By John Thiel – mp3

As we continue the series of the seven churches, this is number 3 – The Church of Ephesus’. Throughout this series, what are we seeking to do? We are seeking to embrace and pick up the nature, doctrines, standards, and fellowship of that one church. Spanning all the way from its first inception after Pentecost.

Acts 2:41 – 47 ⁴¹ Then those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them. ⁴² They continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers. ⁴³ Then fear came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were done by the apostles. ⁴⁴ Now all who believed were together, and had all things in common, ⁴⁵ and sold their possessions and goods, and divided them among all, as anyone had need. ⁴⁶ So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart, ⁴⁷ praising God and having favor with all the people. The Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved.

They were all with one accord in the temple. That’s how the church was launched there, it came that statement from Acts 2:1; when the day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord, in one place. As we are looking at God’s true church launched out there on that day of Pentecost, there in these scriptures, verses 41 to 47, all in one accord. Through the apostles we have the benchmark of the church which is referred to in Revelation chapter 2 in the seven churches and especially, verses 1 to 3 now, because this is the church of Ephesus:

Revelation 2:1 – 3 ¹ Unto the angel of the church of Ephesus write; These things saith he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks; ² I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars ³and hast borne, and hast patience, and for my name’s sake hast laboured, and hast not fainted.

The church of Ephesus, the name Ephesus was chosen by Jesus because the word Ephesus means the first or desirable. Here is the church of Jesus Christ, the desirable condition of that church. The Apostle John, in 1 John 1:1-4, is inviting his readers to join that kind of fellowship:

1 John 1:1 – 4 ¹ That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life;  ² For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and shew unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us; ³ That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ. ⁴ And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full.

The apostles communicated the true pure gospel of Jesus Christ. Those who received what they were declaring and preaching. The apostles were faithful, this is their desirable church. This is the church that is God’s church.

They were baptised into the church, into that pure doctrine, into that fellowship. As it was described Acts chapter 2. They gladly received the words of the apostles, and they continued steadfastly in the apostles doctrine, steadfastly in the fellowship, in breaking of bread and prayers and all that believed were together and had all things in common. This was the desirable church.

When you are baptised, you are entering into such communion. All through my years of modern Adventism and all the experiences I’ve had, I have seen that the relationship of church members is very platonic. They just go to the church on the Sabbath, then go back home and get on with their ordinary life. Come back every week, barely going to prayer meetings. The picture of God’s desirable church, we’ve just read it here is a communion in the fellowship that brought people together and they held things in common, that is what church life is actually meant to be in God’s church.

That is the reason why we return the abundance of our wealth to the church coffers because that’s what they did. They brought their goods that they had abundance of and shared it with everybody. That’s why God’s church meets together today even in regular meetings, not only in church worship, in prayer meeting, Sabbath school, but in their meetings together to counsel together. All those particular meetings were to do with what we’ve been readin; they belong together and in today’s standoffish mentality is strange.

If you were to really engage in such a church fellowship, how would you be seen by the people around you? What these people were doing in that day were clinging about one man, Jesus Chris?  If you hold on to that which this early Christian church was doing, you were doing the same. How would you be viewed by the people around you? What kind of image is portrayed to our minds of the membership of a church that we are just looking at, and the membership of the church today? What the people are used to, if they see a church of this nature, how would they look upon them?

Romans 15: 5 – 7 ⁵ Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be likeminded one toward another according to Christ Jesus. ⁶ That ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. ⁷ Wherefore receive ye one another, as Christ also received us to the glory of God.

One Voice

If we all speak in one voice, how would the churches look upon you today? If we were of the same calibre of the early Christian church, how would you be looked upon? How would they judge you; “you are following one idea.”

2 Corinthians 13: 11 ¹¹ Finally, brethren, farewell. Be perfect, be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace; and the God of love and peace shall be with you.

What a beautiful church experience that is. We are living today in an influence of splintering of ideas, everybody’s got their own opinion. To come into perfect unity under one head; Jesus Christ, so completely which is different to what is seen in general Christianity around us, you are immediately marked as a cult.

Philippians 1: 27 ²⁷ Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ: that whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel;

How rare is that today?

Philippians 2:1-3 ¹ If there be therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies, ² Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. ³ Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.

This is the communion of God’s pure original church.

