A Biblical Recovery Plan
“Remember therefore form where you have fallen; repent and do the first works, or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from its place - unless you repent.” -Revelation 2:5 (NKJV)
John, writing on Jesus’ behalf to the church at Ephesus, gives them a simple, three-step approach to recovering their first love. It’s a plan that applies to us anytime we turn our gaze from Jesus to something less, base, and worldly. When our heart’s affection turns from our loving Master to the gods of this world, we must follow His action plan to recover.
Remember the grace whereby you were saved to begin with. You were given a new position in Christ and you received an eternal sonship in the family of God. You were washed clean and completely forgiven of sin. Remember that. Repent of sin. Confess it with contrition of heart. Remember that the greatest sacrifice for God is “a broken and contrite heart” (Psalm 51:17). Repentance entails a confessing, but also a turning and forsaking of sin. It means to begin to agree with God about the heinous nature of sin. Then return to your first works. Get back to the growth you experienced and the passion for Christ you had when you were originally saved.
The Ephesian church had preserved right belief but had, at some point, forgotten their passion for the Savior. Anytime we will argue over doctrine but we won’t give up a sin or worldly practice, we’ve replaced our first love. Let’s remember, repent, and return to a life lived with real and lasting passion for Jesus.
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