You have persevered and have endured hardships for my name, and have not grown weary.
Revelation 2:3 NIV
You can serve God fervently, yet misplace your spiritual priorities. In fact, many remain faithful in activity while slowly drifting from their first love. This sobering truth stands at the heart of Jesus’ message to the church in Ephesus. He praises their endurance and suffering, yet He says, “You have forsaken the love you had at first” (Revelation 2:4). He calls us to consider returning to our first love for God.
Jesus first commended the Ephesian believers for their works and perseverance. He honoured their faithfulness under pressure. He also praised their refusal to tolerate false teachers. However, He confronted them with a painful truth; they had abandoned their initial love. Their hands stayed busy for God, but their hearts no longer burned with the same devotion. However, spiritual labour never replaces spiritual intimacy.
Scripture often warns against this kind of spiritual drift. In Matthew 24:12, Jesus says, “Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold.” Pressure, suffering, and long obedience can slowly cool the heart. The Ephesian believers resisted persecution, yet their emotional warmth faded. Therefore, their love grew cold not from outright rejection, but from hardship and routine replacing intimacy.
Meanwhile, the prophet Jeremiah declared this same grief from God’s heart. Jeremiah 2:2 shows God remembering Israel’s early devotion. He mourned how that love later faded into formality. Similarly, the Ephesian church began with passionate devotion. However, they settled into mechanical obedience. Jesus called them back to that first love, because love gives their service meaning.
Reclaiming Intimacy Over Obligation
Many Christians today pour energy into ministry and sacrifice. They show up consistently, give generously, and endure hardship. Nevertheless, routine can slowly replace relationships. Duty may overshadow delight. Pressure can also drain affection. Jesus never criticised the Ephesians for working too hard. Instead, He confronted them because their love no longer fuelled their work. He revealed that obedience without love ultimately empties faith of its joy.
Furthermore, Scripture teaches that God desires the heart before the hands. Matthew 22:37 declares, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart.” Love stands as the primary commandment. Obedience must flow from love, not the other way around. Therefore, believers lose intimacy when they reverse this order. John 15:4–5 reinforces this truth; lasting fruit comes from abiding in Christ.
God did not merely expose the Ephesians’ failure. He issued a direct call to repentance and renewal. Revelation 2:5 states, “Consider how far you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first.” He directly connects love with action. He urged them to return to the spiritual practices and intimacy that once marked their relationship. He did not tell them to stop working. Instead, He told them to restore love as the source of their work.
This warning speaks directly to believers today. Many remain faithful in outward duty. Yet, they quietly lose intimacy with Christ. They serve and endure, but their hearts feel distant or dry. Jesus sees their endurance and their emotional drift. He affirms their perseverance, but still calls them back to heartfelt love. Therefore, Revelation 2:3-4 forms a balanced spiritual diagnosis. Jesus honours endurance, yet He demands devotion. He values faithfulness, but He also values intimacy. He teaches that love must sustain endurance for faith to remain alive and vibrant.
Living It Out
May all your struggles in Christian life flow from a true heart and genuine love for Christ. May your endurance grow from intimacy with Him. Let your faithfulness rise from affection, not obligation. Let your first love remain the fire that fuels every act of obedience.