What does Jesus make of us evangelicals today?
Reading the letter to the church in Ephesus in Revelation 2 might perhaps strike some people as an apt description of parts of our movement. On the plus side, the Christians there are praised for their ‘deeds … hard work and … perseverance’. They also do not tolerate wickedness and are shrewd in testing out false teaching. They demonstrate perseverance and endurance in the face of hardship, and have not grown weary: they keep on keeping on. So there are lots of positives.
Adoring Him
But Jesus has some serious criticism of them also: ‘I hold this against you: you have forsaken your first love.’ Commenting on this, Paul Mallard has helpfully said: ‘Sometimes we are so busy about the Lord’s service that we do not have time for the Lord we serve… We are to come, as individuals or as the body of Christ, and spend time gazing on the beauty of the Lord, declaring His worth, delighting in His character, loving Him, adoring Him, praising His name, surrendering our will to Him.’ In other words – doctrine is vital, but without devotion, it is arid.
