So the Puritans came out from the established church of England at one time, and the Methodists at another, warmed with a holier love to the cause of evangelical religion than existed in the body from which they separated. They had taken their eyes off of Jesus and were now focusing on their works done for His name. All rights reserved. a. The “first love” mentioned in Revelation 2:4 was the love they felt for Christ when they first realised how much God, in Jesus, loved them. The Saviour governs the church always on essentially the same principles; and it is no uncommon thing that, when a church has lost the ardor of its first love, it is suffered more and more to decline, until "the candlestick is removed" - until either the church becomes wholly extinct, or until vital piety is wholly gone, and all that remains is the religion of forms. Or they are formed with a distinct reference to promoting some one great object in the cause of the Redeemer. "I have against thee that thou hast left," etc. So the Nestorians in former ages, and the Moravians in modern times, were characterized by warm zeal in the cause of missions. . . It had abandoned the love that characterized its early history. A. Copyright © 2020, Bible Study Tools. This epistle was written under Domitian, when thirty years had elapsed since Paul had written his Epistle to them. Please enter your email address associated with your Salem All-Pass account, then click Continue. 2. fol. (b) Churches remit the ardor of their first love. (2) the same thing that occurred there may be expected to follow in all similar cases. . Now this, though it was not lost, for the true grace of love can never be lost, yet it was left; it abated in its heat and fervour; there was a remissness in the exercise of it; what our Lord had foretold should be before the destruction of Jerusalem was fulfilled in this period of time, the love of many waxed cold, Matthew 24:12; through the prevalence of corruption in some; and through an over love to the world, as in Demas, and others; and through a desire of ease and freedom from reproach and persecution; and through the introduction of errors, which damp the heat of love, and spirit of religion; and through the contentions and divisions among themselves, as at Corinth, Galatia, and elsewhere, which greatly weakened their love to one another, and to divine things; and which was very displeasing to Christ, who, for the restoring of them, gives the following advice. 3) party-spirit and immorality threatened its existence. . . Jesus summarized the actions of the two sisters: “Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things. 2:4. God sees their heart. of a husband divorcing his wife,”1 to Rev. 6:10-12). We'll send you an email with steps on how to reset your password. Not a little of the ardor of young converts is often nothing more than the excitement of animal feeling, which will soon die away of course, though their real love may not be diminished, or may be constantly growing stronger. Jer. 1. But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her” (Luke Luke 10:41-42). Revelation 2:4. of a husband divorcing his wife,”, “those who handle the law did not know Me.”, “his wives turned his heart after other gods; and his heart was not loyal to the LORD his God, as, “Mary . e. A model of organization structure. Revelation 2:4. The priests did not say, ‘Where is the LORD?’ And those who handle the law did not know Me; the rulers also transgressed against Me; the prophets prophesied by Baal, and walked after things that do not profit. xvi. Brotherly love, an early and authentic proof of the faith; as in Revelation 2:19 , 2 John 1:5-6 , 3 John 1:6 , and the striking parallel of Matthew 24:12 (see 10) where, as at Corinth (see also Did. Our priority must ever be relationship over service (works). Because thou hast left thy first love - Thou hast "remitted" (ἀφῆκας aphēkas) or let down thy early love; that is, it is less glowing and ardent than it was at first. I know your deeds and your toil and perseverance, and that you cannot endure evil men, and you put to the test those who call themselves apostles, and they are not, and you found them to be false; and you have perseverance and have endured for My name’s sake, and have not grown weary. because thou hast left thy first love: by which is meant, not hospitality to strangers, or an affectionate care of the poor of the church, or a zealous concern to feed the flock, and maintain church discipline; but the love of the saints to God, and Christ, and one another, which appeared at the beginning of this church state, when they were all of one heart and one soul, as generally at first conversion love is the warmest; and so it was at the first planting of Gospel churches, and therefore here called first love. The love here referred to is evidently love to the Saviour; and the idea is, that, as a church, they had less of this than formerly characterized them. . 2:1-9): Moreover the word of the LORD came to me, saying, “Go and cry in the hearing of Jerusalem, saying, ‘Thus says the LORD: “I remember you, the kindness of your youth, the love of your betrothal, when you went after Me in the wilderness, in a land not sown.

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