The twelfth chapter of Romans is a masterful discourse concerning the daily life of those who decide to become disciples of Jesus Christ. We are to present our bodies as living sacrifices. We must avoid being conformed to the image of this world but rather should be transformed by the renewing of our minds. While avoiding thinking too highly of ourselves, we are expected to think soberly, constantly seeking the will of God for our lives and walking in faith. The Apostle Paul also provides instruction for how we as a church should accomplish the mission given to us by the Lord. We must utilize our diverse talents and experiences in unity to advance His Kingdom. That purpose can only be fulfilled when we work together as a body. In verse nine, Paul speaks directly to the manner in which all of these principles may be lived out: we must "Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good."

The word dissimulation means “the concealment of one’s true thoughts.”  Synonyms include hypocrisy and deception. It implies the wool being pulled over one’s eyes to disguise or camouflage the truth. The Bible tells us that we should love without dissimulation. Love God without dissimulation. Love each other and your neighbor without dissimulation. In modern terms, we would probably say "be authentic." We must be the church. We must speak the truth in love. We must be authentic, and we are called to be Authentically Apostolic!

We must be confident enough in the Word of God and in our doctrinal stance to boldly claim that there is evil in our world, and we must abhor that which opposes God. We refuse to be silent while our society attempts to brainwash our children into accepting the ungodly notions of the social justice movement and the secular humanism that is called science. We will not be intimidated by those who decry our stance for holiness and promote a genderless America; we will stand up for what the Bible and common sense both uphold: "Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female" (Matthew 19:4). We anticipate with joy the future destiny of America to be the nation that protects Israel from the reach of the Antichrist and long to do our part to transform this once godly nation into a safe haven for those seeking the freedom to worship the Lord "in spirit and in truth" (John 4:23). We will seek the face of God in our personal lives and measure ourselves against the standard of the Word of God, not the expectation of this "wicked and adulterous generation" (Matthew 16:4).

It will require more than simply calling ourselves Pentecostal. We will become and remain Authentically Apostolic!

Pastor Jonathan Copeland