“Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.” (Revelation 2:5)
It’s not what we do, but why we’re doing it.
This church in Ephesus simply forgot why they were doing the things they were doing. While those things were commendable, their motivation and direction was not of Jesus. In a way it reminds me of all the great Ivy League universities – all founded by Godly, Christ-centered men, but today, despite doling out degree after prestigious degree, Jesus is no longer their focus or even a part of these institutions. No one can deny that it is ‘pleasing and commendable’ to work hard and earn a diploma, but if Jesus isn’t the focus and foundation, all the effort merely burns up in the end.
“For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?” (Mark 8:36)
So it can be with our Christian efforts. What may have begun as an obedient service of and for the Lord, ended up a chore where the act and the actor were lauded rather than Christ Jesus. Before I go any further, I confess that I’ve been guilty of it often. I would also add that all those deeds, regardless of how commendable they may have been, will burn to crisp when He judges them at the Bema Seat.
So we must ask: is this thing we do for and of Christ? Who is honored: the deed, the doer, or Jesus? Does the activity bring His light into dark places or is the only radiance that of the spotlight that shines brightly upon ourselves?
If this is the case, Jesus says to go back to the place where it became about you instead of Him; back to where you pushed Jesus out of the pilot’s seat, and make the necessary corrections.
The Apostle Paul said it this way: “And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God. For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified.” (1 Corinthians 2:1-2)
He Dwells -- The B'log in My Eye 