Ephesus

Rev. 2:1-7

The City of Ephesus was a thriving city of much wealth and prosperity.  It was also overrun with idolatry and contained many temples of Paganistic worship.  Near the head of the bay stood the temple of the great goddess Diana,  This temple was a magnificent structure measuring 425 feet long, 220 feet wide, and boasted over 200 marble columns 60 feet high.  It was the pride of all Asia.

In spite of all their heathen practices, God raised up a church of God congregation in this city. The Apostle Paul’s labors were very effective in this city and we find the account in Acts 19 where many believed and brought their books of curious arts and burned them, the value of which amounted to about $10,000.00.  Acts 19:18-20

Note: Watch what we are reading.  What is on your bookshelf?  With every book goes a spirit.

Considering the scarcity of books in those days, we can see that the gospel was taking great strides in Ephesus.  In later verses of this same chapter we read of the uproar caused by Demetrius the silversmith, who made silver shrines for Diana.  (Sounds familiar) Because so many people were being converted to true Christianity his means of livelihood was in danger of coming to an end.  Consequently he started a riot that filled the  whole city with confusion.

Never the less, the Word of God grew mightily and prevailed, and by the year 100 A.D. we are told the church of God congregation at Ephesus numbered about 10,000 saints.

·         I know thy works, and

·         Thy labour, and

·         Thy patience, and

·         How thou canst not bear them which are evil

·         Tried False Apostles, and

·         Hast borne, and

·         Hast patience, and for my name sake hast laboured, and has not fainted.

They left their first love, they had fallen (Apostasy) fallen away from their devotion and love and fellowship of God’s spirit. They no longer communed with God.

The process of backsliding is a inner process first and next it is manifested outwardly. Prov. 14:14.

·         They were admonished to repent or Jesus would remove the candlestick.

To repent meant to turn back, go to the place you left and find thy first love. 

The Teachings of the Nicolatian

This was a religious doctrine that began to flourish in the firs century A.D.  which tolerated compromise with pagan cults, allowing participation in their sacred banquets, etc.  it is though by scholars to be the forerunner of the great Gnostic concepts that tried to hid God’s word behind a mask of secret knowledge, not accurate, and offered for sale to the unwary in an endless series of lessons.

A current label now in vogue is ‘new age’ religion. But there is nothing really new here.  Simple a wide spectrum of compromises of the Gospel teaching.

This is purely the signet rings of a ‘found life’.  This is why Jesus said, “Those who find their lives will lose it, but those who lose their lives for the sake of the Gospel will find it and inherit eternal life.

A pagan approach would be to ignore Christ and His Gospel completely, but in the Nicolatian teaching, a compromise between the two is reached.

Next