Chapter 58—“Thou Hast Left Thy First Love”
[
Portion of a sermon at Otsego, Michigan, October 10, 1890, printed
in
The Review and Herald, February 3, 1891
.]
I spoke to the people of Otsego from the fourth and fifth verses
of the second chapter of Revelation: “I have somewhat against thee,
because thou hast left thy first love. 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, ex-
cept thou repent”(
Revelation 2:4, 5
). The people to whom these words
are addressed have many excellent qualities, which are recognized by
the True Witness; “Nevertheless,” He says, “I have somewhat against
thee, because thou hast left thy first love.” Here is a want that will have
to be supplied. All the other graces fail to make up the deficiency.
The church is counseled to “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.... He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto
the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of
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life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God” (
Revelation 2:4-7
).
In these words are warnings, reproofs, threatenings, promises, from
the True Witness, He that holdeth the seven stars in His right hand.
“The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches: and the seven
candlesticks which thou sawest are the seven churches” (
Revelation
1:20
).
When this church is weighed in the balance of the sanctuary, it is
found wanting, having left its first love. The True Witness declares, “I
know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience, and how thou canst
not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they
are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars: and hast borne,
and hast patience, and for my name’s sake hast laboured, and hast not
fainted” (
Revelation 2:2, 3
). Notwithstanding all this, the church is
found wanting. What is the fatal deficiency?—“Thou hast left thy first
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