The Importance Of Perseverance

St. Paul said to those Christians living and worshipping in Rome that, to be eternally saved, one must confess publicly that Jesus is Lord and Christ, and to believe in his heart that God raised Jesus from the dead. Paul wanted all men to declare Jesus Christ as Lord. The apostles warned everyone to believe in Jesus and be baptized in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. These first century preachers of the Gospel of the Kingdom exhorted all men to be confirmed in the faith and filled with the Spirit of God through the Church’s Sacraments of baptism and confirmation respectively. No man lives as an island. All of mankind is to hear the Word of the Lord coming forth from Zion, the Church, and to respond by going to the House of the Lord to hear and learn of His ways. The Lord loves the blessed unity of His saints as they gather for public worship. When attending the public worship of God, one should determine within one’s heart to worship God with all of one’s heart, soul, mind and strength, and to love and be kind to all of one’s neighbors, especially their Christian brethren as a good steward of the relationships God gives us in life. Through prayers, conversations, and Eucharistic Adoration with the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, as well as with all the saints (living and in heaven) and holy angels, one should nurture and maintain this very real fellowship with the living God, Christ the King, and all of the saints both living and departed. Our Lord Jesus is building His church, outside of which there is no ordinary means of salvation. Believers are to gather with Christ’s church for the public worship of God, which would include not forsaking participation in the Eucharist with the body of Christ. This was the exhortation to the Hebrews Christians as they were enduring the Great Tribulation. They were also taught to remember those who have the rule over them-their bishops, pastors, and spiritual authorities and mentors-remembering their godly way of life and their shepherding and feeding of souls. It is important that one not allow life’s trials, setbacks, discouragements, or even the Church’s insensitivities to tempt one to forsake assembling every Lord’s Day with Christ’s people to worship God publicly.