The Christian’s "First Love"

Nothing of emotional value or inward transformation can match the “first love” of a genuinely converted soul. Moving from darkness of sin to the light of perfect forgiveness is absolutely supernatural. The weight of the sin nature is crushing, but the weight of guilt from the transgressed laws of God is devastating. It is no wonder that our world rejects anointed preaching because it magnifies sin and its results, both here and for eternity. When great Holy Ghost conviction suddenly begins to awaken human consciousness in a Sovereign move of God, people will be so deeply affected that they will not stand on their feet, but crumple to the floor. When you research the Welsh Revival, the Hebrides Island Revival, etc., you find the common occurrence of sinners crumbling under the weight of conviction of sins and their lost state.

After a true experience of Holy Ghost conviction and the deep event of being born again, the “first love” or initial love of that soul for God is overwhelming. The only possible example that is even close to this joy of “first love” with Christ is the joy of falling in love with one’s God-ordained husband or wife. The book of the Song of Solomon is a rendering picture of human love compared to Divine love. The language of love in this book is beautiful. My wife Juanita, the queen of Joseph, and I have experienced that passionate abandonment to one another. But, this human picture of love that Solomon beautifully displays is still far inferior to Divine love that will be manifest in this “first love” between Christ and His new disciple. Jesus described this love with the parable of the hidden treasure. When this treasure is discovered, the first thought and act is to sell all you have and purchase that treasure. “…when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it.” (Matthew 13:46) It’s love like no other love.

Satan’s greatest attack against every soul that has discovered this “first love” is to destroy it. It is impossible to go back to the old life until and unless that newborn saint leaves that love. Our Father has always intended that our love for Him and Christ would keep us in every trial. It is supernatural because it is two-way. You cannot passionately love Him without being the recipient of a great love flooding your heart and soul. He never quits loving His entire world, but there is no capability to receive His love without a loving heart to Him. Our intense and passionate love to Him is forever the doorway for His love through Christ to us.

The loss of “first love” is a plague in the church world. We do not lose it by accident; we must leave it by negligence or choice. Sadly, the majority of those that leave their “first love” never regain it. They often continue to be religious, but do so only in a lifeless way. The majority of souls that leave their “first love” have no capacity to admit their loss. They either don’t see it or are too proud to confess it. One of the greatest truths of this subject is that you will never lose your joy of salvation and great delight of worship if you never leave your “first love.”

Our Lord, Jesus Christ, made of great importance our “first love” and promised strict discipline for its loss. After speaking of the faithfulness and dedication of His church at Ephesus, He stated, “Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy “first love”. Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.” (Revelation 2:4-5)

Laboring for Him is not as important to Him as our love of Him. He wants a passionate love for Himself filling our heart and soul. Hard, dedicated labor in the Kingdom loses all of its value when it becomes rote servanthood without soul brotherhood. He wants my heart, not just my back. He wants me to worship Him and to pour out myself in His presence with the joy of my whole heart.

If you labor without the expressions and actions of love, you will soon find that a distance from God has settled upon your life and it will be a joyless life. Now, comes His discipline, “…repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.” (Revelation 2:5) ThatÂ’s a serious warning and He does not say what He does not mean. When you leave or lose interest in your “first, passionate love” with Christ; you will lose your place in His will. Whatever you do in the spiritual realm will be empty and meaningless until you repent. I do not believe that good, faithful workers who are in this state, but refuse to repent and return to their “first love”, are ready for the Rapture. I beg you, if you are in this condition, solve it in your closet of prayer immediately.