Romans 12 -- When Troubles Comes at Church

"I urge you, brother, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God - this is your spiritual act of worship." (verse 1)

First, we have to understand that it is NOT because we are good enough, so that we can go to church and serve God, but because of His grace and mercy, so that we can enjoy being part of His family, otherwise we are no different from others but a sinner who deserve to separate from God in eternity.

Therefore because we are now saved by his mercy, we know what is more important in life and our purpose and mission in life, which is to love the lord and then the neighborhoods, so that the image of God's love and grace and mercy can be shown through our life to others, and even can be shown to ourselves while showing it to others. By doing that, we need to have some sacrifices in life; maybe our time, or our righteous, or our comfort zone. We need to give it up all. That's what it called the "Living Sacrifices".

Though, we are NOT doing it! "I urge you, brother!" Why Paul was so urging? I can imagine that it is probably because the people at church were forgetting about being a "Living Sacrifices" at church. Church-going-people started to complain God and the uncomfortable life after following Jesus. They started to blame the church that it does not offer enough to help them to grow so that now they were drafting away from God. They started to live life selfishly. Instead of giving, they started to ask for offering. They started to ask "I want this, I don't want that" to God, as well as to the church. They were not being the "Living Sacrifices" for the body of Christ. No wonder they do not grow because their life is no longer different from others who doesn't follow Jesus, yet they still goes to church and clam as follower of Jesus. Those people were hurting the body of Christ, and that was the reason why Paul was so urging!!!

Do you think this situation somewhat apply to CCCO? Are you being the "Living Sacrifices" for God and for the church, or the one who seat and do nothing but complain?

If you are the first kind, the bible have some thing to tell you follows in Romans 12.

"Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, and faithful in prayer. Share with God's people who are in need. Practice hospitality." (verse 11-13)

Remember the first love between Jesus and you. Remember we are saved not by our righteous but by His grace and mercy. Remember there are sacrifices needed in life, but the best is yet to come. Don't give up! As this is the spiritual act of worship.

If you are the second kind, please ask yourself why do you clam yourself as a Christian anyways? The worse kind of people that God hates the most are those who knows and clam themselves who knows the laws but they do not actually because they do not follow the laws. This is a shame, and you are hurting the church. If you think CCCO does not offer enough for you, and you think you deserve more then what we get from your "10%-offering" or even less then 10%, and you seat and do nothing and keep complaining, I personally think CCCO don't want your money, and please leave the church, because you are really hurting us. Perhaps you can "shop" around the city and look for a "better" church. The church only need God's people who love the Lord.