 |
| An impressive front. |
O Lord, spare us from such deceit.
Amen.
Impressive facade:
- Have workS, labour, patience...
- Intolerant of the evil men...
- Hate the deeds of Nicolaitans
- Exposes and denounces the liars.
Insidious rot within:
- Have left the first love
- Are fallen from the first love
- Have neglected the first works.
(*insidious: adjective, proceeding in a
gradual, subtle way, but with very harmful effects.)
Rev 2
1 Unto the angel of the church of
Ephesus write; These things saith he that holdeth the seven stars in his right
hand, who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks;
2 I know thy works, and thy labour, and
thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried
them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars:
3 And hast borne, and hast patience,
and for my name’s sake hast laboured, and hast not fainted.
4 Nevertheless, I have somewhat against
thee, because thou hast left thy first love.
5 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.
6 But this thou hast, that thou hatest
the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.
