“Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee …” (Revelation 2:4)
The Ephesian church was a mixed bag. They were worthy of both commendation and criticism. Jesus said, “I know thy works …” (Rev. 2:1) To hear Him validate their perseverance and hatred of doctrinal error would have cheered them; but His criticism must have cut them to the heart.
What is this? Their Lord is telling them that they don’t love Him anymore? “… Thou hast left thy first love.” (Rev. 2:4) But if they don’t love Him, why are they laboring so hard and refusing false teaching? Here is the point at which we must entrust ourselves to the judgment of the One who knows us better than we know ourselves. The prayer of the humble is:
“Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” (Ps. 139:23,24)
Those who love God know that God loves them, and He chastens those He loves. A spirit of self-love bristles at correction. It is offended at the idea that another sees anything wrong with them. “What? I’m not good enough?” We grow in relation to our ability to receive correction. Every child of God is a candidate for course correction. The Lord sees what is going on in our spirit as we navigate our lives. He knows when we are developing ungodly attitudes and slowly backsliding away from the on-fire state of heart we once had. If we want to get back on track we will have to be humble enough to hear: “Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love.” (Rev. 2:4)
Jesus is after something in the life of His own. He wants more than an outward devotion and orthodoxy. He wants our whole-hearted love that will “do the first works” when we heard and followed His voice. He wants obedience, not sacrifice. Without an inner sensitivity to all He would say to us, we are not His disciples. “… If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed” (John 8:31)
Jesus will always “have somewhat against” the lukewarm – those who think they have something which they don’t have. But his criticism towards them does not come out of hatred, it proceeds from love: “As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.” (Rev. 3:19)
May we not become offended when Jesus tells us He is outside our lives, knocking on the door, wanting fellowship with us. May we hear His voice, and let our old Friend back in.