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Response
In Revelation 2:5, the apostle John records Jesus exhorting the church in Ephesus to “Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works” (NKJV). If they fail to heed His words, Jesus gives a warning: “If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place” (verse 5).
Paul had written a letter to the church in Ephesus roughly 30 years prior to Jesus’ letter. At that point in the Ephesians’ growth, Paul commended them for their love (Ephesians 1:15-16). In Revelation 2:1–7, Jesus also commends the Ephesians for some things: 1) their toil and perseverance, 2) their intolerance of evil people, 3) their discernment amongst false apostles, and 4) their endurance for Christ (Revelation 2:2-3). Jesus’ concern with the Ephesians is that they “have forsaken the love [they] had at first” «Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love. », (Revelation 2:4). The church at Ephesus was a hard-working, faithful church, but they were lacking in love.
In response to this abandonment of their first love, Jesus exhorts them to “repent and do the first works.” Repentance is confirmed in the follow-through; repentance is followed by reformation. John the Baptist stressed the need for action in his preaching: “Produce fruit in keeping with repentance” «Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance: », (Matthew 3:8). Jesus points to the early days of the church in Ephesus and bade His people remember the service they had accomplished and the love they had expressed—and then do those things.
Things again.
There is also a connection between works and love here. The apostle John confirms this truth in 1 John 5:3: “This is love for God: to keep his commands.” This mirrors Jesus’ words in John 14:23: “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word” (ESV). It appears that, as one develops love for Christ, he or she will want to obey even more. In Revelation 2, Jesus urges the Ephesians to do the works they did before, renewing the love they previously had for God.
These “first works” are not specified in the text. Jesus may be referring to their past fervor in upholding sound doctrine or their eagerness to love their neighbors as themselves. Regardless of the details, Jesus desired the Ephesians to do the initial works, which would prompt them to rekindle their initial love.
What does it mean, then, to “repent” and do the first works? Repent, in its most literal sense, simply means “to change one’s mind.” A change of mind often leads to a change of attitude, emotion, and action. This concept is clearly illustrated in Acts 2. Peter is proclaiming Jesus as the rightful Messiah, the King of Israel. His audience consists of the very individuals who had crucified the Lord through the Romans. Peter instructs them to repent, or change their minds, and be baptized «Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. », (Acts 2:38). Their repentance involved altering their views about Jesus as a mere man and recognizing their own need for forgiveness. Thankfully, approximately 3,000 people repented and were saved that day «Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls. », (Acts 2:41).
In Revelation 2:5, Jesus urges the Ephesians to repent, and th
At change of mind would lead to a change of attitude. The follow-through would be a return to their initial works, encouraging their love for God. Jesus’ message to the church of Ephesus should serve as a warning to all of us. We can accomplish great works and persevere through trials and still lose sight of loving God. Saying or doing the right thing is meaningless without love (1 Corinthians 13:1-3). We must not abandon our first love, and we must continue doing the things that nurture our love for God.
