Beware of the Subtle Sin of Leaving Your First Love

Daily Devotional – Sunday, September 19, 2021

Nevertheless, I have this against you, that you have left your first love.

Revelation 2:4 (NKJV)

In the Book of Revelation, God addressed the waning first love of the church in Ephesus. After commending the church for its zeal for the truth, Jesus warned, “Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love.” (Revelation 2:4).

The church’s passion had waned over time. Church members may have stopped praying regularly and neglected studying the Holy Scriptures. Perhaps the church had stopped helping the needy.

As His character is, God gave a solution to the church. “Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works.” (Revelation 2:5). God wanted the church to repent of this sin and to revert to its initial ‘primitive’ faith.

Unfortunately, many of us in the modern church are guilty of the same sin. Worship has become a formality. Prayer and praise are burdens for some. Rarely do we witness for Christ. This is unlike our behaviour in the initial days after accepting Jesus as Lord and Saviour.

We neglect the poor, orphans, widows, the disabled, prisoners, the sick and other people in need of a helping hand. Instead of sympathizing with and guiding wayward brethren back to Christ, we gossip and slander them.

The challenge with leaving our first love is that this is a subtle sin. You may not realize you have fallen because it happens gradually. Your church will not subject you to disciplinary procedure because you have not broken any of the Ten Commandments.

Nevertheless, leaving your first love is a sin you must repent of.

Almighty Father, revive in me the first love – genuine and practical faith in you.