Lesson 10 January 19, 2003
#5 "and you put to the test those who call themselves apostles, and they are not, and you find them to be false;"
you put to the test peiradzw =
* Says that the church at Ephesus evaluated the credentials of those who claimed to be apostles; many; before they were allowed to teach.
* Paul had warned the Ephesian church about false teachers, the wolves that would come from among themselves. Acts 20:28
#6 2:3 He continues the commendation! "and you have perseverance"
"and have endured for My name's sake, and have not grown weary."
** Summary of Qualities of this Church Seen to this point!
1. Notice that the things that Christ commends the church for are not dramatic.
- ability to carry a load, to hang in their under great pressure is not dramatic; its really slugging it out in the trenches!
These things are spiritual; moral qualities; which demonstrate the character of the individual as well as the church.
2. We have seen perseverance twice and that they have not grown weary. Christ puts a premium on persistence. Hanging in there under adverse conditions.
Examples: Rom 5:3-4; 15:4-5; 1 Ths 1:3; 2 Ths 1:4; 3:5; Jam. 1:3-4
3. His commendations put the emphasis on quality of the church and not on quantity in the church. Its what you ARE, not how big you are!
Quality based on truth, that is believed and applied not on numbers of people or fancy buildings or what ever the consensus of the day says is great.
4. The church functioned within the framework of reality not idealism.
- living in reality is indicated by their evaluation of those who claimed to be apostles, the traveling medicine shows were examined carefully for their credentials; most found false!
5. There is a great contrast here in the commendation;
- First they have great patience, tolerance in the face of varied circumstances of life; (that ability to carry a load)
- And yet secondly they had a high degree of intolerance of those pedaling false teaching; impatience with them.
b. Condemnation; 2:4 (2nd part of the message to Ephesus)
"But I have this against you, that you have left your first love."
There is a sequence that we can identify in the process of a church going from 1st love to lights out!
Step #1 loss of fervency of their love; the intensity, not that they don't love the Lord
#2 Entry of apathy; indifference
#3 Redirection of affection; Ex: 1 Tim 6:10 shift to material things.
#4 Final corruption; the curtain comes down; the light goes out!
** At this point I believe that Christ is warning them that they are at stage #1
?? What is this first love??
?? Another Question: Is it possible that a virtue could contribute to a lack of love for the Lord?
Is it possible to loose the intenseness, the fervency of ones love in the midst of activity?
*** The reality of the commendation showed that they had a high degree of knowledge of truth, there was a high level of maturity here!