Bless them which persecute you: bless, and curse not. Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep. Be of the same mind one toward another. Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits. Romans 12:14-16

So you think its easy to be as Christian? Just say a few words and vola , the golden ticket to Heaven. Oh how quickly the false convert will fall away when faced with opposition. Consider the words of the Apostle Paul here, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, Bless them which persecute You, bless and do not curse! What did you say Paul? Has the Apostle lost his mind?

Well lets consider what our Lord Jesus Christ has to say, “Love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you” (Matthew 5:44) Wait a minute, the Apostle Paul is not crazy, this is what The Lord commands from us! This is true Christianity, but how can we fulfill these requirements? Its only by us crucifying the flesh, its only by us being Born Again, filled with the Holy Spirit, the flesh can’t love their enemy, oh the spiritual battle that is within!

Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep! This is one of the many reasons for the Church, if you are not part of the body of Christ, who will you rejoice with? If you forsake the assembly of the Church, who will you weep with? Brothers and sisters, you were not made to live alone (Genesis 2:18) Christ has built His Church (Matthew 16:18) a community of believers for you to rejoice and weep with, to share your spiritual gifts (1 Peter 4:10), to fight the good fight of faith (1 Timothy 6:12)

“Be of the same mind toward one another or live in harmony with one another” Many will say I can’t “go to Church” because this person is rude or that person doesn’t agree with me, Brothers and Sisters, if you are to love your enemies, don’t you think you should also love your brethren? Don’t you think this is part of your sanctification? The Church needs you just as much as You need the Church! “Don’t set your mind on high thing or don’t be proud associate with the lowly” In other words Get over yourself! 

Again I will ask the question, do you think being a Christian is easy? No of course not, we need Jesus every hour, every minute, every second, to crucify our flesh, to walk worthy in our calling as the Church, Amen!

Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good. Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another; Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord; Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer; Distributing to the necessity of saints; given to hospitality. Romans 12:9-13

So what does it mean to live as the Church? As a Christian you don’t live like the world, or for the world, you live for Christ. The Apostle Paul teaches us, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, “Let love be without dissimulation or hypocrisy/be sincere” How did Christ demonstrate his love for you? (Romans 5:8) Jesus died on the cross for You, even though we were still sinners, even though we were still in rebellion with God. That’s true love, love with action not just words. 

Again going back to saying you love Christ, yet neglect His Church, is hypocritical love. You love in words, yet not in action, your life doesn’t reflect your heart. “Abhor to what is evil, cling to what is good” The problem with modern day Churchianity, is alot of self professed Christians love what is evil and hate what is good! Woe to them who call evil good and good evil (Isaiah 5:20) It’s very easy to detect a false Church from a true Church, as Jesus said “You will know them by their fruits” (Matthew 7:16)

A true Christian should adhor or hate what is evil, but yet many Christians want to conform to the ways of the world, but we need to be transformed by Jesus Christ (Romans 12:2) Cling to what is good, that’s the gospel of Jesus Christ, the only way you can be saved (John 14:6) A true Church doesn’t need worldly entertainment, they need to cling to the gospel of Jesus Christ, they need to cling to the sacraments instituted by The Lord, they need to cling to prayer, they need to cling to one another in Christ!

“Be kindly affectionate with one another in brotherly love” While the world is “dog eat dog”, the Church loves one another. This is why the Church is strange to the world, why do we love one another? Why do we gather and worship? Because Jesus is our Lord, there is nothing like the Church, that is why Satan tries to destroy and fabricate a false Church. 

“Never be lacking or slothful in business, not lagging in diligence, fervent in Spirit, serving The Lord” This should be the motto of the Church, not lazy but on fire for The Lord serving The Lord. If Jesus is truly your Lord, then why don’t you do what he says? (Luke 6:46) If your going to talk the talk, you must walk the walk, a true Church serves The Lord our God “persistent in prayer” Amen!

For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith. For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office: So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another. Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith; Or ministry, let us wait on our ministering: or he that teacheth, on teaching; Or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness. Romans 12:3-8

There are many “Christians” today who will claim they don’t need “The Church”, they don’t have to go to “Church”, but the reality is , if you are truly a Born Again Christian, then you are the Church, to forsake the assembly of the Ekklesia, you are denying yourself, you are denying Christ since the Church is the Body of Christ. As the Apostle Paul states here, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit “not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think” Many “Christians” will claim they are too good for that Church, they know more than the Pastor, they don’t like the music, but if you are part of the body of Christ, you are part of them in Christ

One of the biggest of neglecting the Church , is the neglect of the gifts of the Holy Spirit. “For as we have many members in One body, and all members have not the same office or function” If you are a Born Again Christian, you have a gift of the Holy Spirit, maybe multiple gifts, however if you forsake the Church, you can’t utilize your gifts from God because of your disobedience. One of the reasons the Church needs each other, is because together we are strong when we combine the gifts of the Holy Spirit. But when the Church is separated, it becomes weakened and more vulnerable to the attacks of Satan 

“So We, being many are One Body in Christ and individually members of one another” You are not your own, you were bought with a price (1 Corinthians 6:20) If you are a Christian you are part of the Body of Christ, and you belong to the Church in Christ. If you continually forsake the assembly of the Church (Hebrews 10:25) are you really a Christian? Are you really Born Again in Christ? If you are then you are part of the Body of Christ, the Church, this is not negotiable. 

 “Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us” When you forsake the Church, you forsake your gift of the Holy Spirit, which was intended for the Church. What an awful thing to “bury your talent” (Matthew 25:14-30) When The Lord returns will ask you “What have you done with this gift given to you”? Will Jesus say “Well done good and faithful servant” (Matthew 25:23) Or “You wicked and lazy servant” (Matthew 25:26) Serve The Church, because the Church needs You, and You are a servant of Christ, Amen!