Revelation 2:1-7 To the angel of the church of Ephesus write; These things said he that holds the seven stars in his right hand… I. OPPOSITION TO ERROR. 1. The origin of religious error is often involved in great obscurity. 2. The manifestation of religious error is in deeds as well as doctrines. There are those, alas l who are orthodox in doctrine, but corrupt in character. Why is this? (1) Because the sound doctrine remains in the head, and never enters the heart, and the heart is the spring of action. (2) Because sometimes the tempting spirit suddenly excites impulses which for a time bury the beliefs. 3. The defence of religious error is generally by an appeal to Divine authority. The men who set themselves up as "apostles" are more likely to be apostates. 4. The dissemination of religious error is often very rapid. (1) Because human nature in its depraved state has a greater affinity for it than for truth. (2) Because religious errorists are generally zealous propagandists. 5. The very existence of religious error should be hated by Christians. Nothing is more damning to the intellect, heart, soul. II. PATIENT ENDURANCE. It needed patience — 1. Because it had to disseminate truth. The stupidity, prejudices, and indifferentism of men call for this. 2. Because it has to encounter opposition. 3. Because patience is necessary to wait. The results of Christian labour are not reached at once, and are seldom so manifest as to compensate the labour expended. III. THE DECAY OF LOVE. 1. "Remember." Review the past, and call to mind the sweet, delicate, blooming affection of thy first love, with all the fresh joys and hopes it awakened. 2. "Repent." This does not mean crying, weeping, confessing, and throwing yourself into ecstasies, but a change in the spirit and purpose of life. 3. "Reproduce" — "do thy first work." Go over thy past life, reproduce the old feeling, and re-attempt old effort. 4. "Tremble." Let declension go on, and ruin is inevitable. (Caleb Morris.) Parallel Verses KJV: Unto the angel of the church of Ephesus write; These things saith he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks; |
    |