[Revelation] To the Church at Ephesus Sýnishorn

Success According to Whom?

We can judge the success of a church by the number of attendants, by the excitement perceived during services, by the knowledgeable and charismatic preacher, and by the number of likes and followers in social media, to name some indicators. However, the evaluation submitted by the Lord Jesus to the church of Ephesus is quite different. In that letter, we find the Lord praising the believers for their endurance, their perseverance, and their intolerance of false teachers and false doctrines. Therefore, the Lord’s indicators have to do with hard work, suffering, and spiritual discernment.  

A truly successful Christian is portrayed very well in the praises and exhortations found in the seven letters to the seven churches in Revelation. The Apostle Paul exhorts us to examine ourselves to see whether we are in the faith. “Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you—unless, of course, you fail the test.” (2 Corinthians 13:5, NIV). Whether we realize Christ is in us or not determines whether we pass or fail the test. This realization is a result of our committing our lives to Him, and of His indwelling in the heart and spirit. The fact that Jesus dwells in our hearts renders a continuous calling to worship, to seek Him, hear Him, and surrender our lives to Him.  

Going back to the letter written to the Ephesians, we find Jesus talking to he who has an ear. He is, therefore, exhorting those who can listen to Him—those who are willing to accept his reprimand—to look at the mirror He is placing in front of them. It is a mirror that portrays our true spiritual condition. Jesus gives a final test that asks the only valid question to those who have endured; have you acknowledged the height from which you fell, and have you repented? We might ask whether He means if we are repenting for not doing the right things, or not serving enough. But no, it’s all about the heart. Have we served much and hard to feel good about ourselves? Have we attained a place of leadership that makes us feel proud and superior to those we lead? If we have, we must examine the true intentions of our hearts and repent. If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing, because love is not self-seeking. 

Remember the test deals mostly with our heart and with our loving and passionate devotion to our Lord.