Restoring First Love in the Church of Revelation
The concept of restoring first love in the Church of Revelation is rooted in Jesus' message to the church in Ephesus, as recorded in Revelation 2:4: "But I have this against you, that you left your first love" [1]. This statement is part of a larger critique of the church's spiritual state, where Jesus commends their hard work and perseverance but laments their waning devotion.
The phrase "first love" refers to the initial fervor and commitment that characterized the church's early days. According to Tyndale House, this love is not just for Christ but also for each other, and its absence renders even correct theology and actions hollow [10]. The church in Ephesus had been diligent in testing false apostles and persevering through hardship, but their love had grown cold.
Restoring first love involves rekindling the passion and commitment that defined the church's early relationship with Christ. Jamieson, Fausset & Brown suggest that this requires a return to the initial love and devotion that characterized the church's beginnings [8]. In the context of the broader New Testament, this concept is tied to the unity and harmony of the church, described as the body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12:12-31) [2, 3, 4].
The church's unity is a recurring theme in the New Testament, with passages like Galatians 3:28 and Ephesians 2:21 emphasizing the importance of unity among believers [5, 6]. Restoring first love is thus not just a personal or individual issue but also a communal one, requiring a collective return to the love and devotion that defines the church's relationship with Christ.
In the view of some interpreters, the call to restore first love is not limited to the church in Ephesus but is a universal message to all churches [8]. This interpretation is supported by the fact that Jesus' message to the seven churches in Revelation is meant to be a "travelling manual of the Church for the Gentile world" [7].
The process of restoring first love involves a recognition of one's current spiritual state and a willingness to return to the initial love and devotion. As Jesus says in Revelation 3:20, "Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me" [9]. This image of Jesus knocking on the door of the heart emphasizes the need for a personal and communal response to restore the first love.
The historical and theological context of the book of Revelation suggests that the call to restore first love is a timeless message, relevant to churches across different eras and cultures. As the church continues to navigate various challenges and controversies, the message of Revelation remains a powerful reminder of the importance of maintaining a vibrant and loving relationship with Christ.
Sources
- Revelation “But I have this against you, that you left your first love. -- Revelation 2:4”
- 1 Corinthians (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on 1 Corinthians 12:12: 12:12-31 The church is like a body (see 12:27) composed of many different parts, each with its own function as determined by God (see 12:11, 18, 28; Rom 12:4-5).”
- 1 Corinthians (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on 1 Corinthians 12:27: members in particular--that is, severally members of it. Each church is in miniature what the whole aggregate of churches is collectively, "the body of Christ" (compare Co1 3:16): and its individual components are members, every one in his assigned place.”
- 1 Corinthians (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on 1 Corinthians 12:20: But now are they many members,.... Of different make and shape, in different parts and places, and of different use and service: yet but one body; all are united together, and make up one complete body, and which without each of them would not be perfect: so there are many members in the body of Christ, the church; some are teachers, others are hearers; some give, and others receive; but all make up but one church, of which Christ is the head; nor can anyone of them be spared; was anyone wanting, even the meanest, there would be a deficiency, and the church ”
- Galatians (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Galatians 3:28: 3:28 There is no longer: Everyone comes to Christ and receives God’s promises in exactly the same way (cp. 1 Cor 12:12-13; Eph 2:14; Col 3:11). • male and female: Cp. Gen 1:27. • you are all one: The community of believers is one body, the body of Christ (see Rom 12:4-5; 1 Cor 12:27; Eph 2:15-16, 19-22). • in Christ Jesus: See Col 2:6–3:11.”
- Ephesians (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Ephesians 2:21: 2:21 Joined together in Christ, Gentile and Jewish Christians become a holy temple for the Lord, because the Lord himself is among his people (see Matt 18:20; 28:20; 1 Cor 3:16; 1 Pet 2:4-5).”
- Revelation (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Revelation 1 (introduction): 1TITLE: SOURCE AND OBJECT OF THIS REVELATION: BLESSING ON THE READER AND KEEPER OF IT, AS THE TIME IS NEAR: INSCRIPTION TO THE SEVEN CHURCHES: APOSTOLIC GREETING: KEYNOTE, "BEHOLD HE COMETH" (Compare at the close, Rev 22:20, "Surely I come quickly"): INTRODUCTORY VISION OF THE SON OF MAN IN GLORY, AMIDST THE SEVEN CANDLESTICKS, WITH SEVEN STARS IN HIS RIGHT HAND. (Rev. 1:1-20) Revelation--an apocalypse or unveiling of those things which had been veiled. A manifesto of the kingdom of Christ. The travelling manual of the Church for the G”
- Revelation (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Revelation 17:2: drunk with--Greek, "owing to." It cannot be pagan Rome, but papal Rome, if a particular seat of error be meant, but I incline to think that the judgment (Rev 18:2) and the spiritual fornication (Rev 18:3), though finding their culmination in Rome, are not restricted to it, but comprise the whole apostate Church, Roman, Greek, and even Protestant, so far as it has been seduced from its "first love" (Rev 2:4) to Christ, the heavenly Bridegroom, and given its affections to worldly pomps and idols. The woman (Rev 12:1) is the congregation of God in its”
- Revelation (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Revelation 3:20: stand--waiting in wonderful condescension and long-suffering. knock-- (Sol 5:2). This is a further manifestation of His loving desire for the sinner's salvation. He who is Himself "the Door," and who bids us "knock" that it may be "opened unto" us, is first Himself to knock at the door of our hearts. If He did not knock first, we should never come to knock at His door. Compare Sol 5:4-6, which is plainly alluded to here; the Spirit thus in Revelation sealing the canonicity of that mystical book. The spiritual state of the bride there, between wak”
- Revelation (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Revelation 2:4: 2:4 You don’t love me or each other as you did at first: When the church was first established, their love for Christ and for each other had been strong. Struggles with false teachers and persecution had caused that original love to grow cold. Correct theology, action, and even suffering (2:2-3) are just an empty shell of Christian life if dynamic love is absent (1 Cor 13).”