"Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works, or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lamp-stand from its place—unless you repent. To him who overcomes I will give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the Paradise of God” (vv.5,7)
Here in chapter 2 of the Book of Revelation, we come to the “things which are,"given to us in our outline in Revelation 1:19. As John begins to address the seven churches of which he was an overseer, we see that his messages have a pattern; remember, repent, return, and reward.
Here in our text Jesus is telling the church of Ephesus to remember when they were first established, the fire they had for the things of God, the passion for His doctrine. He then lovingly corrects them saying, “repent" and do your first works." In other words, recognize the fact that you have fallen away, that other things have become more important, and “return” to what you know in your heart is right and do it!
We've all made mistakes, we’ve all sinned and come short of the glory of God, but the only way back is through repentance and His forgiveness. And, as promised to the church of Ephesus, in doing so there is great reward. In this case, "access to the tree of life in the midst of the Paradise of God," the gift of eternal life.
Therefore, if you find yourself drifting away from God, or even way down the road from where you once were with Him, grab ahold of the message here; remember from where you have fallen, repent, and return to God. He will forgive and forget the past, receive you unto Himself, and reward those who overcome through Him.
The Truth: "Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb down the middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations.” (Revelation 22:1-3)
