Repeatedly the New Testament exhorts us to care for one another as fellow members of the body of Christ. In fact, the Lord Jesus desires all believers to be functioning effectively as a partner/members of His body, the church. Paul has an important word for us on this very important matter in Ephesians 4:15-16:

But speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him, who is the head, even Christ, from whom the whole body, being fitted and held together by that which every joint supplies, according to the proper working of each individual part, causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself (through the One Another ministry) in love. (Italics mine)

This One Another care is to be an outworking of our fellowship with other believers, but we seem to have lost sight of what the Bible means when it speaks of fellowship. Too often when Christians think of fellowship they think in terms of what goes on in that room in the church called “fellowship hall.” Since fellowship is a very important part of caring for one another this study will begin by answering the question—what is meant by fellowship in the New Testament?

And they were continually devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer (Acts 2:42, emphasis mine).

A study of two word groups used for fellowship in the Greek New Testament, koinos (koinov), koinonia (koinwnia), koinonos (koinwov), etc., and metochos (metocov), metoche (metoch), express four related and essential elements that describe what fellowship involves: relationship, partnership, companionship, and stewardship.¹ The meaning of these two word groups can be boiled down to two main ideas:

(1) “To share together, take part together” in the sense of participation and partnership, and

(2) “To share with” in the sense of giving to or receiving from others, sharing what we have with one another.

Since fellowship is so important and forms an essential foundation for understanding the ministry we are to have with one another, let’s look at these four main concepts of New Testament fellowship.

Fellowship Means Relationship

In the New Testament what is shared in common is shared first of all because of a common relationship that all Christians share together in Christ. Koinonia (koinwnia) was an important word to both John and Paul, but it was never used in merely a secular sense. It always had a spiritual orientation, a spiritual base, and a spiritual purpose.

The idea of an earthly fellowship founded upon just common interests, or human nature, or physical ties like in a family, or purely physical church affiliation, or merely self-centered interests that sport enthusiasts might share together was completely foreign to the Apostles.

In the New Testament, believers can have fellowship on a horizontal plane and share together because they first of all have a vertical relationship with God through His Son, the Lord Jesus, and because they can share together in Christ’s life and hold His purposes in common (cf. 1 Cor. 1:9 with vs. 10f, then see 1 John 1:3). Interestingly, the NEB translates 1 John 1:3 as, “what we have seen and heard we declare to you, so that you and we together may share in a common life, that life which we share with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ.”

Principles:

(1) New Testament fellowship is first a sharing together in a common life, the life of the Savior, with other believers through relationship with God and His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.

(2) Fellowship is, therefore, first and foremost a relationship, rather than an activity. Any activity that follows is to flow out of this relationship. Here is the common ground, the core and the heart beat of all Christian fellowship that is truly biblical.

(3) This means that fellowship occurs in two spheres or levels—the vertical and the horizontal—and each supports and promotes the other.

Fellowship Means Partnership

Both word groups could also mean to share together in the sense of a partnership. As sharers together of the person and life of Jesus Christ, we are automatically copartners in His enterprise here on earth. If we are truly sharing in His life through the Word and the ministry of the Holy Spirit, we will also share in His concerns, goals, priorities, and leadership.

The idea of partnership is easily illustrated in the use of both of these word groups, koinonos and metachos in Luke 5:7, 10.

Luke 5:7 and they signaled to their partners (metchos, mevtoco”) in the other boat, for them to come and help them. And they came, and filled both of the boats, so that they began to sink.

Luke 5:10 and so also James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners (koinos, koinwnov”) with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon, “Do not fear, from now on you will be catching men.”

NOTE THIS COMPARISON: RELATIONSHIP VS. PARTNERSHIP

(1) The word “relationship” describes what we are: A community of people bound together by our common life and blessings that we share together through our relationship with Christ.

(2) The word “partnership” describes how we are related to each other in that relationship: We are partners in an enterprise and calling in which we are to work together in a common purpose to obtain common objectives for the glory of God and the gospel of Jesus Christ (cf. Phil 1:27).

Fellowship Means Companionship, Communion

Definition of Companionship:

Companionship is the interchange or the communication (communion) that exists among companions, those associated together through a relationship they hold in common. So, what’s the key ingredient to companionship? Communication. Key words would include ideas like interchange, communion, sharing.

