Don’t Go Through The Spiritual Motions
Read the Text: Revelation 2
Memorize the Text:
Grace, mercy, and peace will be with us from God the Father and from Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father, in truth and love.
(2 John 3, CSB)
Consider the Text: Revelation 2
The apostle John provided profound, spiritual truths through letters penned to seven churches in Revelation 2-3. In chapter 2, John addressed four separate churches. Each letter provides insight into understanding how a church appears in motion. When a church operates in motion and routine, it may rest upon programs and traditions and not realize the waywardness of the will of the Lord. A threat of going through the spiritual motions exists if a believer does not guard their personal lives. We must recognize that when a church goes through the motions, it no longer exists as an agent of motion. May we be challenged by Revelation 2.
GOD COMMENDS THE CHURCH
John delivered a message from the Lord that the works of the church were good and that the people labored well. The people worked hard and remained diligent in serving the Lord to carry out the proper and right work. The church received continual commendation because they endured the trials of life and remained faithful to the Lord. Likewise, the churches stood for truth and faithfully bore God's name. These activities are vital for churches but must do so with authenticity.
Today, believers and churches must seek to follow the Lord in faithfulness. They must trust in the Lord entirely and serve him obediently. Believers must stand forth truth, reflect the name of Christ, and labor well. Would the Lord commend you or your church for these practices of faithfulness?
GOD CONDEMNS THE CHURCH
Though the churches were performing good works and doing good things, the church participated in them out of routine and ritual. As a result, they just went through the motions of being the church. The Lord followed his commendations with condemnations. The Lord condemned the church because they lost their first love. The church followed the Lord but did so while the spark was gone. The love and excitement of the first love had become cold, and they lived unconcerned.
The lost spark leads to a loss of passion and a lack of zeal. The absence of passion removes the desire to carry out a task entirely, and the lack of zeal means a burning desire for that which is holy no longer exists. Zeal is stronger than passion, but losing the first love led the church to lose desire. Thus, a church does stuff, but the activity carries no passion.
Today, churches and believers need to assess if they follow the Lord with zeal and passion or if ritual and routine have led to a church acting in motion. A church in motion continues programs, rituals, ministries, and routines, but the passion for the presence of the Lord is gone or lacking. Thus, such a church has forgotten its purpose (bring God glory), mission (take the gospel to the world), calling (be the laborers of God’s kingdom), and goal (fulfill and follow the leading of the Lord).
GOD COMMANDS THE CHURCH
The Lord provided a way of correction for the church. After commending and condemning the church, the Lord provided a command that would provide a corrective course. The Lord called the church and us today to remember the excitement and beginning of salvation. The call comes with the expectation to remember the first love's experience and reflect on the Lord's provision throughout life. The moment of remembrance allows churches and believers to see where repentance and return are needed.
The second command from the Lord is to repent. As churches and believers remember their first love and recognize their current state, they see the need for course correction. Thus, believers must acknowledge their waywardness and loss of first love and turn back to the Lord. Repentance occurs when a change in direction occurs and not mere acknowledgment. Thus, a return must occur.
The third command is the call to return to the Lord. The call to return means that churches and believers must return to a reliance upon the Lord for every moment of life. At the same time, the believer must return to trusting the Lord and following him in obedience. The Lord commands the church to return to the first love and rekindle the passion that comes from the first love. Thus, the Lord calls believers to repent of being in motion and become an agent of motion.
The fourth command is to be an agent of motion. Believers and churches must battle against going through the motion of business as usual; instead, believers must seek to follow in faith and be an agent that causes motion for the kingdom of God. The results of causing motion for the kingdom of God means that the soul becomes saved, obedience to the Lord occurs, and the Lord receives the glory. Are you living for Christ by going through the motions, or are you living as an agent of motion.
This blog is part of the Coffee and Quiet Time with Jesus Devotional Series found at equippingfaith.com. Join the journey of reading through the New Testament this year. More information can be found at equippingfaith.com.
