Revelation 2:4; Thou Hast Left Thy First Love

Revelation 2:4 Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love.

In one statement, Christ isolates a critical problem in the church. It is in spiritual decline. There is an ailment, a trouble of the heart that is diagnosed here. They have been busy doing but they have forgotten why they are doing it. The word “left” is the verb “to let go, leave, forsake, depart”. It is the technical term for “divorce”. It can be translated “forsaken”.

What is this “first love”? It was that love of God that brought us to salvation in Christ when we experienced the forgiveness of sins and becoming spiritually alive. There is a fervent love for Christ and for sharing God’s love with others. Remember at the Gate Beautiful in Acts 3, when Peter and John gave to gospel to the man who was lame from his mother’s womb? The sharing of the gospel to the lame man by Peter and John and he finds salvation in Christ, that leaping joy, praise God. A deep sense of gratitude – 1 John 4:12 No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us.  

Acts 3:6 Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk. 7 And he took him by the right hand, and lifted him up: and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength. 8 And he leaping up stood, and walked, and entered with them into the temple, walking, and leaping, and praising God. 9 And all the people saw him walking and praising God:

The church seemed to have lost the joy of that first love that first characterized their faith. Their love for Christ has given way to other loves that crept into their hearts so that their love was not whole towards Christ as John warned in 1 John 5:21 Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen.