In the spirit of self-examination, we must confront the warning given to the Ephesians in Revelation 2:4, where it is said, "Nevertheless, I have this against you, that you have left your first love." This term "left," from the Greek "aphiēmi," implies abandonment, while "first," from "protos," signifies the foremost or most important. Thus, the Ephesians had abandoned their most important love, the highest duty to God as taught by Jesus Christ: "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and great commandment." This abandonment carries grave consequences, as Revelation 2:5 warns that if they do not repent, Christ will remove their lampstand, signifying the loss of His presence and their status as a recognized church. Though the Ephesians had commendable qualities like exemplary works, tireless labor for Christ's name, doctrinal vigilance, and hatred for false teachings, they had drifted from their initial faith and love, once so visible and noteworthy in their early Christian life as noted in Ephesians 1:15. We, too, are susceptible to such a drift through weariness, distraction, or complacency, losing sight of the whole—God Himself—while focusing on lesser matters. The command is clear: remember and repent. We must recall that first love, pictured as a zealous, single-minded focus, akin to young love or the passionate devotion described in Jeremiah 2:2, where God remembers the kindness of Israel's youth and the love of their betrothal, following Him in the wilderness. This love must be reclaimed and deepened into a mature bond, full of perspective, patience, and joy, mirroring Christ's love for the church. The call of Revelation 2:4-5 is personal. We are individually responsible to return our passionate focus to God through action, loving Him with all our heart, soul, and mind, as examples like David, Abraham, and Ruth inspire us to prioritize this most important love above all else.

Christ rebukes the Ephesian church in Revelation 2:4 for leaving their first love, a stark contrast to the earlier praise they received for their faith and love toward the saints. Though they remain steadfast in labor, fight against evil, and guard against false teachers, their devotion lacks the deep, heartfelt passion for Christ and the brethren that once defined them. Christ accuses them of settling for a mechanical, less passionate form of service despite their apparent success and doctrinal purity. Christ offers a remedy to the Ephesians, urging them to remember from where they have fallen and to compare their current state with their initial, zealous love. He implores them to repent and return to their first works, motivated by a sincere desire to serve God and others without selfish intent. These first works stem from a love that is an active expression, reflecting God's nature rather than personal gain. Christ warns the Ephesians of the grave consequences of failing to repent, threatening to remove their lampstand, signifying expulsion from the fellowship of His Body. This stern admonition underscores the urgency to remember and repent while time remains. Yet, He concludes with a promise of hope, assuring that to those who overcome, He will grant access to the tree of life in the Paradise of God.

In His letter to the Ephesian church, Christ rebuked them, declaring that they had left their first love. This foremost love, implied through Scripture, signifies an unconditional love for God, which is the first and greatest responsibility, enabling love for one another and for the law. Despite their dedication and resistance to false teachers, the Ephesian church's spiritual condition declined over time. Disputes and divisions arose, causing many to drift away from the loving fellowship of earlier years. This waning of love and unity prompted Christ's admonition, as their initial enthusiasm and devotion had faded. Other first-century churches also struggled with declining spirituality, showing diminishing faith, growing strife, and a neglect of their salvation, reflecting a broader pattern where faltering faith led to the loss of first love.

In the message to the Ephesians in Revelation 2:4-5, Christ expresses concern that they have left their first love. He urges them to remember from where they have fallen, to repent, and to return to the first works they did when they initially knew Him. If they fail to repent, He warns that He will come quickly and remove their candlestick from its place. This departure from their first love is portrayed as a personal desertion of Christ Himself, a turning away from a singular Being, their Savior. Christ demands a return to the works that demonstrate their love and repentance, emphasizing that relationships, especially with Him, must be actively maintained and cannot be left to drift. The loss of this first love can occur subtly, as familiarity breeds contempt or hope deferred makes the heart sick. A Christian may become subject to influences that cause a decline in attention to their calling, leading to small deviations and neglect of previous commitments. This loss of zeal, likened to an athletic team losing its spirit, results in a lack of motivation to excel. The Ephesians are thus instructed to recapture their initial devotion by actively engaging in the works that reflect their love for Christ. Human nature often presents reasons for relaxing devotion, making it easy to lose sight of the real goal and neglect what Christ does daily for His followers. When devotion wanes, the proximity to Christ grows distant, affecting attentiveness, as illustrated by the principle of "out of sight, out of mind." To counter this, Christians must constantly seek Him to keep the relationship alive, recognizing that without Him, they can do nothing. This relationship with Christ is vital for growth and salvation, requiring active response and effort to maintain constant contact, much like human relationships that thrive on mutual contribution. The delay in Christ's return, similar to Moses' delay in returning to the camp in Exodus 32, can lead to impatience and justification for turning away from devotion. The Israelites quickly turned to idolatry when Moses did not return as expected, paralleling how the Ephesians' minds deceived them into justifying their actions due to Christ's prolonged absence. This impatience and loss of devoted zeal must be countered by daily effort to keep the flame of first love alive, understanding that His timing, though not immediate, is always for their good.

