Is Christ Still Your First Love?

There was likely a time when your relationship with Christ felt fresh and deeply personal. You looked forward to prayer. You searched the Scriptures with expectation. Worship was more than a song, and serving God was more than an obligation. You wanted to know Him, please Him, and remain close to Him.

As the years pass, however, responsibilities increase. Distractions compete for our attention. Ministry can become routine, prayer can become hurried, and Bible reading can become something we intend to do when time allows.

We may still attend church, sing in the choir, serve in ministry, and say the right things. Yet beneath all that activity is an important question:

Is Christ still our first love?

A Church That Had Lost Its First Love

In Revelation 2, Jesus addressed the church at Ephesus. From the outside, this church appeared strong. Its members worked faithfully, remained patient during difficulty, and refused to tolerate false teaching. Jesus acknowledged these good works.

Then He said:

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

The church had not stopped working, but something had changed in its relationship with Christ. The people remained active, disciplined, and discerning, yet their love was no longer where it had once been.

This warning reminds us that religious activity and spiritual intimacy are not the same. We can serve Christ while slowly becoming distant from Him. We can know the songs, attend the services, and perform our responsibilities while our hearts grow cold.

Jesus did not say that the Ephesians had lost their ability to work. He said they had left their first love.

What Does It Mean to Love Christ First?

When Jesus was asked which commandment was the greatest, He answered:

“Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.” Matthew 22:37, KJV

To love Christ first means that He holds the highest place in our hearts. It means our relationship with Him shapes our priorities, choices, attitudes, and actions.

Loving Christ first does not mean neglecting our families, work, ministries, or responsibilities. It means that everything else in our lives is placed in the proper order beneath our devotion to Him.

Christ must be more than someone we call upon when we are in trouble. He must be the center of our daily lives.

Signs That Our Love May Be Growing Cold

Spiritual distance does not always happen suddenly. It often develops gradually through small compromises, neglected prayer, misplaced priorities, and growing distractions.

We may need to examine our hearts if:

1. Prayer has become an obligation instead of a desire to spend time with God.

2. We regularly make time for entertainment and other interests but struggle to make time for Scripture.

3. Worship has become a performance rather than an offering from the heart.

4. We are more concerned about how others see us than how God sees us.

5. We serve faithfully in public but neglect our relationship with Christ in private.

6. We resist correction or excuse behavior that does not honor God.

7. Our love for recognition, comfort, possessions, or success has become stronger than our desire to obey Christ.

These signs are not reasons to give up. They are invitations to return.

Remember, Repent, and Return

Jesus did not simply identify the problem at Ephesus. He told the church what to do:

“Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works.” Revelation 2:5, KJV

His instruction gives us a clear path back to spiritual closeness.

• Remember

We should remember the devotion we once had. Think about the time when prayer was a priority, Scripture spoke clearly to your heart, and worship drew you closer to God.

Remembering is not about living in the past. It helps us recognize what has changed and what needs to be restored.

• Repent

Repentance means more than feeling guilty. It requires honesty before God and a willingness to turn away from whatever has taken His rightful place.

We may need to repent of spiritual neglect, pride, bitterness, disobedience, or misplaced priorities. God already knows what is in our hearts. Repentance brings those things into the light and opens the way for renewal.

• Return to the First Works

Jesus told the church to do the first works. We return by making room for prayer, studying the Word, worshipping sincerely, obeying God, and serving from a heart of love.

These practices do not earn God’s love. They help us remain close to the One who already loves us.

Love Is Revealed Through Obedience

Love for Christ is not measured only by emotion. It is also demonstrated through obedience.

Jesus said:

“If ye love me, keep my commandments.” John 14:15, KJV

It is possible to speak passionately about loving God while resisting His instructions. Genuine love produces a desire to please Him, even when obedience is uncomfortable or costly.

Obedience does not mean we will never struggle or fall short. It means we continue surrendering our will to Christ and allowing His Word to guide our decisions.

When Good Things Take First Place

Not everything that competes with Christ is sinful. Sometimes good things gradually take a place they were never meant to hold.

Family is important. Ministry is important. Careers, goals, and responsibilities are important. But none of them can take the place of Christ.

We can become so busy doing the work of the church that we neglect the Lord of the church. We can become devoted to a position, tradition, or program while losing the tenderness that once marked our relationship with God.

Our identity must be rooted in Christ, not in our title, talent, ministry assignment, or public recognition. Those things may change, but Christ remains.

An Invitation to Examine Our Hearts

The question, “Is Christ still your first love?” is not meant to condemn us. It invites us to examine our hearts honestly and return to God wholeheartedly.

David prayed:

“Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” Psalm 139:23–24, KJV

This is a prayer for every believer. It asks God to reveal the distractions, attitudes, and attachments that have affected our devotion to Him.

If Christ is no longer first, we do not have to remain distant. We can return through sincere repentance, renewed obedience, and a restored commitment to spend time in His presence.

Return to Your First Love

Christ is not asking for a place somewhere in our lives. He desires first place.

He wants more than outward service. He wants our hearts.

Today is an opportunity to remember, repent, and return. We can ask God to renew our desire for His Word, restore joy to our worship, and help us love Him with all our heart, soul, and mind.

The question is deeply personal, and only we can answer it honestly: Is Christ still our first love?

From the PSGMA Radio Archives

This article was inspired by the spiritual discussion shared by Rev. Black and Pastor Karen Phillips during the November 26, 2024 PSGMA Radio broadcast, A Spiritually Sick Nation. All Scripture quotations are taken from the King James Version of the Holy Bible.