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Results from: Answered Bible Questions, Answers, Unanswered Bible Questions, Notes Ordered by Verse | ||||||
Results | Verse | Author | ID# | |||
1 | thou hast left thy first love | NT general Archive 1 | zach† | 34575 | ||
What does Rev. 2:4 mean when it says: "thou hast left thy first love"? Secondly can this verse be cross referenced with 1 Tim. 5:12 which says; "they have cast off their first faith"? What does this mean? Are these verses intended for a certain group of people, or are they written also for our learning, admonition and warning? Rom. 15:4 and 1 Cor. 10:11 In Christ zach† |
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2 | thou hast left thy first love | NT general Archive 1 | Mommapbs | 34593 | ||
Greetings! Anything or anyone that we put before Jesus is an example of "leaving our first love"! He wants to have FIRST PLACE in our hearts. Jesus said, "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind . . ." Luke 10:27 In an earlier post I offered a suggestion about this verse that I will copy at the bottom of this reply. But first, let me assure you that according to God, "All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness,"(!) 2 Tim 3:16 So we would do well to heed the warnings that Jesus issues in His messages to the churches. Remember also that Jesus instructed John to "Write on a scroll what you see and send it to the seven churches: to Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia and Laodicea." Rev 1:11 Although this message was shared historically, because it is the Word of God, it obviously transcends time as well. Within the body of Christ, there will be contemporary "churches" or groups of believers whose character is described by John in these first few chapters. But even as individual believers, Jesus' commendations, warnings and promises should be used for self examination, admonition, correction and encouragement! Lastly, looking at the context of 1 Tim 5:12, this verse does not appear to bear the same weight as Rev 2:4. This passage is adressing the care of widows. So these two verses are like apples and oranges in my mind. A widow is free to remarry if she so desires, a married woman (we are the Bride of Christ)who leaves her Husband for another "love" is guilty of adultery. Here is my orignal post, it has an interesting historical observation for you to mull over! In Revelation 2:4, could Mary, the mother of Jesus be the competition for our love the Lord is referring to? If you will recall, the Apostle John was charged with Mary's care by Jesus as He was dying. 'From that hour the disciple took her into his own household.' John 19:27 Most of us know that John wrote The Revelation of Jesus Christ while he was exiled on Patmos, but many probably don't know that he was exiled from his position as the "bishop" at Ephesus. If John had relocated from Jerusalem to Ephesus, it is safe to assume that Mary, being in his care, accompanyied him also. And,according to historians, the house that John provided for Mary is still standing in Ephesus. In fact, it has become a shrine. In Revelation 2:4 and 5, following His condemnation, 'But I have this against you, that you have left your first love.', Jesus counsels and warns us with these words,'Therefore remember from where you have fallen, and repent and do the deeds you did at first; or else I am coming to you and will remove your lampstand out of its place--unless you repent.' Putting this scripture together with historical references it is possible to conclude that perhaps Ephesus was the genesis point of where the love for Jesus was eclipsed by the adoration of His mother,Mary. The Ephesians did not heed the Lord's admonition to return to their first love, in fact, first church they built in Ephesus was not dedicated to the Lord, but to Mary instead! Obviously they did not repent, for true to the Lord's warning, today there is no church in Ephesus! It is a dead city - not a soul lives there! Blessings, Mommapbs |
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