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EPISTLE TO EPHESUS
THE epistles to the seven Churches of Asia are not only instructive in a general view, like other portions of Holy Writ; but have this excellence peculiar to themselves, that they set before us a vast diversity of experience in all its modifications of good and evil, and teach us what judgment our blessed Lord will pass on the complex character at the last day. If we wanted to know how much of good we may possess, and yet be on the whole evil in the sight of God; and how far we may go towards heaven, and yet fall short of it at last; I know not that we could select any portion of the sacred oracles that would give us such definite information as that which I have now read to you. In it our blessed Lord enters into a complete view of the Ephesian Church; to whom he here sends,
I. His commendation—
Three things he notices with approbation; their unwearied labour, their invincible patience, and their discriminating zeal—
[Much had the members of the Ephesian Church laboured to fulfil the will of God. In truth, it cannot be fulfilled without great and continued labour. The metaphors by which religion is set forth in Holy Writ clearly declare, that we cannot advance one step towards heaven without great labour. To “enter in at the strait gate” for the beginning of our course, we must “not only seek, but strive.” “Seeking alone will not suffice: we must put forth all our powers, as we should in a race, a wrestling, or a warfare: and then only can we hope to succeed in religion, when we engage in it with all our might.”
Moreover, “if we set ourselves to seek the Lord, we must prepare our souls for temptation.” Both men and devils will exert themselves to defeat our efforts: and we shall need all imaginable patience to sustain their diversified assaults. Now the Church at Ephesus had approved themselves well in these respects, and had “borne without fainting” all the afflictions which had been laid upon them.
In these respects, too, they had been animated by the only motive that could make their service acceptable: they had done all, and suffered all, from a regard to the Lord Jesus Christ, “whose name” they had endeavoured to exalt and glorify.
Our blessed Lord further mentions, with approbation, the care which the Ephesian Church had taken to examine the pretensions of those who assumed to themselves an apostolic authority, and the firmness with which they had withstood every effort that had been made to introduce amongst them either error in principle or corruption in practice.]
In all this we see what the Christian world at large should be, if they would approve themselves to their Lord and Saviour—
[They must, even under the most trying circumstances, persist in obeying his commands; and must resolutely withstand all who would divert them from their purpose, or in any way shake their fidelity to Christ — — —
But here let me call your attention to somewhat which may have escaped your notice, and which deserves particular remark. In mentioning with approbation the things which the Ephesian Church had done for his name, he recurs again and again to the same point; as if he felt peculiar pleasure and delight in recording any thing which was done for him; even though, on the whole, the demerit of the person so preponderated, as to render him unworthy of his final acceptance. This observation extends to what was spoken of their labour and patience, and also in a peculiar manner to what was specified respecting their jealous and discriminating zeal [Note: Examine the text carefully in this view, especially ver. 2, and 6.]. And from hence we learn the marvellous condescension of our blessed Lord; as also the duty incumbent on all his followers, not to dwell more than is absolutely necessary on the faults of others, but to expatiate with delight on their virtues, even though we cannot but condemn them on the whole.]
This commendation had a powerful tendency to prepare them for,
II. His reproof [Note: Every one, in administering reproof, will do well to attend to this.]—
One would have thought that persons so eminent in their outward conduct could not merit any severe reproof: but,
“They had left their first love”—
[Once they were full of love to Christ; and that had for a season been the spring and source of all their obedience. But now “their love was waxed cold;” and their obedience was become rather a dictate of their understanding than the fruit of genuine love. As far as was visible to man, their lives were nearly the same as in their better days: but He who searches the heart saw an immense difference; there being now almost a total want of that principle which once animated and inspired their whole conduct.]
Now this, in whomsoever it is found, is a tremendous evil—
[Some there are who regard a relaxation of their first love as a matter necessarily to be expected, and as a mark of growth rather than decay. But this idea is far from being sanctioned in our text: on the contrary, it is adduced as a ground of deep complaint, and as an evil that outweighed all that had been commended. In truth, so offensive is it to the Lord, that nothing that can either be done or suffered for him, can be accepted of him, whilst he sees a decline in our affections towards him. Even amongst men, this judgment would be passed upon it. If a man found his wife’s regards alienated from him, he would make no account of all her services, however diligent she might be in her attention to her outward duties. And certainly God, when he says, “Give me thine heart,” will be satisfied with nothing less: and to withdraw our affections from him, after having once placed them upon him, will be accounted by him a greater indignity, than if we had never made any profession of love to him at all.
