The church of Ephesus did all the right stuff according to Jesus’ words in Revelation 2 but had lost their first love. They were fulfilling the duties but possibly for the wrong reasons. It was important for them to get back to doing what they did because of love. To stay on their current course could eventually shift their focus from the grace that had saved them to living out the Christian life by the law. That is a dangerous spot to totter because a more legalistic approach to the Christian life can bring us down. When we sin, have a dry spell, don’t “feel” the part, we will tend to beat ourselves up because of where we are which is hard to get beyond. Condemnation oppresses us and holds us down. Grace, however, frees us to reach our potential in Christ.
What to do if you’ve made the Christian life more about keeping the law than grace:
Think about Jesus’ instruction to the church of Ephesus:
“remember from where you have fallen, and repent and do the deeds you did at first” (Rev. 2:5, NASB)
Remember. Think about God’s grace. You were saved by grace through faith, nothing you did. Christ died for you while you were a sinner (Rom. 5:8)! You simply responded to the love God demonstrated on your behalf. You were saved to be in a love relationship with the Lord based on grace not condemnation (Jn. 3:16-17; 8:10-11). — “Are you so foolish? After beginning by means of the Spirit, are you now trying to finish by means of the flesh?” (Gal. 3:3)
Repent. Admit that the Christian life isn’t about what you do, right or wrong. Rather it is about what God does in and through us by His grace. His grace, the same grace that saved us, is what “teaches us to say ‘No’ to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope – the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ” (Titus 2:12-13).
Retool. Follow God’s exhortation to the psalmist. –“Cease striving and know that I am God.” (Ps. 46:10) God gave you His Spirit to produce within you what is needed to move the Christian life from a dull, lifeless, drudgery to one of excitement and adventure. Walk in His Spirit, not self-effort. If you want to “rejoice always” and be able to “give thanks in all circumstances”, then “do not quench the Spirit” (1 Thess. 5:16-19). God’s grace has provided the means for you to rise above.