Definition of Communication:

Communication is the interchange or the sharing of concepts, feelings, ideas, information, needs, burdens, etc., through words or other symbols like body language and actions so that all members of the relationship can share and thus minister to each other as they have opportunity and are sensitive to the needs of one another.

In the Christian community, fellowship means learning to communicate on a spiritual level through a mutual sharing of the things of Christ by means of the Word, the Spirit-controlled life, and the ministries and gifts of the various members of the body of Christ.

But what’s the purpose of this? To promote a fuller appreciation of Christ and His sufficiency for our lives, whatever life brings, through mirroring and ministering Him to one another.

What does companionship through communication include? Well, remember, there are two spheres of planes of fellowship. So it would include:

• The Vertical—our communion and fellowship with the Lord through the Word, prayer, and the filling of the Holy Spirit, the abiding life.
• The Horizontal—our communion and fellowship with the body of Christ, with other believers.

Our horizontal fellowship includes at least three things:

(1) Obviously, it must first include assembling ourselves together: (a) Assembly of the whole body (Acts. 2:42; Heb. 10:25). (b) Assembling in smaller groups (2 Tim. 2:2). (c) Meeting together one on one (1 Thess. 5:11).

(2) Sharing and communicating together. But what are some of the ways we can do this?

(a) Sharing truth with one another, sharing with others what God has taught us with a view to building others up (Rom. 1:11-12; 2 Tim. 2:2; 1 Thess 5:11; Philemon 6).

(b) Sharing together in the company of others the various aspects of worship as (1) the Lord’s supper (communion) (1 Cor. 10:16); (2) the singing of hymns, psalms, and spiritual songs (Eph. 5:19; Col. 3:16); (3) prayer (1 Cor. 14:16-17); (4) the ministry of the Word (Acts 20:20; 2 Tim. 2:2; 1 Pet. 4:10-11).

(c) Sharing together as partners in the needs, burdens, concerns, joys, and blessings for the purpose of encouragement, comfort, challenge or exhortation, praise, prayer, and physical help according to needs and ability (cf. Phil. 1:5 with 1:15; cf. also Phil. 1:27 with 2:4; 4:3; finally note Rom. 12:15; and 1 Thess. 5:11, 14, 15; Heb. 10:33).

This means we must develop the loving art of communication for the purpose of ministry, encouragement, and edification. It means: (a) The willingness to share our own hurts, burdens, and aspirations. (b) The willingness to really hear what others are saying so we may minister to needs according to the directives of the Word. (c) Above all, it means developing a very definite motivation, the motivation of words that are acceptable in God’s sight and that edify others (Ps. 19:14 and Eph. 4:29). Every motivation of our hearts and every word out of our mouths must be consistent with the purpose of building others up. Paul is telling us that we should utter nothing that compromises or interferes with this objective.

Interestingly, Scripture does not tell us what words to say; rather, it tells us what our motivation should be. It is this motivation which, if right, will control our thoughts and then our words.

The ultimate goal here is to build up and enrich others in the things of Christ so they may experience the sufficiency of His life. As the early church was first devoted to the apostles teaching, they were also devoted to sharing with one another of the all-encompassing sufficiency of the Savior and what Christ was meaning to them (Acts. 2:42; Heb. 3:12-14).

Fellowship Means Stewardship

A steward is one who manages the property of another. He is not an owner, he is only a manager. All that we have in reality belongs to God (Ps. 50:10-11; 104:24-25; Dan. 2:38), and it is required of stewards that they be found faithful to the stewardship entrusted to them (1 Cor. 4:1-2).

This stewardship includes five general areas: time, talents (spiritual gifts), temple (our bodies as the very dwelling place of the Spirit [1 Cor. 6:19]), God’s truth, and our treasures (our earthly goods).

As stewards we must recognize that all we have belongs to the Lord and has been given to us as trusts from God to invest for His purposes. We have the privilege and responsibility to invest every aspect of our lives, including of course our material possessions for the work of promoting the gospel and helping others in need. But good stewardship stems from recognizing that our relationship to Jesus Christ also means our partnership with Christ in His enterprise on earth.

In any good partnership, the partners share equally in all aspects of the partnership:

1. the privileges and responsibilities,

2. the assets and liabilities,

3. the blessings and burdens.

