The apostasy of the church is that she has been distracted and divided by various and endless issues so that iniquity has abounded, the love of many has become cold, and she has left her first love (Colossians 2; Matthew 24:12; Revelation 2:4). The Lord does not have an issue with her because she is meeting together on the wrong day or any other issue. The early church met every day of the week. The Lord’s message to the church is that he has somewhat against her because she has left her first love. The two great commandments of the Lord are to love him with all our heart, mind, soul, and strength, and to love our neighbor as ourselves. If this is operating, issues are put aside, there is strong outreach to the world, and the commission he gave us to preach the gospel to the whole world is being fulfilled. You see this in the life of Jesus and the early church. Failure to have a life focused on fulfilling the commission of God’s love to reach the world is a violation of these two love commandments he gave us. Jesus said these commandments are the first and great commandments – “This is the first and great commandment. And the second like unto it…on these two commandments hang all the law and prophets” (Matthew 22:37-40). “There is none other commandment greater than these” (Mark 12:29-31).
We will be deceived by being distracted by and studying issues instead of remaining focused on Jesus to do what he said to do. He demonstrated a life of loving God with all his being and loving his neighbor as himself. The early church followed in his footsteps. Jesus said he would fulfill the law completely, with nothing left out (Matthew 5:17-20). Paul summed it up saying the law is fulfilled in one word, to love your neighbor as yourself (Galations 5:1-18, esp. vs. 14). John made it plain that if a person says he knows God but does not keep God’s love commandments and hates his brother, he is a liar and is in darkness (1 John 2:4,9). John’s three letters are all about keeping the two great love commandments that Jesus emphasized. He clearly says this in 2 John 5,6, referencing the commandment “which we had from the beginning, that we love one another”.
Keeping the two great love commandments is what the early church operated on. The person who is walking in the love of God will meet together with the people of God on whatever day they meet in order to worship God and build up and encourage each other (Hebrews 10:24,25). It is living in the first love. It is walking in the Spirit. It is setting your face toward Jerusalem to accomplish the task before you without distraction (Luke 9:51). To be distracted by issues of what day to meet on or any other issue is to step into division and deception, not love. If you will focus on living out the two great commandments that Jesus left us, you will not be deceived (Psalms 138:8). You will finish your course with victory. You will accomplish all that God has for you to accomplish. You will hear “Well done…good and faithful servant…enter into the joy of thy Lord” (Matthew 25:21).