Morning Moments

[Rom 1:8] First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world.

Everybody was talking about the Roman Christians’ faith, but what do you suppose they were saying? Do you suppose everyone was talking about the incredible edifice they had erected in which they could hold their worship services? No a chance! Maybe they were talking about how they had taken over the Roman government there in Rome and made it Christian. No way! Then maybe they were talking about seeing feathers fly down from the ceiling of their place of meeting as a church here in our city claimed they saw. Nope! Then whatever could Paul have meant that their faith was spoken of throughout the whole world?

Let me suggest several things that the world should know about our faith that I believe it learned about theirs:

1. True faith is forgiving, so any trespass against any one of them would have been forgiven – that is something for the world to know.

2. No sin ever committed by any one of them would ever be held against any of them – that is something for the world to know.

3. Conflicts are resolved, broken marriages are mended, abused ceases, there is a new closeness of spouse to spouse and parent to child and sibling to sibling – that is something for the world to know.

4. They cared so much for the poor that they would not let them go without food or shelter or clothing – that is something for the world to know.

5. Those who own businesses treated customers honestly and fairly and no long sought to cheat them or beat them out of anything – that is something for the world to know.

6. They renounce personal independence to cooperate with the Holy Spirit and humbly but confidently work together – that is something for the world to know.

7. They possess a deep and abiding love for one another and for those who are not Christians and want to best for them as well – that is something for the world to know.

8. They meet together in unity and harmony and refuse to squabble about things that do not matter – silly things that cause division – that is something for the world to know.

9. The thought of not sharing this blessed Gospel with the world is unbearable to them – that is something for the world to know.

All the wonderful things that made the Church then what is was and should be what makes the Church that is today like it – these things of faith are what the world needs to know about us.

BLESSINGS!