The first love is the main ingredient of the existence of the church as the body of Christ.  If the church has turned into a world icon for political, cultural, monumental religious and economic interests, the church loses its DNA as the Body of Christ.  Still fresh in our memories is Notre Dame Cathedral; a cathedral filled with millions of connections to personal and cultural life is now a place for new political resentments.

The 850-year-old Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, which takes more than 300 years to complete, is a constant in many lives, but in a moment, fire has turned one of the world’s icons into ashes. Many historical, cultural and religious treasures are buried there.  What do we learn from the great “Church” of Notre Dame?  I am reminded of Christ’s words,“I know your works, your toil and your patient endurance, and how you cannot bear with those who are evil, but have tested those who call themselves apostles and are not, and found them to be false. I know you are enduring patiently and bearing up for my name’s sake, and you have not grown weary. But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first.”(Revelation‬ ‭2:2-4‬ ‭ESV‬‬). 

Our love for Christ cannot be exchanged for ideological, religious, political or economic interests.  The love of the church to Christ is a measure of a healthy relationship between the church and Christ, and the church with all God’s people.

Shalom
Ev. Emil Zheng