Being a Christian is not easy. Sometimes we are led to believe that it is. Not only are there external pressures from a secular worldview, but there are internal pressures as well— from within the Christian community . It can be dispiriting. 

After hearing about the tensions that existed between Jewish Christians and Gentile Christians, Paul encouraged both to behave like Christians. He wanted them to recognize that they had more in common than their differences. 

In his encouragement, he provided a laundry list, in chapter 12, that is applicable to us today:

v1. Present your bodies as a living sacrifice. No longer do we have to offer up dead sacrifices according to the OT law. We are the sacrifice.

v2. Do not be conformed to this age . We should not compromise on what we know to be true.

v3. N ot to think of himself more highly than he should think . We must be  humble.

v4-8. We are one body in Christ.   There is no greater or lesser in the kingdom of God. Though we are gifted in different areas of ministry, we are one.

v9a.  Let love be without hypocrisy. Our love must be without motive. It should be pure and unfailing.

v9b.  Detest evil;  cling to what is good. We cannot let our good be evil spoken of (Romans 14:16).

v10.   Honor one another. We must rejoice in the success of another. Do not be grudgeful.

v11. Serve the Lord with zeal and fervency.

v12a. Rejoice in hope. For our Lord will return for us someday—that is our hope.  

v12b. Be patient in affliction.   For our momentary light affliction is producing for us an absolutely incomparable eternal weight of glory ( 2 Corinthians 4:17) .  

v12c. Be persistent in prayer. We must never neglect to pray.

v13. P ursue hospitality. We must learn  to share with and be courteous to others.

v14. B less and do not curse. Show kindness to those that are not kind to us.

v15-18.  Live at peace with everyone.   We must not conjure up strife. Blessed are the peacemakers (Matthew 5:9).

v19-21.  Do not be conquered by evil, but conquer evil with good. The only way to conquer evil is with goodness and love. Be good.

"Christianity is hard because it aims to soften hearts. One of the tough facts of Christianity is that we must face up to the fact that we are fallen. We are often not what we ought to be."— Matthew Nelson