One Sin We All Need to Stop Celebrating
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When you talk about sin in church, you wouldn’t think there is a sin which would be celebrated. After all we are followers of Jesus Christ – we should not be celebrating any type of sin. However, within the walls of the church and outside those walls there is one sin that seems to not only be tolerated but in some circles, it is revered. We tend to embrace it with open arms and even encourage it whether we realize it or not. I would even add there are many in the body of Christ who might not even consider it to be a sin at all.
Please don’t take these words lightly. Jesus is asking them to consider how far they have fallen from where they first began. This means that even though they were serving, because they left their first love they had fallen. From the Old Testament God established a principle about priorities in life. Here is what he said.
Let me clarify this for you – your relationship with Jesus comes first. It doesn’t matter how much you serve, how much you give, or how many other good things you do, this is not the primary reason Jesus saved you. Before you ever serve, give, or do anything else, God desires an intimate relationship with you. This is the first and most important reason Jesus saved you. If anything interferes with your relationship with Jesus or becomes a higher priority, that thing becomes sin because you placed something above your relationship with him. This is how busyness, even good busyness, can become sin.
The church at Ephesus was engaging in good works, doctrinally sound, and productive – yet they had fallen from a great height. I want to reemphasize there is nothing more important than your relationship with Jesus Christ and that must come first. When you are too busy to spend time with him, or too busy to build intimacy with him, then you are too busy and have forsaken your first love.
You might be wondering why I am calling this sin. It is simply because Jesus did. Notice what he requires of the church at Ephesus:
What does Jesus ask this church to do? He asked them to repent. As you know, to repent means to turn from what you are doing and go in a different direction. Jesus was telling them to stop prioritizing your life in this manner and go back to loving me first.
Please notice what he said he would do if they didn’t; he would shut the church down. Let me make this application more practical. Jesus is telling the church in Ephesus if serving and doing are interfering with your relationship with me, then stop serving. When was the last time you heard that preached from a pulpit?
For just a moment look at your life. What is the top priority? Recently this verse hit home to me because I have a busy schedule. There is no need to list the things I must do, but it is important to note that I was too busy and was neglecting my first love. This should never be, and I had to make the correction. If you are feeling this way, then I encourage you to do the same. There is nothing wrong with the things you must do, just make sure you are not sacrificing your relationship with Jesus at the altar of doing them. If you continue, don’t be surprised if Jesus takes it all away so he can get you to return to your first love which should be your most important priority.
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