In addressing the concept of 'First Love, Leaving,' we turn to the poignant message delivered to the church at Ephesus as recorded in Revelation 2:4-5. Here, Jesus Christ expresses His concern, stating, "Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love." This signifies a departure from the initial zeal and devotion they once held for God, a waning in the actions that demonstrated their love not only for Him but also for their brethren. The loss of this fervor reflects a diminished relationship with God and a failure to show love through their interactions with one another. Jesus further instructs in Revelation 2:5, "Remember therefore from 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." He urges them to recall their earlier state of devotion, to repent of their current shortcomings, and to return to those initial acts of love and unity. This call to action is not merely about seeking forgiveness but actively engaging in the works that characterized their early faith, with a stern warning of consequences should they fail to heed His command. Reflecting on the early days of the church, as seen in Acts 2:42-47, we observe the first works that defined their vibrant community. They continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine, fellowship, breaking of bread, and prayers. They shared all things in common, meeting each other's needs sacrificially, and praised God with gladness and simplicity of heart. These actions bonded them together and strengthened their relationship with God, earning His commendation. Similarly, in Hebrews 13, there is a reiteration of these first works as a remedy for the waning love observed later in the church's history. The call is to let brotherly love continue, to show hospitality, to remember those in hardship, to uphold marriage, to be content and free from covetousness, to adhere to sound doctrine, and to offer continual praise to God. These practices echo the early devotion of the church and are presented as essential to remaining in God's good graces. Thus, the message is clear: to avoid leaving our first love, we must return to these foundational works, actively demonstrating our love for God and for one another through steadfast commitment, communal support, and heartfelt praise.

The message to the Ephesian church in Revelation 2:1-7 reveals a critical issue: they had left their first love, their initial devotion to Christ. This loss of affection stemmed from deferred hope in His return, combined with the hardships of persecution and social and economic challenges. As time passed and expectations of Christ's return diminished, their loyalty wavered, leading to spiritual neglect. They drifted apart, not due to intentional abandonment, but because their attention shifted elsewhere, allowing other interests to take precedence over their relationship with Him. The Scriptures, such as Hebrews 2:1-3, warn against neglecting so great a salvation, highlighting how the Ephesians failed to recapture their early devotion despite exhortations. Hebrews 10:32-35 recalls their former days of enduring struggles with faith, yet they grew weary under prolonged difficulties. In I Thessalonians 4:13 and 5:6, Paul addresses their fading hope and spiritual slumber, urging them to remain alert and sober. Similarly, in II Thessalonians 2:1-2 and 3:6-13, he corrects their disorderly conduct and neglect, as some even ceased working, waiting idly for Christ's return, showing how far their judgment had strayed. Galatians 6:7-9 encourages perseverance, reminding them not to grow weary in doing good, for in due season they would reap if they did not lose heart. Colossians 3:1-5 offers a solution by directing them to set their minds on things above, not on earthly distractions, to refocus their energies on Christ. The example in Exodus 32:1-6 illustrates a parallel, where the Israelites, frustrated by Moses' delayed return, turned to worldly gratification, much like the Ephesians drifted toward the surrounding culture when Christ's return did not meet their timeline. Christ's warning in Revelation 2:1-7 identifies their problem, provides advice to return to their first love, and offers incentive to overcome. Their lack of love manifested in their actions, not from ignorance, but from a diminished affection for Him. Without this love, as reiterated in I Corinthians 16:22, there is no salvation. The Ephesians' longing for Christ's return was marred by their failure to maintain the responsibilities of the relationship, risking the loss of their spiritual connection and the daily supply of His Spirit.

