Les Feldick Bible Study

What was the Ephesian church in Revelation lacking despite being doctrinally correct?

Despite doctrinal correctness and ordered discipline, the Ephesian church addressed in Revelation was lacking love. Its doctrines were straight and its discipline in order, yet without love those things counted for nothing. The Lord's letter identified this absence of love as the church's major deficiency.

Les explains that the letter to the church at Ephesus in Revelation describes a church that was correct in everything: its doctrines were straight and its discipline was in order. Yet the Lord Jesus, speaking that letter to that church, identified its major lack as no love. Les stresses that it does no good to have all doctrines straight or perfect discipline if there is no love, because then it counts for nothing. He ties this to Paul's message to the Corinthians: even understanding all mysteries or having faith that could remove mountains amounts to nothing without love, and Paul says he will come to them in the spirit of love.