Does God’s commendation mean that you have God’s approval?

In Revelation 2:2 & 3, The people making up the Ephesian Church are commended for their ministry work. Yet God makes it clear in the next verse that they are not loving Him. He tells them, “You have forsaken your first love.” If you are involved in ministry and not loving Him, you are in ministry and not loving people!

Because they did not love God, He gives them a warning; “If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lamp stand from its place.” God tells the hard working, sin hating, doctrine-loving, people that ministry involvement without love for Him is His way. His way has always been the way of love. Love is supposed to be the motive of all godly action.

To maintain that you are expressing  a love for God and a love for people by ministry involvement is not the same as ministry involvement because you love God and love people!

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