JEREMIAH 31:3 – The Lord appeared to him from far away. I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore I have continued my faithfulness to you.

THEME OF THE DAY. DON’T NEGLECT IT. What causes a Christian to backslide? What are things making a Christian lose first love for the Lord Jesus? What are patterns emerging in the life of a Christian that pull them into worldliness, move them to choose a worldly activity over church, and create no desire for the things of the Lord? What happened in a Christian who is “numb” to anything spiritual with no conviction over their backsliding? To get a good handle on these questions and answers, two places to look – the church at Laodicea and the church at Ephesus. Both received a letter from Jesus in the book of the Revelation. In the letter to the church at Laodicea, we have the condition of backsliding identified. In the letter to the church at Ephesus, we have the cause. It is implied, but not difficult to determine.

First, the condition of backsliding – “And to the angel of the church in Laodicea write: ‘The words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of God’s creation. 15 “‘I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot! 16 So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth. 17 For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked” (Revelation 3:14-17). A couple of things we need to glean from our Lord about this church and their condition. First, they were in the worst of spiritual conditions. To be lukewarm, backslidden, and indifferent to spiritual things receives the most severe of our Lord’s condemnation. Why? Because this condition abuses grace, takes grace for granted, and cheapens the price God paid for our salvation Another thing about this condition that is equally alarming . . . a person may grow comfortable in it and be unconcerned about change. Note these serious words of Jesus – “For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked.”

Now the cause of backsliding found in the letter to the church at Ephesus – “To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: ‘The words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand, who walks among the seven golden lampstands. 2 “ ‘I know your works, your toil and your patient endurance, and how you cannot bear with those who are evil, but have tested those who call themselves apostles and are not, and found them to be false. 3 I know you are enduring patiently and bearing up for my name’s sake, and you have not grown weary. 4 But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first” (Revelation 2:1-4). Jesus identified their problem as “abandonment of their first love.” Or we may rightly expound this as “They had lost the priority of loving Jesus as their chief affection.” And here is the implied cause of backsliding . . . we lose first love for the Lord when we neglect to remember, meditate, think upon, and live in the awareness of His love for us. This is always the cause of a cold heart, indifferent spirit, and compromised life of worldliness in a Christian. It isn’t gross sin leading to these sad realities. It is the simple neglect of God’s love for us. If we allow the pace of life, the pressures of the world, and the pleasures of the flesh to pull us away from time to reflect upon God’s love for us, we will backslide. We may only stay “warm” with the Lord if we are close to the “fire” of His love for us.

Think about this. All spiritual problems, and the answers to every question I put forth in the opening paragraph, are due to a neglect to spend consistent time remembering, pondering, and being changed by the love of God. We love because He first loved us, and should we fail to be gripped by this, our love for Him will quickly fade. A religious life may exist, but a Biblical Christian life will not.

PRAYER: “Father, help me to not neglect time meditating and marveling over Your love for me.”

QUOTE: “The more we concentrate on God’s love for us, the more intense our love for Him becomes.”