Those in Tribulation Must Heed the Word

The book of Revelation is always a big draw in church Sunday school classes and Bible studies, primarily because of the alluring prospect of being able to read Revelation in one hand the the newspaper in the other, assigning current events and political figures to the mysterious descriptions in John’s revelation.

One recurring theme in Revelation is the distinction between what is false and what is true. There are true and false disciples. There are true and false churches. There are true and false witnesses, true and false gospels, and true and false messiahs.

When Sound Doctrine & Furious Action Displease Christ

A congregation that is sound in doctrine and active in deeds may nonetheless displease Christ, and might be in danger of losing the privilege of representing Christ on earth.

Jesus warns just such a congregation in Revelation 2:1-7. The church at Ephesus had been so alert and orthodox doctrinally that it had exposed false teachers and dealt with them appropriately. And it had engaged in good deeds to the point of collective exhaustion, “not growing weary” when lesser congregations would have collapsed.

But Jesus still had stern words for the church. They had “abandoned the love they had at first.”