The verse Revelation 2:5 says “Remember therefore from 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.” This verse comes in the context of Jesus’ message to the church in Ephesus. To understand what it means to “repent and do the first works,” we need to examine the background of this church.
Background on the Church in Ephesus
The book of Revelation contains seven letters written to seven churches in Asia Minor. These were real churches facing real issues at the time. The letter to Ephesus (Revelation 2:1-7) commends them for their hard work, perseverance, and resistance to false teaching. However, it also confronts a key problem – they had lost the love they had at first (Revelation 2:4). Their Christian life and service had become mere routine.
The church in Ephesus was founded by the apostle Paul towards the end of his third missionary journey (Acts 19). He stayed there for over two years, preaching and teaching the gospel. The church that took root was marked by enthusiastic commitment and a willingness to sacrifice for the sake of the kingdom (Acts 19:8-10, 23-41). They had a fervent love for God and zeal for His truth. But years later, they were in danger of losing this “first love.”
Meaning of “Repent”
When Jesus calls the Ephesian church to repent, He is calling them to change their hearts and lives and return to Him. The Greek word translated “repent” is metanoeo. It indicates a change of mind that leads to a change of behavior. Repentance means turning away from sin and back towards God.
True repentance involves:
- Confession of sin – admitting where we have fallen short (1 John 1:9)
- Sorrow over sin – grieving over the offense against God (2 Corinthians 7:10)
- Loving God more than sin (Matthew 22:37-38)
Repentance means a decisive turning away from whatever has separated us from God. For the Ephesian church, it meant turning back to their first love and doing the things they did at first.
Meaning of “First Works”
The phrase “first works” refers back to the Ephesians’ earlier days when they were marked by zeal, love, and faithful service. Their “first works” include:
- Fervent love for God (Revelation 2:4)
- Persevering labor for the gospel (Revelation 2:2-3)
- Sacrificial service to build up the church (Ephesians 1:15-16)
- Bold witness for Christ before a hostile world (Acts 19:8-10)
These characterize the “honeymoon” days of their walk with Christ. The Ephesians are called to return to this kind of wholehearted devotion to God. Just going through the motions in spiritual routines is not enough. Jesus wants the passion and commitment they exhibited at the start.
Application for Churches Today
While this message was written to a specific church, all churches can learn from it. Times of decline can creep up on us slowly. We may still keep all the outward forms of godliness while lacking the fire that once burned within us. Signs that we have “lost our first love” include:
- Lack of excitement for God’s Word and prayer
- Doing spiritual duties out of habit rather than devotion
- Caring more about preserving institutions than fulfilling Christ’s mission
- Critical, divisive spirit rather than love for one another
- Focus on events more than true life change
When this sets in, we must repent. The first step is looking back, like the Ephesians, to consider when our love for Christ was fresh. As sinners, we will never love perfectly. But remembering past times of closeness with Him can rekindle our hearts. We can pray for renewed passion and single-minded devotion to Christ.
Doing the first works requires looking at our priorities. Are we investing in work that bears eternal fruit? Do we serve out of love or obligation? We may need to refocus on ministries that were once closest to the heart of God for us. We may need to renew relationships that have withered. By returning to spiritual disciplines once filled with life, we can regain our first love.
Application for Individuals Today
This call to repentance applies not only to churches but also individual believers. In the busyness of life, our love can easily grow cold (Matthew 24:12). Days that once seemed full of life in the Spirit can devolve into dry routine. Jesus calls each of us back to revived devotion.
Ask God to show you when your faith was most alive and fruitful. What were you doing then that needs to be revived today? Often it is returning to simple patterns of Bible study, prayer, fellowship, and service from the past. It also means putting Christ back in first place – ahead of other priorities that may have crowded Him out.
Doing the first works requires action. It is not merely feeling grief over sin or nostalgia for better days. It means finding those places where we can tangibly devote ourselves to God’s purposes once again. Seeking Him first each day, offering all we have to Him, and staying faithful in small things restores our first love.
The Danger of Not Repenting
Jesus warned the Ephesian church that if they did not repent, the lampstand representing their church would be removed. Their light and influence would be taken away if they did not change course. The same is true for churches and individuals today. If we cling to the lifeless motions without returning to real love for Christ, we become irrelevant. Our witness dims, and we lose the joy of knowing Him. Worse still, we can face His discipline if we remain unrepentant (Hebrews 12:5-6).
Thankfully, Jesus holds out the hope of restoration. If we turn back to Him, we will experience renewed intimacy and see fruitfulness return. It is never too late to rekindle our first love. When we repent and return to our first devoted service to Christ, we tap into His strength and blessing afresh. Our deepest joy comes from knowing and loving Him above all else.
Conclusion
To the church in Ephesus and to all followers of Jesus, the call goes out to remember, repent, and do the first works. Let us reflect on when our walk with God was closest and what fueled our passion for Him then. Through prayer and renewed action, let us turn from anything distracting our hearts from full devotion to Christ. By God’s grace, as we repent and realign our lives to our first love, our churches and lives will be bright with the light of Christ again. He makes all things new.