The Ephesian era had left its first love and was gradually becoming listless regarding spiritual things. They were drifting, becoming hard, becoming without feeling towards Christ because of distracting stresses. The book of Hebrews amplifies and provides reasons for, and advises on, how to recapture that diminishing love. Christ complains in Revelation 2:5 about them leaving their first love. The first blush of ecstasy had passed. The early devotion had cooled. They had been fervently in love with Him, but the love was rapidly cooling. They were distracted from Him. The Ephesian members endured their persecutions and sufferings with bravery, but without love. They were right down the line doctrinally. But they were without any joyful warmth that love would invest in it. Christ tells them to remember what it had been like earlier in the relationship, to repent, and do the first works.

In Revelation 2 the warning to Ephesus states that the people neglected their first love which is agape the intimate loving relationship with God. They were about to let their love wax cold. When repentance is urged it is apparent that they were violating God's law. They were slipping into iniquity and in the process they were allowing their love to begin to wax cold. They were not treating each other as they did in the beginning. They did not have the fervent love for each other and for God as they did in the beginning and they were fixing to lose it. This is a warning for the people at the end of this age. If they do not repent Christ says He is going to come quickly and remove their lampstand out of its place unless they repent. They were allowing their intimate loving relationship with Christ to wax cold and they were on the verge of quenching God's Spirit because they were forsaking the keeping of God's commandments. If unrepented of Christ says He is going to remove the lampstand and this could lead to spiritual blindness. All this goes down to the end if something is not done if they have not repented and have not restored that relationship. Christ said He will spew them out of His mouth. To be spewed out of Christ's mouth means they are no longer a part of His Body. They become separated from Christ. They could lose their position as a priest of God in His Kingdom. If they allow their love to wax cold that is what is going to happen. Christ is going to remove them as a priest in His Kingdom. In Matthew 24 Jesus says that many shall be led into sin. The love of many shall wax cold and the reason for it all is lawlessness. The Worldwide Church of God became big and powerful and wealthy as it says of the Laodiceans. They did not have need of nothing so to speak but they did have need of something. They were letting their love grow cold. God blew it apart. Many people left and splinter groups popped up. Those who remain were able to work on that repent of any lawlessness and move on with a close relationship with the Savior. My people spiritual Israel are those who have that intimate relationship with Christ the ones that were called to that relationship. They are destroyed for a lack of knowledge because of a gradual withdrawal from the intimacy with Him. Because they have rejected and allowed their love to wax cold Christ will also reject them from being a priest for Him in His Kingdom. Because they have forgotten the law of their God false teachers came in and deceived a lot of people. Because iniquity was abounding in the church they allowed their love to wax cold. People must never allow their love to wax cold. They have days that they are on top of it and zealous and there are times that they get a little slack. They always have to be in a spirit of repentance and always keep God's commandments in their hearts meditate on them and realize that they have to be serious about that. They have to have that loving relationship intimate relationship with Christ. They have to love each other first. They have to keep that loving relationship with each other. This is done by maintaining that loving and intimate relationship with each other and with the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and with the heavenly Father.

The church of Ephesus had works of labor, patience, and technical understanding. They hated those who were evil and tested those who said they were apostles and found them to be false. They labored for God and they fainted not. Nevertheless the One who holds the seven stars in His right hand and walks in the midst of the seven golden lampstands had this against them, that they had left their first love. They were caught up in the details of their calling, and over the years they drifted from imitating the heart of Jesus Christ in relation to their families and church members and neighbors. They left off having a humble, serving attitude that is absolutely essential in those whom God is selecting for His Kingdom. Because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold. This attitude coupled with brethren leaving fellowship puts pressure on remaining members to not have the zeal of their first love.

Christ warns the Ephesians that they have left their first love and first works. He urges them to remember from where they have fallen and to repent by doing their first works. Many saints who once defended the truth with zeal have allowed their relationships to deteriorate. They have become jaded, cynical, critical, and bitter toward God and the brethren. Their zeal for purity now pushes people away rather than drawing them to the truth. They see wrong in others instead of forbearing and serving them. Such a state indicates that they have turned from godly principles toward selfishness and accusation. Christ promises that overcomers who regain their first love will eat of the Tree of Life. This reward points to the restoration of pure, loving character in His Kingdom for all eternity.