1 Peter 3: 8 – 9 ⁸ Finally, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous: ⁹ Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise blessing; knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing.

Every word is communication, an attitude, a reality of unity in the church.

1 Peter 1: 22 ²² Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently:

What does unfeigned mean? This is the real thing, that’s what the benchmark of God’s church is delivered to us as.

In summarising, the desirable Ephesus state of God’s church is that of a church of pure doctrines. Those pure doctrines render a fellowship of souls who are bound together by the one pure doctrine; bound together in fellowship with one mind with one voice speaking the truth together without any disharmony at all.

To bear each other in love fervently, not putting up a front of “I love you” but underneath there is something else. Unfeigned love; it is the love of God. This is the meaning of the church membership of God’s church. To have a community like that if this was realised in all its dimensions, and manifest in these times. May the Holy Spirit help us to understand the desirable church fellowship that we have just been reading at the hand of these disciples.

What words were expressed by Him who holds these angels in His hand? Those stars are the seven angels. They are the ministers that He holds in His hands. What does He who walks among the candlesticks, amongst the seven churches, what are His words after he had said in reference to that desirable condition that He was talking about in verses 2 to 3?

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

What does it mean? What has happened in that beautiful church? The period of church of Ephesus is the first century and by the time come near the end of first century, what happened?

As the old disciples retired to their graves, their children along with the new converts came forward and new modelled the cause. GC 384.5

The old founders of this church are old men and had died. The children think they can improve upon their parents and the new converts who haven’t understood the beginning of this beautiful movement new modelled the cause; I have somewhat against you because you have lost, left your first love, that beautiful union, that beautiful harmony, that beautiful care for one another.

After the descent of the Holy Spirit, when the disciples went forth to proclaim a living savior; their one desire was the salvation of souls, they rejoiced in the sweetness of communion with thanks. They were tender, thoughtful, self-denying, willing to make any sacrifice for the truth’s sake. In their daily association with one another, they revealed the love that Christ had enjoined upon them. By unselfish words and deeds they strove to kindle this love in other hearts but gradually a change came. The believers began to look for defects in others.

Dwelling upon mistakes, giving place to unkind criticism, they lost sight of the Saviour and His love. They became more strict in regard to outward ceremonies, more particular about the theory than the practice of the faith. In their zeal to condemn others, they overlooked their own errors. They lost the brotherly love that Christ had enjoined, and, saddest of all, they were unconscious of their loss. They did not realize that happiness and joy were going out of their lives and that, having shut the love of God out of their hearts, they would soon walk in darkness. AA 47.3

The joy that the early Christian church had, this beautiful sense of union with another. The joy that comes because we all believe the same thing, because we all stand together in defence of the one pure truth. Where the others are in conflict with each other, here is the company that is not in conflict and I can see every time how Satan succeeds to destroy God’s original church, to try and destroy it over the centuries again and again, and only the genuine ones continue as a little remnant out of each of those periods. Looking for defects, dwelling upon mistakes, unkind criticism, a seal to condemn, and a problem of overlooking their own errors while they do so.

The Lord has not given to any of you the work of correcting and centering your brethren. Follow on with your brethren to know the Lord. E 106:5

As the early Christian church lost its first love, shouldn’t I be correcting somebody because I can see their error? Don’t you do the correcting, let the truth do the correcting. Don’t correct others by telling them what you think they are doing wrong, just share the Word and let the Word do the correcting.

As we look at this sad event at the early Christian church, they lost sight of their Lord and saviour because they were doing this:

As the people of God approached the perils of the last days, Satan holds earnest consultation with his angels as to the most successful plan of overthrowing their faith. TM 472

“We must cause distraction and division. We must destroy their anxiety for their own souls and lead them to criticize, to judge, to accuse, and condemn one another; and to cherish selfishness and enmity. For these sins, God banished us from His presence and all who follow our example will meet a similar fate. TM 475.2

The church had its pure doctrines. Those pure doctrines were still there in the first century. But upholding those doctrines started to be manipulated by the people against each other in some way or another. This is what you see when the beauty of Jesus and the love of Jesus are lost sight of.

TM 370.2-3 When the church is weighed in the balance of the century, it is found wanting having left its first love. The true witness declares I know your works, your labor, not withstanding all these the church is found wanting. What is the fatal deficiency thou hast left thy first love is not this our case. Our doctrines may be correct, we may hate false doctrine, and may not receive those who are not true to principles. We may labor with untiring energy, but even this is not sufficient. What is our motive? Why are we called upon to repent? Thou hast left thy first love.