It is true, indeed, that persons may appear to have declined in love towards him, when there has been no real diminution of their regards. A wife may not continue through her whole life to feel precisely towards her husband as she did on the day of her espousals, and yet have grown, rather than declined, in love towards him: what arose from novelty and the animal spirits, may have worn off; and yet there may be in her such an accession of higher and deeper feelings, as infinitely to overbalance any apparent loss: her esteem for him altogether, her oneness of heart with him, and her entire devotion to him, may have greatly increased: in a word, “her love may have increased in knowledge and in all judgment,” whilst to a superficial observer, who judged of it only by some sensible emotions, it might be thought to have decayed. So it may be with a believer towards his God — — — But, if there be real cause to say of him, that “he has left his first love,” I hesitate not to affirm, that, if he repent not, “it were better for him never to have loved his God at all, than, after having loved him, to decline from him,” and to transfer to the creature the regards that are due to him alone [Note: 2Pe_2:21.].]
To this reproof, our Lord mercifully vouchsafed to add,
III. His counsel—
All such decay as this must be repented of—
[Not only must it not be justified, but it must be mourned over with deeply penitential sorrow. In order to see the evil and bitterness of such a state, it is well to call to mind the love of our espousals, and to compare with it the formal services which we now render to our God. Once, how precious were the public ordinances, in which the soul finds now but little profit! In secret, too, how sweet was the word of God; how deep the penitential sorrow which was stirred by it; and how unspeakably blessed were the promises on which his soul rested, and on which he founded all his hope before God! With what strong crying and tears, also, did he frequently draw nigh to God; whereas, now, his prayers are become little better than a lifeless form! Now this melancholy change should be brought distinctly to our view: we should “remember from whence we are fallen,” and, by a comparison of our former with our fallen state, endeavour to produce in our souls the humiliation which the occasion calls for. In a word, we must, in the review of our past lives, be filled with shame, and sorrow, and contrition.]
Yet will not repentance suffice, if it be not accompanied with a cordial return to all our former habits—
[This is of extreme importance to all who have departed from their God. They are ready to imagine, that, if they be humbled under a sense of their declensions, they shall be accepted of God. And doubtless, if they have no time to shew, by newness of life, the sincerity of their repentance, we may hope that God’s mercy shall be extended to them. But, if we would approve ourselves to God, we must go back to our former habits, and “do our first works,” and “bring forth fruits meet for repentance.” If reformation without contrition will be of no avail, so neither will contrition without an entire change both of heart and life. To every backslidden soul, then, is this counsel given: and if there be one who does not duly follow it, God says to him, “I will come to thee quickly, and remove thy candlestick out of its place, except thou repent.” From an entire Church will our Lord withdraw the light, if the members of it generally become remiss: and from an individual, even whilst his blessing is continued to the Church at large, he will withhold that supply of oil which he has neglected to implore. My brethren, see to what the Seven Churches of Asia have long since been reduced! or see what is the state of many individuals in the Christian Church, who once professed much love, and appeared to have attained considerable eminence in the divine life! Many a Demas may be found at this day; and many, who, if with the stony-ground hearers they have not renounced all profession of religion, yet with those of the thorny-ground, they “bring forth no fruit to perfection.” To all, then, who have thus declined from God, I would say, “Repent, and do your first works:” for you know not how “quickly” you may be left in utter and everlasting darkness. Repent then, I say; and, whereinsoever you at any time have served your God aright, endeavour to “abound more and more.”]
I cannot conclude without calling the attention of those who have never yet experienced what is here characterized by the expressive designation of “a first love.”
[How many of you, my brethren, have never known “a day of espousals” to the Lord Jesus Christ [Note: Jer_2:2.]! Say, my dear brethren, whether you have ever seen in Christ an excellency that far eclipsed all created good, and made you desire him for your friend and your everlasting portion? Say, whether you have ever given up yourselves to him, as his bride, and found all your happiness in him alone? Say, whether fellowship with him has been your chief joy? If not, what must be your state before him? If the Church at Ephesus, who had done so much and suffered so much for him, and felt such a jealousy for his honour, yet needed to repent because they had left their first love, have not you cause for repentance, who have never yet loved and served him at all, but have even chosen for your friends the very persons whose principles and whose practice he utterly abhors? Yes, indeed, you must “repent, and be altogether converted,” and “become new creatures in Christ Jesus;” or you can never hope to be acknowledged by him, as his bride, in the eternal world. If “the light of the righteous rejoiceth, the lamp of the wicked shall assuredly be put out [Note: Pro_13:9.].]