What kind of partnership would it be if one partner took all the income and enjoyed all the privileges of the partnership and the other partner did all the work and paid all the bills? Would you enter a partnership like that? No, probably not! Partners are to share and share alike in all the aspects of their enterprise. A good example is what we see in Luke 5:7-10. The partners may not do the same things. They usually work and share according to their abilities, expertise, and training, but they still share the load.

It is interesting that one of the most prominent uses of the koinonia group of words is its use in connection with sharing material blessings: giving money to meet financial needs. In 36 uses of these word groups, 9 times they are used specifically in connection with giving and in a couple of other passages giving would be included among other aspects of fellowship or working together as partners in the stewardship of all we are (Acts 2:42 and Phil. 1:5; Heb. 10:33).

Some specific passages where giving is in view are:

1. Koinoneo, koinonew—Rom. 12:13; 15:27; Gal. 6:6; Phil. 4:15

2. Koinonia, koinwnia—Rom. 15:26; 2 Cor. 8:4; 9:13; Heb. 13:16

3. Koinonikos, koinwniko”—1 Tim. 6:18

4. Metecho, metevcw—1 Cor. 9:10, note context in vss. 9-14

What does all this mean? It means that as partners in Christ’s enterprise on earth, we each need to share and invest all aspects of our stewardship with others in the realization that we are not owners, only stewards of what God has entrusted (not given, but entrusted) to each of us.

The following verses stress this with all aspects of our stewardship:

1. Time—Eph. 5:16; Ps. 90:12; 39:4-6

2. Truth—1 Cor. 4:1; 9:17; 1 Tim. 4:6f; 6:20; 2 Tim. 1:14; Rom. 3:2; 1 Thess. 2:4

3. Talents or Spiritual Gifts—1 Pet. 4:10-11

4. Treasures—1 Tim. 6:18-19; Matt. 6:19-21; 2 Cor. 8:3-4, 7-8; 9:6-15

5. Temple—1 Cor. 6:19

Returning to the subject of the One Another injunctions of Scripture, the big question is, “How do we have the kind of fellowship that encourages, edifies, and serves one another?”

To focus our attention to the One Another concept, the Holy Spirit used a special Greek word, a reciprocal pronoun, allelon (allelwn) meaning “one another.” The term “reciprocal” means “mutual, shared, shown or felt alike by both sides; united in feelings, actions, responsibilities, and attitudes.” Reciprocal implies a return in due measure by each side in the matter discussed. This reciprocal pronoun is frequently used in statements and injunctions to Christians regarding the responsibilities that believers are to engage in for the mutual help and blessing of one another. The frequency of these injunctions point up the importance of this truth to the growth, health, and ministry of the body of Christ.

All together these One Another passages may be grouped together into 18 or more specific categories of responsibility where Christians are to be ministering in the lives of fellow members of the body of Christ. Just a brief look at these passages will quickly reveal two things: (a) the need we each have of the ministry and aid of others, and (b) our responsibility to minister to others.

As members of the body of Christ (Romans 12:5) we are also members of one another. Just as all the members of our bodies (arms, legs, head, etc.) are diverse and consist of many members, so believers are all part of one body with each one being essential. The One Another passages and injunctions remind us:

(1) That no man is an island—no individual believer can function effectively by himself. We need the help and love of other members of the body. We need encouragement, counsel, prayer, or physical help, depending on our particular needs at any given moment.

(2) That every believer is important and essential to the proper function of the church—the body of Christ. While this will vary in one’s life, still, each believer needs help in some way, but also each has something to contribute to the well being, growth, and ministry of the body of Christ.

Foundations and Motivations
for the One Another Commands

A study of these One Another passages yield a number of principles that lay the foundation and set forth the reasons why God has given us these exhortations in the New Testament. The following principles speak strongly against our age of independence, loneliness, and insensitivity to others. The tendency is for people to simply do their own thing and go their own way in their search for happiness regardless of the needs of others or upon whom they may trample in the process. Ironically, when we pursue this path, we are searching for happiness in all the wrong places. Indeed, when we do this we have followed the deceptions of the world and Satan; we have placed our trust in the wrong things, worshipping what we think they can give us, rather than resting in God and His plan for our lives (see Matt. 4:8-11). So what constitutes the foundation and motivational reasons for the One Another injunctions of Scripture?