Let each member of the church study this important warning/ Let each one see if in contending for the truth, if in debating on the theory he has not lost the tender love of Christ, has not Christ has been left out of the sermons and out of the heart. Is there not danger that many are going forward with a profession of the truth. Doing missionary work while the love of Christ has not been woven into the labor. This solemn warning from the true witness means much. It demands that you shall remember from when you are fallen and repent and do the first works or else says the witness, “I will come unto thee quickly and remove thy candlesticks out of this place except they repent.”….TM 370.2-3

The removing of the candlesticks means you are out.

…Or the church might realize its need of its first adore of love. When this is wanting all other excellences are insufficient. The call to repentance is one that cannot be disregarded without peril. I believe in the theory of the truth is not enough. To present this theory to unbelievers does not constitute the truth you be a witness of Christ. The light that gladdened your heart when you first understood the message for this time is an essential element in your experience and labors. This has been lost out of your heart and life. Christ beholds your lack of zeal and declares tha you have fallen and are in a perilous position.

These are the words of inspiration. I would like to conclude our meditation by following the counsel that God is that Jesus is giving:

Revelation 2: 5, 7 ⁵ Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent. ⁷ He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.

If you can identify yourself as having slipped into this kind of thing, I am giving you counsel. The Spirit of Prophecy, the spirit speaking to the churches, how do we overcome this fault finding problem?

We should be weeding out of our thoughts of complaining and fault finding. Let us not continue to look upon any defects that we may see. If we would get right hold on God, we must keep beholding the great precious things; the purity, the glory, the power, the kindness, the affection and the love that God bestows upon us and thus beholding, our minds will become so fixed upon these things of eternal interest that we shall have no desire to find the flaws in others.

We must learn to place the best possible construction upon doubtful conduct of others, do not go down that path, place the best structure possible structure on this doubtful conduct. If we are ever suspecting evil, we are in danger of creating what we are ourselves suspect, we cannot pass along sometimes without having our feelings hurt. Our temper tried but as Christians we must be just as patient, forebearing, humble, and meek as we desire others to be. MCP vol 2, 789.1-2

The heart in which love rules will not be filled with passion or revenge, by injuries which pride and self-love would deem unbearable. Love is unsuspecting ever placing the most favorable construction upon the motives and acts of others.  MCP vol 2, 243.1

Cultivate the habit of speaking well of others. Dwell upon the good qualities of those whom you associate and see as little as possible of their errors and failings. When tempted to complain of what’s someone has said or done, praise something in that person’s life or character. Cultivate thankfulness, praise God for His wonderful love in giving Christ to die for us, it never pays to think of our grievances.

God calls upon us to think of His mercy and matchless love that we may be inspired with praise. Earnest workers have no time for dwelling upon the faults of others. We cannot afford to live on the husks of others faults or failings. Evil speaking is a two-fold curse, falling more heavily upon the speaker than upon the hearer. He who scatter the seeds of dissension and strife reaps in its own soul the deadly fruits. The very act of looking for evil in others develops evils in those who look.

By dwelling upon the faults of others, we are changed into the same image but by beholding Jesus, talking of his love, perfection, and character, we become changed into His image. By contemplating the lofty ideal, he has placed before us, we shall be uplifted into a pure and holy atmosphere even the presence of God. When we abide here, there goes from us alight that irradiates all who are connected with us, instead of criticizing and condemning others, I must work out my own salvation. If I cooperate with Him, who desires to save my soul, I must watch most diligently, I must put away every evil from my life, I must overcome every fault, I must become a new creature. Then, instead of weakening those who are striving against evil, I can strengthen them by encouraging words.

GW 479.1-3

When you meet another person, do not talk about the negatives of that person. Grievance never pays because you lose sight of Jesus,

What must I watch diligently? My faults, not another’s. can you see a complete different mind exercise here?  I think God, this is the testimony of Jesus, this is Jesus speaking to us as he spoke to the early Christian church. Here is my true church. Here is my true nature of my church. If you are going to overcome, you are going to be part of that. Let us learn from the early church from it’s desirable beginning and secure our first love. God grant us that.

Amen