Remember therefore from where you are fallen, and repent,

and do the first works." Rev_2:5

Let the backsliding believer be brought to this first step.
"Remember from where you are fallen"-revert to your past
history, your former spiritual state-remember your first sorrow
for sin, the first joy of its pardon-remember the spring-tide of
your first love-how precious Jesus was, how glorious was His
person, how sweet was His cross, how fragrant was His
name, how rich was His grace-remember how dear to you
was the throne of grace, how frequently you resorted to it,
regarding it of all spots on earth the most blessed-remember
how, under the anointings of adopting love, you walked with
God as with a Father-how filial, how close, how holy was your
communion with Him-remember the seasons of refreshing in
the sanctuary, in the social meeting, in the closet; how your
soul did seem to dwell on the sunny sides of glory, and you
longed for the wings of a dove that you might fly to your Lord;
remember how, publicly and before many witnesses, you put
off sin and put on Christ, and; turning your back upon the
world, took your place among the followers of the Lamb-
remember how holy, and circumspect, and spotless your walk,
how tender was your conscience, how guileless was your
spirit, how humble and lovely your whole deportment. But
what and where are you now? Oh, remember from where you
are fallen! Think from what a high profession, from what an
elevated walk, from what holy employments, from what
hallowed joys, from what sweet delights, and from what
pleasant ways have you declined!

But in the exhortation given to the backsliding church at
Ephesus, there is yet another instruction equally applicable to
the case of all wanderers from the Lord: "Repent, and do the
first works." How can a departing soul return without
repentance? by what other avenue can the prodigal reach his
Father's heart? Repentance implies the existence and
conviction of sin. Ah! is it no sin, beloved reader, to have
turned your back upon God? is it no sin to have lost your first
love, to have backslidden from Jesus, to have transferred your
affections from Him to the world, or to the creature, or to
yourself? is it no sin to go no more with the Shepherd, and to
follow no more the footsteps of the flock, and to feed no more
in the green pastures, or repose by the side of the still waters?
Oh yes! it is a sin of peculiar magnitude; it is a sin against God
in the character of a loving Father, against Jesus in the
character of a tender Redeemer, against the Holy Spirit in the
character of a faithful Indweller and a Sanctifier; it is a sin
against the most precious experience of His grace, against
the most melting exhibitions of His love, and against the most
tender proofs of His covenant faithfulness.

Repent, then, of this your sin. Think how you have wounded
Jesus afresh, and repent; think how you have requited your
Father's love, and repent; think how you have grieved the
Spirit, and repent. Humble yourself in dust and ashes before
the cross, and through that cross look up again to your
forgiving God and Father. The sweet promise is, "They shall
look upon Him whom they have pierced, and shall mourn for
Him as one mourns for his only son."