Because We are God’s Children

Ephesians 5:1 Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children;

As will be demonstrated in the following paragraphs, the One Another passages are a commentary on how to love and care for one another in the body of Christ. In Ephesians 5:1, especially when understood in its context that precedes (note the words “Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, …” 4:32), and the context that follows (“walk in love, …” 5:2), the Apostle gives us the greatest of all reasons and the highest standard one can imagine. The “therefore” (oun, oun) introduces the close of the preceding section on Christian behavior, particularly in the realm of that which manifests love for others like forgiveness. There is no gap between 4:32 and 5:1. The “therefore” (oun, oun) may be regarded as synoptic—“in a word.” (NEB)²

The Apostle is telling us we are to become in life, in our daily experience, what we are in reality as believers in Christ. We are the children of God through the new birth and as the children of God we are to grow up like our heavenly Father, we are to imitate His character since He is the epitome of love, a love that is kind toward one another, that forgives just as God in Christ has also forgiven us (4:32), and that was demonstrated in the gift of the Lord Jesus, God’s Son who gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma (5:2). Anything short of this is inconsistent with who we are in Christ and the miraculous regenerating work of God. To be unloving as God’s children is an absurdity.

Because We are Brethren

Acts 7:26 And on the following day he appeared to them as they were fighting together, and he tried to reconcile them in peace, saying, ‘Men, you are brethren, why do you injure one another?’

Romans 15:14 And concerning you, my brethren, I myself also am convinced that you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, and able also to admonish one another.

1 Corinthians 16:20 All the brethren greet you. Greet one another with a holy kiss.

Galatians 5:13 For you were called to freedom, brethren; only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.

1 Thessalonians 4:9 Now as to the love of the brethren, you have no need for anyone to write to you, for you yourselves are taught by God to love one another;

The New Testament clearly states that faith in Christ results in spiritual regeneration, the new birth, born again by the Spirit of God into the family of God. We become related to God as His spiritual children and to all other believers in Christ as brethren regardless of gender, race, culture, education, or position in society. We become a part of one huge spiritual family. We share the same spiritual Father, the same spiritual blessings, and as a family we should have a special love for one another. The One Another emphasis of the New Testament is closely tied to the fact of our spiritual relationship as brethren.

Brethren should work together, love, and serve one another. This was the point of Moses as recorded in Acts 7:26. Because we are brethren—family—we have a special relationship and should care for one another.

Because We are Members of One Another

Romans 12:5 so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another.

1 Corinthians 12:25 that there should be no division in the body, but that the members should have the same care for one another.

Ephesians 4:25 Therefore, laying aside falsehood, speak truth, each one of you, with his neighbor, for we are members of one another.

The New Testament also teaches that when we put our faith in Christ, the Holy Spirit joins us through Spirit baptism into union with Christ and His Spiritual body, the church. To show just how we are related to each other and how we should therefore act toward one another, the New Testament uses the analogy of the human body. The concept of the church as the body of Christ is a recurrent analogy and one rich in meaning.

In the three passages above, this analogy and relationship are used as the basis for various One Another responsibilities. As with the many and varied members of the human body, so we, as believers in Christ, are members of one another and we are to live, think, and act accordingly. We are to act in ways that are consistent with a caring and unified body under one head—Christ. When we think or act otherwise, we both hinder and hurt the proper function of the body. This truth is to be a protection against division.

The One Another actions of the body are the natural and necessary products of being members of one body. These actions promote unity, care of one another, and result in greater effectiveness through diversity and the use of our gifts. The One Another passages of the New Testament are designed to hinder independent individualism, apathy toward other believers, ineffectiveness of the church through idle members, and the spirit of clericalism and “spectatoritis.”

Because We are Taught by God to Love One Another

1 Thessalonians 4:9 Now as to the love of the brethren, you have no need for anyone to write to you, for you yourselves are taught by God to love one another;

Some instructions for Christians come through their brethren in Christ. But other lessons are taught by God to His children directly, things that almost intuitively seem right for a Christian to do. Loving other Christians is such a lesson. Christians quickly learn that there is a real kinship between believers, and they relate to other Christians in a way they do not relate to those outside God’s family. The Thessalonians had already learned to love each other even though they were new Christians. Paul pointed out that God Himself had taught them this.³

