Photo by Fadi-XD on Unsplash
Let me break it down.
To “return” implies having left.
“My first love” implies more than one.
The rise of lawlessness
It is an attack, a coordinated effort to drive a wedge between God and man.
The attack isn’t coordinated by flesh and blood, though humanity must carry it out.
This is an attack from the prince of the power of the air, the Spirit of darkness, called satan (intentional lower-case) or the devil.
The year 2025 was riddled with stories about blatant lawlessness, gender identity, and anti-Semitism.
The Apostle Paul addresses the issue in his second letter to the believers in Thessalonica.
“Concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered to him, we ask you, brothers and sisters, not to become easily unsettled or alarmed by the teaching allegedly from us—whether by a prophecy or by word of mouth or by letter—asserting that the day of the Lord has already come.
Don’t let anyone deceive you in any way, for that day will not come until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the man doomed to destruction.”
2 Thessalonians 2:1-3 New International Version
Lawlessness will increase, and good will be seen as evil.
“What sorrow for those who say
that evil is good and good is evil,
that dark is light, and light is dark,
that bitter is sweet and sweet is bitter.
Isaiah 5:20
In 2025, lawlessness was put on public display worldwide. Good being called evil became commonplace.
Mark my words, 2026 will only see an increase in these activities, and here’s why.
- The Apostle Paul gave Timothy explicit instructions about the time in which we live.
“Don’t be naive. There are difficult times ahead.
As the end approaches, people are going to be self-absorbed, money-hungry, self-promoting, stuck-up, profane, contemptuous of parents, crude, coarse,
dog-eat-dog, unbending, slanderers, impulsively wild, savage, cynical,
treacherous, ruthless, bloated windbags, addicted to lust, and allergic to God.
They’ll make a show of religion, but behind the scenes they’re animals. Stay clear of these people.”
2 Timothy 3:1-6 The Message
The apostle tells Timothy (and us) to “stay clear of these people.”
- The Bible is very clear about the position, fall, and purpose of Lucifer, the anointed cherub that was covered.
“How you have fallen from heaven, morning star, son of the dawn! You have been cast down to the earth, you who once laid low the nations!
You said in your heart,
‘I will ascend to the heavens;
I will raise my throne above the stars of God;
I will sit enthroned on the mount of assembly, on the utmost heights of Mount Zaphon.
I will ascend above the tops of the clouds;
I will make myself like the Most High.'”
Isaiah 14:12-14 New International Version
This angel’s hatred for God knows no bounds and has no limits in ways to attack humanity.
Man (male/female, the human race) is made in the image and likeness of God.
It makes sense for the devil to attack humanity.
In the beginning, God made a man and a woman. He gave explicit instructions that they were to marry and create offspring.
It makes sense for the devil to attack gender.
God told the man (the male species) not to do certain things under the punishment of death.
The man conveyed God’s commands to the woman.
Together they sinned.
It makes sense for the devil to send lawlessness into the land.
The Bible is very clear about Israel’s position. They have been chosen by God for a plan and purpose that impacts the end of time (as we know it).
It makes sense for the devil to make Israel a globally hated people.
What does this have to do with returning to my first love?
It has a lot to do with it.
For example, what I have described is the post-modern world we live in.
If we, Christ-followers, are not leaning into our first love, we will fall prey to these strategies of our adversary.
How do I know this?
Christmas stories of churches and religious organizations, unrighteous depictions of the nativity scene, are but one example.
Churches and religious organizations openly embrace human behavior that violates God’s word.
I must be quick to add that loving the sinner, but hating the sin, means embracing the sinner in the midst of the sin and helping them turn away from it.
Embracing the sin along with the sinner is a distortion of God’s word, and this, too, is a Strategy of the devil.
But, enough of that.
I have been captured by God the Holy Spirit by two specific verses.
- Find faith?
Telling a story about an unjust judge, Jesus concludes the story by saying,
“And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off?
I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?”
Luke 18:7-8 New International Version
These words of Jesus have bothered me for many years. I have thought, how can the righteous not have faith? I never made sense to me.
However, after living through 2025 and seeing the explosion of hatred across the globe, I gained an understanding.
- First love lost
In the New Testament book of Revelation, the Apostle John is given instructions for seven churches. I am not entering into a theological debate about the symbolic meaning of these churches, but only to express some words the angel gave to John to tell several of the churches.
“To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: These are the words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand and walks among the seven golden lampstands.
I know your deeds, your hard work, and your perseverance. I know that you cannot tolerate wicked people, that you have tested those who claim to be apostles but are not, and have found them false.
You have persevered and have endured hardships for my name, and have not grown weary.
Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken the love you had at first.”
Revelation 2:1-4 New International Version
By all appearances, the Ephesus believers were doing it right. They were leaning into the Lord, and yet, Jesus tells them they have forsaken (lost) the love they once had.
Return to your first love
Bearing the scars of an unwanted divorce, I understand the pain (and progression) of losing your first love.
It starts slowly, with an unspoken disappointment here, a miscommunication there, and, over time, grows into a subtle dislike, until, eventually (if not brought into check), it becomes hatred.
This is what I witnessed in 2025: the evolution of hatred in humanity. I saw it in all walks of life and all classes of society.
My focus is Christ, and the Christ-following community of believers.
As a former pastor (the divorce played a part in that), I understand firsthand the power of religion.
I believe religion is a devil-inspired concoction to keep humanity on the outside looking in, while deceiving them into thinking they are the insiders.
The Apostle Paul calls it a form of godliness, yet denies its power.
“They will act religious, but they will reject the power that could make them godly. Stay away from people like that!”
2 Timothy 3:5 New Living Translation
I believe religion is a major contributor to people walking away from Christ.
How many times have I heard people say through the years, (a lot) they lied to me? They told me God would do this or that, and they lied.
If you think about it, what a perfect scheme to discredit God in the eyes of people who are reaching out to him, but have no one to teach them the truth.
But, be that as it may,
I have witnessed the slow erosion of love in humanity, which brings me to my theme for 2026: returning to my first love.
If it resonates with you, I invite you to follow along.
If it doesn’t, I wish you the best in your journey.
It is a journey, and it will take time to complete it. There are no short-cuts, fast cars, planes, or trains that can take you there.
It will happen one step at a time and will likely involve a few setbacks along the way.
You must decide if it is a journey you are willing to make.
As for me and my house, we have set out to return to our first love.
In the stories that follow,
I will break down what it means to return to your first love,
offer suggestions to get back to your first love, and
share some of my personal journey to return to my first love.
The cry of the Spirit has gone out.
Humanity has entered a time of historical proportions, and being close to God will mean the difference between finding spiritual freedom and deepening spiritual bondage.