Orthodox discerners of true and false teaching! (Is it you?)

Quote....

"The church at Ephesus enjoyed an especially noble heritage, having been founded by the apostle Paul(Acts 19) The Ephesian church had witnessed amazing miracles. The risen Christ commended them for their discernment and their forbearance: " I know your works, your labor, your patience and that you cannot bear those who are evil. And you have tested those who say they are apostles and are not, and have found them liars; and you have persevered and have patience, and have labored for my name's sake and have not become weary." (Rev 2:2-3)

John wrote to the believers at Ephesus relaying the Lord's p[pleasure with them, Surely it encouraged them to know that the Head of the church declared them to be orthodox and discerners of true and false teaching. But then those unsettling words: " Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love." (Rev 2:4) The Ephesians were orthodox, but they had neglected their love relationship with their risen Saviour. The Lord gave this strong directive. " Remember therefore where you have fallen:repent and do the first works, or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from its place-unless you repent" (Rev 2:5)

People are generally unaware of how far they have drifted from God. When God told His people to return to Him in the Prophet Malachi's time, they responded by saying "In what way shall we return? (Mal 3:7) They were tragically unaware of how spiritually disorientated they had become. They dutifully performed their religious rituals and regularly attended weekly worship services, assuming this evoked God's pleasure. Bur God's appraisal of such behavior was pronounced by the prophet Isaiah " Inasmuch as these people draw near with their mouths and honor me with their lips, but have removed their hearts far from me" (Isa 29:13) Allowing your heart to shift from God is dangerous: living in a state of misguided complacency can be fatal. One of the key steps to revival is having your eyes's opened to see the spiritual height from which you have fallen." ( Fresh Encounter, Henry and Richard Blackaby and Claude King)

You can often spot the man or woman who has drifted from God, whose heart is far from God. Its not that he is not orthodox, its just that he has turned his attention on others and is far from the heart of God. It is no longer his love that goes before him, its his knowledge and his reputation. They have taken the place of the love relationship. The abundance of his heart does not speak of the one that he loves, it speaks to the ills of others, it is centered, not on Christ, but on others. If this is the case, then their wisdom is for naught. 1 Cor 13 must always ring in our hearts, we can have all things, we can know mysteries and have all knowledge, yet without the love of God burning in our hearts we are nothing more than clanging cymbals, just so much noise........brother Frank

Octavius Winslow writes......

"Oh , it is an alarming condition for a Christian man, when the heart contradicts the judgement, and the life belies the profession! When there is more knowledge of the truth that experience of its power- more light in the understanding than grace in the effections- more pretension in the profession than holiness and spirituality in the walk.!"

It is obvious to all when a man walks in the fullness of the Spirit, to people in the world and to his brothers and sisters..............brother Frank

The most amusing thing seen here about the Ephesian church, is Paul's commendation in his epistle to them for their love of Jesus, and Jesus, through John, just a few years later says, "you have LEFT your first love."

(It's called idolatry, or is it bibliolatry?)

Jesus is more than enough.
That we live in Him, for the world around us: to be drawn, to see, and experience.

This remains the focus of prayer.

Agape,
gregg

Hi Joan,

To me the term Logos is better thought of in terms of shekinah. If the word shekinah can be thought of as the presence of God made visible, then this concept obviously fits Jesus. Jesus being the express image of God, or the fullness of the Godhead or the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. Jesus is God unveiled. There can be no seperation of the presence of God and His Word, they are one and the same. And then the Word speaks and we have a record of what the Word spoke, glory hallelujah, a revelation.

Once I tried to please, now I rest in Him
Once my hopes lay on the outside, now they lie within
Once I dreamed of glory, Now to Him I fly
Oh Lord my God I worship you, hallelujah is my cry

Once I walked in vanity, now I walk subdued
Once I only saw the ills, now I see the good
Once was only ever seeking, my God how can I please
Once was only ever trying, Now is sweet release

Once it was my teaching, Now its Him alone
Once it was my secret place, now it is His throne
Once it was my thoughts and dreams, Now its His desires
Once the light came from my spark, Now He lights the fires

How was that Joan ? :) brother Frank

Rainman writes......

"I dont think there is anything wrong with admonishing one another as the spirit leads but when we become self righteous our love often grows cold."

I agree with that, been there and done that :(
Frank

I have in recent years looked at the "first love" as being the grace of God to which we are saved by faith.

Not everyone has an intimate relationship with Jesus. Some get very close while others have a relationship but not as deep. The disciples being the foundation of the Church along with Jesus being the chief cornerstone, only a few of them are mentioned to have some sort of close relationship with Jesus. Peter for one and especially John, and James. There is hardly any mention of any significance of the others, except Judas. The reason why I am saying this and please I am not trying to split doctrinal hairs, but the "First Love" here is I think referring to the basic foundation of the Apostles doctrine, because Jesus is telling them to do the first works again, in other words repent and start over get back to being under grace and not law.

By the way Frank, I have read the first post and completely agree with it. I thought I'd interject a thought about the "first love" bit.

Snuf writes......

"I thought I'd interject a thought about the "first love" bit."

Its good to interject brother. I love the varying opinions of my brothers and sisters. We are like wild flowers growing in a field :) .........brother Frank