“Perverted notions about God soon rot the religion in which they appear. The long career of Israel demonstrates this clearly enough, and the history of the Church confirms it. So necessary to the Church is a lofty concept of God that when that concept in any measure declines, the Church with her worship and moral standards declines along with it. The first step down for any church is taken when it surrenders its high opinion of God.” (A.W. Tozer)
In this blog we want to deal with the statement that the first step down for any church is when it surrenders its high opinion of God. Notice that the statement by Tozer does not say how big the step is, but just that it is a step down. He also says that it is the first step as if the other steps going down are going to be taken if the first step is. Is he exaggerating when he says this? Surely, however, if God has given His people all that they need for life and godliness through the knowledge of Him (II Peter 1:3-5), then a step away from a high opinion of God is also a step away from true life and godliness. If eternal life is found and experienced in knowing Him, then a step away from a high opinion of God is also a step away from true life and godliness. I find that instead of an exaggeration of the issue, Tozer has understated the issue.
We see the problems of this in the book of Revelation. In 2:4 of Revelation the church is told that they “have left your first love.” They were told that their lampstand would be removed if they did not repent. This would have been a model church in our day. They had deeds, toil, and perseverance and they tested men who claimed to be apostles and they could not tolerate evil men. These people had perseverance to the point that they endured for the sake of His name and did not grow weary in that. But they were told that their lampstand was about to removed because they had left their first love. Could Jesus have been reacting a bit strongly against this church? Or could it be that this church had taken a step down and given up a high view of God? Can one leave God as their first love and still maintain a high view of God? Surely the answer is self-evident.
What would Christ say to churches today? Perhaps He would say nothing but simply leave. The church in Ephesus sounds like a conservative, Bible-believing, hard-working church. They persevered even in the face of persecution. They had great deeds and toil for the Lord. How many churches could have it said about them today that they could not tolerate evil men? How many churches today could have it said about them that they tested men as to their claims? So this church was far beyond many if not the vast majority of conservative churches today. But they had fallen from their first love. This means that they had surrendered to some degree some part of a high view of God. This is simply devastating.
The church in Sardis (Rev 3:1-6) was also commended because of its deeds and for having a name that it was alive. However, Christ said that it was dead. This is devastating! To be told by Christ that you are a dead church is completely devastating, and especially when it had the reputation for being alive. How many “churches” today have reputations for being active, growing and alive and yet Christ knows that they are dead? This sounds like churches that have a lot of activity and yet no real spiritual life in them. What is their problem? Most likely they have taken a step down from a high view of God at some point and have become more like social clubs and spiritual feel good places where people come by to get a little spiritual talk. Perhaps they have programs that help people in far away places and maybe give things to the needy in their own area, and so they are commended for their deeds and have a name for being alive since they have activities and growth. But if they do not have a high view of God, they are dead.
The church in Laodicea had deeds, but it was lukewarm (Rev 3:16). Imagine that a church worked hard and did many things, but it was lukewarm. Imagine even more that a church worked with earnestness and did many things with enthusiasm, but its enthusiasm was not from a real love for God. In other words, it was lukewarm for and toward God. As verse 19 says, they were to be zealous and repent. What happens to a church that has grown lukewarm toward God? It has taken that downward step and has taken a lower view of God. A step down in the view of God is also a step down in loving God and a step down in zeal for God. The churches in Revelation were in trouble because they had a lowered opinion of God. The churches in the U.S. are in trouble for the same reason. We think that our troubles are because we are not in touch and sing old music, but our troubles are because we are lukewarm and have little if any love for God and His glory. We have become centered on man and are idolatrous in our evangelism and worship. We think God is all about us. We must repent and cry for revival.
God Loves... Himself 
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