Peace in Christ.
The church of Ephesus had fallen but was counseled to repent (change the mind) and do the “first works” or else Jesus would come unto them quickly and would remove its candlestick out of his place.
Rev 2:5 KJV
(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.
The church of Ephesus had FALLEN. But Peter, in 2nd Peter 1, lists the “first works” which if done should keep us from falling.
We “add” to these things …but the greatest thing here above all is love…which is sum of the completion of this list.
This is where the church of Ephesus had left off….the “first love”…as they were not showing love toward their “enemies”: the false apostles whom they tested and found liars.
2Pe 1:5-10
(5) And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge;
(6) And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness;
(7) And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness love.
IF these things be in us and abound, we shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the FULL knowledge (epignosis=the FULL knowledge) of our Lord Jesus Christ.
We shall then be effective witnesses of the full knowledge of our Lord Jesus.
The “candlestick” signifies that witness. Our witness ….the candlestick…will be removed if we have a lack of love even though we comprehend all knowledge. No one will hear us without love.
(8) For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
(9) But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.
Again if we DO these things (first works), we shall never fall. The church of Ephesus had already fallen.
(10) Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall:
Though I have ALL KNOWLEDGE ….and have not love, I am nothing. No one will hear. The “candlestick” gets removed. All we are then is a “sounding brass” or a “tinkling cymbal”….just making noise and not music to the listener. We are not giving forth His witness.
1Co 13:1-2 KJV
(1) Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not LOVE, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.
(2) And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not LOVE, I am nothing.
The church of Ephesus was not showing love toward those who were calling themselves “apostles” but were found out to be false. We are to love our “enemies”.
Mat 5:43-44 KJV
(43) Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy.
(44) But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;
Without love, who will hear us when we speak? Our witness of the full knowledge of the Lord...the candlestick,,, is removed without having love. We become unfruitful and barren in the full knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ even though we have it.
The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life as we shall then be able to win souls to Christ. If we have love, we shall be able to enjoy the fruit: winning souls.
Pro 11:30 KJV
(30) The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; and he that winneth souls is wise.
We shall be then able to eat of the tree of life. We shall be fruitful with the full knowledge of the Lord and not barren.
Rev 2:7 KJV
(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.
The church of Ephesus had fallen but was counseled to repent (change the mind) and do the “first works” or else Jesus would come unto them quickly and would remove its candlestick out of his place.
Rev 2:5 KJV
(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.
The church of Ephesus had FALLEN. But Peter, in 2nd Peter 1, lists the “first works” which if done should keep us from falling.
We “add” to these things …but the greatest thing here above all is love…which is sum of the completion of this list.
This is where the church of Ephesus had left off….the “first love”…as they were not showing love toward their “enemies”: the false apostles whom they tested and found liars.
2Pe 1:5-10
(5) And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge;
(6) And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness;
(7) And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness love.
IF these things be in us and abound, we shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the FULL knowledge (epignosis=the FULL knowledge) of our Lord Jesus Christ.
We shall then be effective witnesses of the full knowledge of our Lord Jesus.
The “candlestick” signifies that witness. Our witness ….the candlestick…will be removed if we have a lack of love even though we comprehend all knowledge. No one will hear us without love.
(8) For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
(9) But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.
Again if we DO these things (first works), we shall never fall. The church of Ephesus had already fallen.
(10) Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall:
Though I have ALL KNOWLEDGE ….and have not love, I am nothing. No one will hear. The “candlestick” gets removed. All we are then is a “sounding brass” or a “tinkling cymbal”….just making noise and not music to the listener. We are not giving forth His witness.
1Co 13:1-2 KJV
(1) Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not LOVE, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.
(2) And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not LOVE, I am nothing.
The church of Ephesus was not showing love toward those who were calling themselves “apostles” but were found out to be false. We are to love our “enemies”.
Mat 5:43-44 KJV
(43) Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy.
(44) But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;
Without love, who will hear us when we speak? Our witness of the full knowledge of the Lord...the candlestick,,, is removed without having love. We become unfruitful and barren in the full knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ even though we have it.
The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life as we shall then be able to win souls to Christ. If we have love, we shall be able to enjoy the fruit: winning souls.
Pro 11:30 KJV
(30) The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; and he that winneth souls is wise.
We shall be then able to eat of the tree of life. We shall be fruitful with the full knowledge of the Lord and not barren.
Rev 2:7 KJV
(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.
