Has the American Church Lost its First Love?

by Clarence L. Haynes Jr. 

The following article was written by a guest blogger, Clarence L. Haynes, Jr. Clarence is a speaker, Bible teacher, and co-founder of The Bible Study Club.  He is the author of The Pursuit of Purpose which will help you understand how God leads you into his will. His most recent book is The Pursuit of Victory: How To Conquer Your Greatest Challenges and Win In Your Christian Life. This book will teach you how to put the pieces together so you can live a victorious Christian life and finally become the man or woman of God that you truly desire to be. Clarence is also committed to helping 10,000 people learn how to study the Bible and has just released his first Bible study course called Bible Study Basics. To learn more about his ministry please visit www.clarencehaynes.com.

This article discusses a topic that has been on my mind recently. I felt that Clarence expressed the concern very well. He graciously agreed to let me republish it on this website.

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Over the past several years, I’ve found myself reflecting deeply on the state of the body of Christ in America, or what I’ll refer to as the American church. While my thoughts may not apply to every believer, there’s a pressing question that I believe we must honestly consider: Has the church in America lost its first love?

As I study the Scriptures, particularly the message to the church in Ephesus in the book of Revelation, I can’t help but draw some unsettling comparisons. Could it be that the American church, like Ephesus, has become so focused on standing for truth and fighting against evil that it has forgotten the heart of its faith?

When you line up the characteristics, the similarities are striking — and perhaps even sobering.

Jesus’ Message to the Church in Ephesus “To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: These are the words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand and walks among the seven golden lampstands. I know your deeds, your hard work and your perseverance. I know that you cannot tolerate wicked people, that you have tested those who claim to be apostles but are not, and have found them false. You have persevered and have endured hardships for my name, and have not grown weary” (Revelation 2:1-3).

When Jesus first addresses this church, he points out some noble characteristics. The people in the church of Ephesus were hard workers who embodied the spirit of perseverance. They didn’t crumble at the first sign of trouble, but they stood firm, refusing to give up. They had no tolerance for wickedness and they did not waiver in their commitment to the truth, carefully discerning and exposing those who were false. Their dedication to Jesus was unshakable, even when enduring hardships and attacks on their faith.

Through it all, they never grew weary; instead, they continued to stand strong for the name of Jesus, no matter what challenges came their way. This sounds like a church that knew what they believed and was ready to fight for what they believed in.

Ephesus Reminds Me of the American Church When I think of the church in Ephesus, it strikes me just how much it reflects the pulse of many in the American church today. There are pastors and believers alike who are quick to declare they are standing firm against evil, boldly shining a light on the deeds of darkness. They’re resolute in their stance against anything that doesn’t align with Biblical truth, particularly related to lifestyles that fall short of God’s standard.

With a pervasive sense that the church is under siege, many are ready to fight back with all they’ve got. It’s a rallying cry that resonates with those who see themselves in the midst of a spiritual battle, determined to stand their ground and defend their faith against a rising tide of opposition. Whether you share this sentiment or know others who do, it’s a perspective that exists in many segments of the church today.  

That’s Not the End of the Story If Jesus had stopped there, we would probably uphold the church in Ephesus as a model to follow, but Jesus had more to say. I believe what he says to Ephesus applies to the church in America as well.

“Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken the love you had at first” (Revelation 2:4).

In the New Living Translation (NLT) this verse says you don’t love me or each other the way you did at first. Can somebody please say ouch because those are piercing words, and those words speak volumes about what matters most to Jesus. However, the words he utters next probably represent the biggest gut punch.

“Consider how far you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place” (Revelation 2:5).

This tells me that correct theology is not enough. While it is crucial for believers to have the right doctrine, it is not enough because Ephesus had correct theology. Many of those who are standing against some of the wickedness in our society today also have correct doctrine, but shining light for Christ requires more than that.

It can be so easy to get caught up in fighting the good fight that we ultimately forget what we are fighting for and, more importantly, what our mission is as believers in Jesus Christ. We are Christ’s ambassadors who have been given the ministry of reconciliation. This means our job is to make the appeal and reconcile people to Jesus. One critical component in that responsibility is how we love God, each other, and those around us. Consider the words of Jesus.

“’Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?’ Jesus replied: ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments” (Matthew 22:36-40).

“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another” (John 13:34-35).

As you look at these verses, Jesus highlights the most important aspect of your Christian journey: Your relationship with him and your relationship with others. Even if you have all the right doctrines and all the right truth, if you don’t love Jesus and love each other, it cancels them out. If you stand for truth and righteousness without love, it gains you nothing. I believe this mindset has crept into the American church. Listen to God’s word on this.

“If I could speak all the languages of earth and of angels, but didn’t love others, I would only be a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. If I had the gift of prophecy, and if I understood all of God’s secret plans and possessed all knowledge, and if I had such faith that I could move mountains, but didn’t love others, I would be nothing. If I gave everything I have to the poor and even sacrificed my body, I could boast about it; but if I didn’t love others, I would have gained nothing” (1 Corinthians 13:1-3, NLT).

For those preachers, teachers, and believers who are upholding the truth of God’s word, is it possible that the message is being lost because we love being in the fight for truth more than we love the one who is the truth? When loving Jesus first and completely becomes the top desire of your heart, it will affect the way you love others, because you will see people the way Jesus does. This is what we are called to do, and it feels like this is missing from many segments of the church.

How We Treat People Matters Can you win people to Christ without loving them in the process? I don’t know if that is possible. Here is what I know. We have a responsibility to uphold the truth and stand for righteousness in our society. That’s what it means to be salt and light. However, how we live and how we deliver that truth matters just as much. In Romans, Paul tells us it is God’s kindness that leads us to repentance (Rom. 2:4). That was true when Paul wrote it, and that is true today. Take a moment and ponder these three questions:

What impact would we have in our culture if we stood for truth and showed love and compassion to those who may disagree with us?

What would happen if we loved Jesus so much that we considered people’s eternal condition over their temporary social status, economic status, or any other demographic?

What would happen if we just loved and cared about people the way Jesus did?

When Jesus was addressing the church in Ephesus, I believe this is what he meant. How I love you and how you love me matters. The way you love those who are outside the body of Christ, that matters too. Ultimately, however, the only way this type of love is going to flow through your heart is by loving Jesus first.

Here Is the Challenge I believe we who are followers of Jesus need to get back to loving Jesus first and then living out what it means to love others. I will not profess that this is easy to do because it is not. But if we are going to have the influence in the world that Jesus desires us to have, then as challenging as it may be, this is absolutely necessary. When we neglect loving Jesus and loving others, even if we get other things right, the words of Jesus ring true. Look at the height you have fallen.  

As Jesus told the church in Ephesus, I believe it is time for the church in America to repent and get back on mission. Fight for truth, but love Jesus and love people while you do it because the harvest field is still ripe. People are still searching for answers and looking for truth, and we are the ones who have the truth.

Finally, to remind you of what this love should look like in our actions, I leave you again with the words of Scripture.

“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails” (1 Corinthians 12:4-8a).

Photo credit: Unsplash/Kelly Sikkema

Originally Published September 03, 2024