Have you ever had someone tell you that the church they attend is such a loving church, as if to imply they are a faithful group? Oh, I don’t want to suggest that they are not loving. The problem is, a loving church is often viewed as faithful when they are not. Let me explain.

In Revelation chapter 3, we read where our Lord wrote a letter to the church at Ephesus because they lost their first love (vr. 4). Because of such they were commanded to repent (vr. 5). However, let’s take a close look at what they were commended for:

“I know your works, your labor, your patience, and that you cannot bear those who are evil. And you have tested those who say they are apostles and are not, and have found them liars; and you have persevered and have patience, and have labored for My name’s sake and have not become weary.” (vr. 2-3).

Many of the “loving” churches that I am told about don’t respect Biblical authority and don’t test anyone with specific teaching. They keep it general so as to not offend anyone. They have become the religious stand for “political correctness.” This is done so as to not upset anyone and make them feel uncomfortable. You do that by living under the umbrella of “love.”

This article is not to belittle the importance of love. Let’s face it that it was a specific problem at Ephesus which was specifically addressed. To not heed that warning would cost them their salvation. The point of this article is to see that the Lord was not telling those brethren that “all you need is love.” No, they needed to love and they also needed to continue to do the other things they were commended for.

The reason this article was written to help us see the danger of going to extremes. A church without love is in sin. A church without standing and respecting Biblical authority is in sin. The church of Christ is to be the pillar and ground of truth (I Tim. 3:15). Why? Because it’s Christ’s!

Chuck

As Paul’s epistle to the church at Colossae was coming to a close, the apostle made sure that he sent greetings from fellow laborers such as Luke and Demas (4:14). However, in a span of approximately a couple of years, at the close of the letter Paul wrote to Timothy, he brought up that Demas had forsaken him (II Tim. 4:10).  So what happened in that period of time that caused Demas to stop being faithful?

The answer to the above question was given in the Timothy letter: Paul stated that Demas loved this present world (II Tim. 4:10). My question is this: what is there to love that was in the world back then that would cause someone to leave the Lord? It would be the exact same things that exist today. We shall consider some of the lures that entice people to love the world.

Loving the world removes the spiritual battles

Sometimes Christians get tired of standing against opposition all the time. Their love for the truth, when it is lost, becomes a love for compromise, just to get along, avoiding controversy at all cost. This is why brethren are told not to grow weary in doing good (Gal. 6:9). There is no question that saints face battles on a daily basis against the course of this world. As good soldiers we must fight the good fight (I Tim. 6:12). When a child of God has an appetite for loving the world, the love of God will not be in them and they will forsake the Father and in turn, faithful brethren like Paul (I Jn. 2:15).

Loving the world removes many duties

Let’s face it, unlike the first point, many conflicts God’s people face come from within. By that I mean, every person faces temptation with the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye, and the pride of like (I Jn. 2:16).  When Christians find sinful behavior attractive and desire to engage in it, the dislike for sin soon wanes. The faithful can hate every false way (Psa. 119:104), but if steps are not put in place, you can depart from a place that was once pleasing to God, to a place where God has turned away from you (I Pet. 3:12; II Pet. 2:20-22). When you no longer want to be a worker for the Lord, there is going to be a love for the world.

Loving the world eventually removes associations that make you feel guilty

We read how that Demas had forsaken Paul. Now, we know Paul felt bad about that, but did Demas? This we know for sure, when someone makes you feel uncomfortable, you usually don’t like to hang around them. In Luke 15, we read where the prodigal wanted to go far away from his family.  Perhaps what applies here is the idea of out of sight, out of mind. With this comes the Biblical text describing people who have their conscience seared with a hot iron (I Tim. 4:2).  In truth, if I were Demas and I loved this present world, hanging around Paul would have been unsettling to say the least.

Loving the world removes the focus from heaven

The passions of this word are pleasurable, but we are told they are temporary (Heb. 11:25). Even though non-lasting, those caught up in sin are not keeping their eye on the mark (Heb. 12:1-2). It would be proper to say concerning the fallen that they are not thinking about what lies beyond the grave because they only see the world. However, God’s people know this world and everything in it will one day be consumed (II Pet. 3:10). Not only that, even before that happens, our lives are like a vapor that appears for a short time then vanishes away (Jas. 4:14). So, obviously, to forsake the Lord is to not think about eternity.

Demas was once faithful to the Lord. He was a companion to Paul, whom he appreciated greatly. As to what happened to Demas, it can happen to us, so let us beware.

Chuck

What happens if you do not love it?

I cannot help but recall what Matt mentioned in his invitation last week. Although his lesson was about dealing with the mishaps that come our way in life, he mentioned about getting up at 4 in the morning to go duck hunting. Who does that? Only people who like to hunt. Who stands in line all night to get tickets to see a movie premiere? Who sits in a boat fishing while it rains or plays golf when the temperature is frigid? In every case, the person who is willing to endure those things loves the activity.

Those who love doing those things are sacrificing sleep, the comforts of home and a warm bed. For the most part, they do not complain about what they are doing. Most importantly, they do not consider the things they give up to be a sacrifice. So what if they are wet and tired – they get to do the thing that they love.

Compare the love of these activities to those who attend worship (Heb. 10:25). For the most part, we are protected from the weather. We travel in warm vehicles and sit in a warm building. We get to spend time with our spiritual family (I Cor. 12:12). We experience the joy of fellowship by praying, singing, giving, studying and taking the Lord’s supper.

But what happens when the love for the Lord is gone? What happens when worshipping God is something you could take or leave? It means all those things become a hardship. It is like taking someone fishing who does not like it. The weather is a bother. Getting up early is a bother. Driving to the lake is a bother. Even the event itself is unappealing. At every point of the process, they would rather be somewhere else.

The brethren at Ephesus were told that they lost their first love (Rev. 2:4). Jesus came right out and said that they had fallen because of this (verse 5). This was said even though they were still doing right things (verse 2-3).  Let this be a warning lest we also fall (I Cor. 10:12).

                                                                                              Chuck