The greatest hope I have for these weekly “thoughts” is to have them be a springboard for further study on your part. Not to be a weekly treatise to be blindly accepted. So, please read them with this intent, this motive in mind).
This week’s lesson from “The Adult Sabbath School Guide” is titled “Among the lampstands”. A look at the introduction and message of Christ to the first of the seven Churches (Ephesus). Some of this is familiar territory to experienced Adventists. However, each such lesson can yield precious fruit as we read, search and study. Please do. When we open God’s word and search for ourselves, the Holy Spirit can direct us to just the help we need… just the insight we need. May we always, daily, so study!
The believers in Ephesus had lost their “first love” (Revelation 2:4). Hmmm? I wonder what that means? What is that “First love”? Does this mean that they abandoned the first-love motivation they had when they first came to God? Or that they abandoned God, their “First love”? Maybe both. Christ does council us to “repent and do the first-works” (Revelation 2:5). And this is interpreted by many as returning to the love you had at first. This is likely a good clue to Christ’s intent. God is, of course, our “First Love” and returning to Him is the key to our “first-love” motivation and our “first-love” works. Did you notice that Christ councils us to return to our first-works? And the implication is that “works” has something to do with “first-love”. And is not that true? True love is always (I repeat) ALWAYS seen in our actions and our “works”. “Love” without the accompanying change in actions is not “love” at all. It is just feelings, emotions, not the true “love” we are to have. And returning to our God is the only way we can ever love… truly. In terms of marriage, my late wife used to say, “The only way “two” can be “one” is if there is “three”… you and me and God. Only that formula can make us “one” in a marriage. And this applies to “True love” in all its forms, too.
Is this “first love” some strong, fiery, impetuous passion? Some intense flight of the emotions into a state of ecstatic bliss? “True love is not a strong, fiery, impetuous passion. On the contrary, it is calm and deep in its nature. It looks beyond mere externals, and is attracted by qualities alone. It is wise and discriminating, and its devotion is real and abiding” (2 testimonies pg. 133). But does this make true love into just some cold principle with no real feeling? “Divine love makes its most touching appeals to the heart when it calls upon us to manifest the same tender compassion that Christ manifested. That man only who has unselfish love for his brother has true love for God. The true Christian will not willingly permit the soul in peril and need to go unwarned, uncared for. He will not hold himself aloof from the erring, leaving them to plunge farther into unhappiness and discouragement or to fall on Satan's battleground” (Acts of the Apostles pg.550).
Love is a principle, it is true. But it is a principle of action that will always bring the feeling in its train. Feeling does not lead. Feeling is not the motivation. Feeling follows the commitment. The principle of love is the motivation. Leaving our first love means we now love another. And that “other” is always ourselves. “How you are fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! How you are cut down to the ground, you who weakened the nations! For you have said in your heart: ‘I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God; I will also sit on the mount of the congregation on the farthest sides of the north; I will ascend above the heights of the clouds, I will be like the Most High.’” (Isaiah 14: 12-14). Leaving Christ (God) our “First Love” is readily seen in our leaving the “first love” of others, replacing it with loving ourselves. Satan became the first narcissist and tempts us all to love self supremely. He is so adept at this. He even has cast God in this shadow and leads us to desire Heaven in order to save self. May we always cling to our “First Love” and not yield to the “love of self” that is so prevalent in the “world”. He is our only hope… our only “True Love”. In relationship with Him, we will be led to love others as He loves them. Love them more than self.
With brotherly love,
Jim