Notes - Thou hast left thy first love

Revelation 2:4 - Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love.

One first step toward leaving your first love: Hebrews 12:3b, being wearied and fainting in your mind.  Not fainting in your performance, but in your mind.  The Ephesians who left their first love still maintained their good works but not the right heart.

Cross reference Revelation 2:4 with Matthew 15:8, the ultimate result in the progression of good works without the proper heart: "This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me."

NOTE: They didn't slip away from their first love, or fall away from their first love, they actively left their first love.  Same Greek verb for "divorce."

These notes taken during a Bible study led by  Pastor Edward R. Mast

Hebrews 10:25 - Not Forsaking the Assembling

Hebrews 10:25 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.

"Assembling" is unique here and in II Thessalonians 2:1 ("gathering"), where it speaks of the Rapture. So the word picture is clear of which "day" we see "approaching." - VM

The emphasis is not on what you GET from the assembly, but on what you CONTRIBUTE to it. - VM

"The body is not weakened by the absence of the lost. The body is weakened by the forsaking of the saved. It is handicapped." - Pastor Edward R. Mast

"Those forsaking the assembling will soon forsake the God of the assembling. They will stop walking with the Lord; they will lose their love for the brethren; and their compassion for the lost will dry up." - Pastor Edward R. Mast (paraphrased)

Verse 25: Cross ref Malachi 3:16-18

"Love and good works" (v. 23) should be performed while "not forsaking" (v. 25). In other words, don't skip scheduled church services for the purpose of other good works or charity or love. - VM

The preparation for verse 25 is verse 22. - VM

VM

Hebrews 11:3

Hebrews 11:3 - Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.

Understand: to perceive with the mind; to heed, consider, apprehend.*

We do not simply accept or passively receive the fact that God created everything from out of nothing by speaking it into existence.  We UNDERSTAND it.  Some will simply go along with it.  We APPREHEND it.  We take it gladly take it into our minds and hearts.  We EMBRACE it.

*(Strong's # 3539, Greek noeo.  Definitions from both Thayer's and Vine's.)

VM - expanded from a note taken during a sermon by Ignacio Rovirosa.