Are We Building the Church...or the Tower of Babel?

A first look at the church in Ephesus can leave one feeling excited and encouraged about what they were accomplishing (Rev. 2:1-6). They had great church programs, labored diligently, and wouldn’t put up with nonsense from those who falsely called themselves apostles. In fact, Ephesus was a training ground for ministry workers, who then went out to labor in existing churches and do mission work in other areas of Asia.

But one ‘small’ problem existed in Ephesus which caused Jesus to say “I am going to shut you down if you don’t repent!” In all of their ‘doing’ they’d left behind their affections for God, laboring to build a church instead of serving the King of Kings! Jesus said it this way: “you have left your First Love.” 

Jeremiah warned the Israelites concerning this same sin: "Go and proclaim in the hearing of Jerusalem, this is what the LORD says: ‘I remember the devotion of your youth, how as a bride you loved me and followed me through the wilderness, through a land not sown. Israel was holy to the LORD…[but today], those who deal with the law do not know me, the leaders have rebelled against me.’” (Jer. 2:2,9)

If our affections aren’t on God we cannot minister His love to others – we love because He first loved us. And the power of the Gospel does not rest in human ability: the impetus behind spreading and teaching the Gospel is to bring the love of God to others. If we think we can build God’s church in the way that Ephesus did, we may actually be building the tower of Babel, a monument to man’s abilities, and God will eventually shut it down!

In contrast to Ephesus, the church of Thyatira tolerated a false teacher, reluctantly putting up with the spirit of Jezebel. But we’re specifically told that Smyrna had the love of God among them and labored in faith and patience in increasing degrees. Interestingly, Thyatira is not told that God would shut them down for tolerating the spirit of Jezebel, but Jesus specifically addressed the ‘prophetess’ who brought in this spirit and rebuked her.

The point here is not that it’s O.K. to tolerate wrong teaching and people who falsely call themselves prophets (or even teachers, pastors or apostles); Jesus addressed these issues separately from the ‘love’ issue. More importantly, God will not tolerate a church who has left Him as their first love, a church who is building man’s kingdom under God’s name. Jesus was addressing the heart of the matter: where the heart is, the life will follow. Unfortunately, Ephesus’ heart was not on God, but on their own abilities.

The conclusion for Ephesus was that they had “fallen” and needed to repent - all because of their lack of love for God (Rev. 2:5). More important than having correct doctrine and booting out false apostles and prophets, our love for God must be a burning flame within us which inspires us to build His kingdom for His glory!