Ephesus Church
Ephesus Church - Turkey
In bidding farewell to the Ephesus church leaders, Paul warned:
"For I know this, that after my departure savage wolves
will come in among you, not sparing the flock. Also from among yourselves
men will rise up, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after
themselves. Therefore watch..." (Acts 20:29-31)
A few decades later, Apostle John records Jesus commending the Ephesus church for having heeded the warning about false teachers, but warning in turn that unless the Christians of Ephesus repent and return to loving God as they first did, the lampstand - church - will be taken from them:
“To the angel of the church of Ephesus write, ‘These things says He who holds the seven stars in His right hand, who walks in the midst of the seven golden lampstands: “I know your works, your labor, your patience, and that you cannot bear those who are evil. And you have tested those who say they are apostles and are not, and have found them liars; and you have persevered and have patience, and have labored for My name’s sake and have not become weary. Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love. Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works, or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from its place - unless you repent.’" (Revelation 2:1-5)
The Ephesus church failed to heed Jesus, who made good on His words. The weed-covered desolation of Odeum, the smaller theater in Ephesus, above is symbolic of the state of the church today in Turkey, where Ephesus is located. The country, once the epicenter of Paul's ministry to Asia Minor is 99% Muslim and devoid of Bible-based Christianity. That's too bad for Ephesus and Turkey, but it couldn't happen in Europe or North America... or could it?
Europe is already a spiritual wasteland where Bible-believing Christians are a miniscule percentage of the population. North America, meanwhile, has mixed materialism and self-help psychology with the Bible to concoct a deviant form of Christianity that sees God not as God to worship and serve but a spiritual errand boy who fetches health and wealth on demand. Savage wolves indeed have ransacked the flock and spoken perverse things to draw away the disciples.
Please take another look at the photo. That's what happened to a church that didn't return to its first love but did manage to keep out false apostles. What do you think will happen to churches that can't do either? The lampstand already has started to be removed from America, and unless we repent and return to our first love, Christ - Word of God and our Lord - we will not be spared Ephesus' weed-covered desolation.
Please feel free share this site, link to it and/or to email me your comments or questions.
May the Lord God bless you, and may He be glorified in all you do, for only He is worthy of glory.
A few decades later, Apostle John records Jesus commending the Ephesus church for having heeded the warning about false teachers, but warning in turn that unless the Christians of Ephesus repent and return to loving God as they first did, the lampstand - church - will be taken from them:
“To the angel of the church of Ephesus write, ‘These things says He who holds the seven stars in His right hand, who walks in the midst of the seven golden lampstands: “I know your works, your labor, your patience, and that you cannot bear those who are evil. And you have tested those who say they are apostles and are not, and have found them liars; and you have persevered and have patience, and have labored for My name’s sake and have not become weary. Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love. Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works, or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from its place - unless you repent.’" (Revelation 2:1-5)
The Ephesus church failed to heed Jesus, who made good on His words. The weed-covered desolation of Odeum, the smaller theater in Ephesus, above is symbolic of the state of the church today in Turkey, where Ephesus is located. The country, once the epicenter of Paul's ministry to Asia Minor is 99% Muslim and devoid of Bible-based Christianity. That's too bad for Ephesus and Turkey, but it couldn't happen in Europe or North America... or could it?
Europe is already a spiritual wasteland where Bible-believing Christians are a miniscule percentage of the population. North America, meanwhile, has mixed materialism and self-help psychology with the Bible to concoct a deviant form of Christianity that sees God not as God to worship and serve but a spiritual errand boy who fetches health and wealth on demand. Savage wolves indeed have ransacked the flock and spoken perverse things to draw away the disciples.
Please take another look at the photo. That's what happened to a church that didn't return to its first love but did manage to keep out false apostles. What do you think will happen to churches that can't do either? The lampstand already has started to be removed from America, and unless we repent and return to our first love, Christ - Word of God and our Lord - we will not be spared Ephesus' weed-covered desolation.
Please feel free share this site, link to it and/or to email me your comments or questions.
May the Lord God bless you, and may He be glorified in all you do, for only He is worthy of glory.