First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world. For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of his Son, that without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers; Making request, if by any means now at length I might have a prosperous journey by the will of God to come unto you Romans 1:8-10
While many Christians view “Church” as optional or unneccessary, here we see the deep love the Apostle Paul has for the Church of Rome. It’s a demonstration of love when we understand the Church is a family of God, a spiritual community of believers and not an institution. When others become our spiritual brothers and sisters through The Lord Jesus Christ. Without this foundation, your walk as a Christian is in serious danger of being led to the broad road of destruction
The Apostle Paul begins with saying “I thank God through Jesus Christ for you all” Wow, what a beautiful statement, have you thanked God for the brothers and sisters in your life? Can you imagine your life without the Church? Think about this, its only because of The Lord Jesus Christ we are saved and united, if none of us were saved, there is a good possibility many of our paths would have never crossed. The unity of Christ is a powerful thing, I think its often reminded and demonstrated during the sacrament of Communion. We are all united together by one bread and one cup, a remembrance of our Lord Jesus Christ and what He has already done for us all
So what influence does the Church have? Think about what the Apostle Paul says here “that your faith is spoken throughout the whole world” The Church of Rome was in the heart of the Roman Empire, the capital of paganism and wickedness. Yet the Church had a major influence on this wicked society, the Church of Rome was the salt and light Christ has called us to be, what influence does your Church have on your community? Is your Church involved in representing Christ in the community?
Another question is how often do you pray for your brothers and sisters in Christ? As the Apostle Paul says here “I make mention of you always in my prayers” Instead of criticizing your brothers and sisters, are you praying for them? If your not happy with the state of the Church, are you praying for them? Are you praying for your Pastor and Elders? Are you praying for the Holy Spirit to lead and guide your community? Prayer is a powerful thing, typically you can tell alot about someone’s spiritual life by their prayer life.
The Apostle Paul strongly desired to be with his brothers and sisters in Rome, his dedication to Christ and the Church ultimately led to him losing his life in Rome. Do you have a strong desire to fellowship with your brothers and sisters in Christ? Keep praying for the Church to be the Salt and Light in your community, to produce fruits of the Holy Spirit, to make disciples of everyone in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, Amen!
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