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Empire. Therefore it was also the epicenter of the Christian movement in Asia Minor.
Patmos
The church at Ephesus had endured much for their faith. They had suffered and had not grown spiritually tired. False teachers had attempted to infiltrate the Ephesian church. They are Nicolaitans mentioned in 2:2, 6. Their practices or teachings are specifically identified because the focus is the faithfulness of the church. This tells us that the Ephesian church was diligent to eliminate false teaching before and after Johns day. Assuming the date for Revelation as 90 A.D. we find Ignatius writing in 110 A.D. praising the church in Ephesus for rejecting those who promulgated heretical doctrines .
Where we are in chapters 2 and 3 as we look at the greater context of the Letter of Revelation Ironically though, the Ephesian church and its leadership may have gone too far in rooting out heresy. Jesus asserts that the spiritual problem in the church described as a forsaking of "rst love" (2:4). This is generally taken to mean the church members love for one another, and others. If this interpretation is correct then it is possible that hatred of heresy had created suspicion and intolerance of each others differences and weaknesses. This could have lead to an undue preoccupation with always being "correct," resulting in the proverbial "straining at a gnat and swallowing a camel." This is an important lesson to the church at large. Doctrinal purity is important to the Christian faith but we must be cautious because it can unintentionally lead to a critical spirit. We can defend the faith in power only if we rst remember to defend love for one another (John 13:34). Since God is love then Christians will reect that love as they are being kept by God the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
animated faith
following Jesus like never before! October 2012
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