1 John 4:7 Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God.

The writer now returned to the subject of love which, like faith in God’s Son (v. 13), is a product of the Spirit. As a confession of the incarnate person of Christ marks one off as being actuated by God (i.e., “from God,” verses 4, 6) so does love, since love comes from God. Hence, one who loves (in the Christian sense of that term) has been born of God (cf. 2:29; 3:9; 5:1, 4, 18) and he knows God. Love stems from a regenerate nature and also from fellowship with God which issues in knowing Him (see 2:3-5). The absence of love is evidence that a person does not know God. Significantly, John did not say such a person is not born of God. In the negative statement only the last part of the positive one (in 4:7) is repeated. Since God is love, intimate acquaintance with Him will produce love. Like light (1:5), love is intrinsic to the character and nature of God, and one who is intimately acquainted with God walks in His light (1:7).⁴

1 John 4:12 No one has beheld God at any time; if we love one another, God abides in us, and His love is perfected in us.

Again, the apostle shows that loving one another is a proof of fellowship—the abiding life. In John’s terminology, the words, “God abides in us” refers not to the indwelling presence of God, but to fellowship or the abiding life.

Because God has Loved Us

1 John 4:11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.

Caring for one another is a response to God’s love for us and His purposes through us. Since we have experienced the gift of God’s love and the new life it brings, we ought to love others as the recipients of this new life. Those who have been so touched by God’s grace, ought to love one another as a response of gratitude, but also as a living manifestation of God’s love to others, a visible manifestation of the true but invisible God (cf. 4:12).

Because It’s the Expression and Fulfillment of God’s Word and Will

Romans 13:8 Owe nothing to anyone except to love one another; for he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law.

Matthew 22:35-40 And one of them, a lawyer, asked him a question, testing him, 36 “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” 37 And He said to him, “You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. 38 This is the great and foremost commandment. 39 The second is like it, You shall love your neighbor as yourself. 40 On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets.”

Jesus means that no commandment is greater. These two commands stand to the rest of Scripture as source, sum, substance, and goal. This means that the rest of Scripture, like these One Another commands, provide us with a commentary on these two responsibilities setting forth the means, manner, motive, method, and destination of our lives.

Without the reality of these two commands in our lives as both source and course, derivation and destination, obedience to the rest of Scripture will become merely legalistic demands. The legal demands become burdens that we seek to obey to gain points with God and with men, and all our works and ministries naturally become acts of self-love. They are things we do for praise, power, position, or to feel better about ourselves.

Matthew’s account which adds, “on these two commandments depend the whole Law and the prophets” and Paul’s statement, “Owe nothing to anyone except to love one another; for he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law,” stress that our ability to enter in and fulfill the rest of Scripture hinges like a door on the reality of these two paramount commands. Without the reality of these two, we will miserably fail to be the people God has called us to be.

(1) The Principle of Source (Internal Controls)

Love for God and our neighbor becomes our source and means of obedience in the other imperatives of Scripture by virtue of internal motives and the inner ability to carry out the commands of God by the power of God’s love operating in us by the ministry of His Spirit (cf. Gal. 5:22; 1 Thess. 4:2-9).

(2) The Principle of Supervision (External Controls)

We need the imperatives, principles, promises, and guidelines of Scripture as a whole to guide us in the wise expression of God’s love so that it does not degenerate into mere sentimentality, self-indulgence, or the compromise of righteousness. The rest of Scripture, like a light in the darkness, gives us the revealed will of God in the expression of how to love. Paul’s prayer for the Philippians in Philippians 1:9-10 reminds us not only of the need of more and more love, but love with spiritual and biblical discernment.

(3) The Principle of Substance and Summary (Controls Defined and Directed)

Love for God and one another is the very essence, heart, goal, and substance of the rest of Scripture. These two commands sum up the rest of God’s commands in His Holy Word.

As a kind of summary of Matthew 22:34f; Mark 12:29-31, and Romans 13:8, please note the following:

(1) This means that the rest of Scripture and the One Another injunctions give us God’s commentary on loving God and loving one another. They provide us with the means, manner, motive and method. The other commands like those against murder, stealing, adultery, etc., are never the end or goal in themselves, but find their meaning and purpose in these two things—love for God and love for others who are made in the image of God (cf. 1 Tim. 1:5).

(2) Morality without the knowledge of God and the absolutes of Scripture cannot long exist. Moral living must be founded on the reality of God, man’s love for God, and the absolutes of the Bible. If this is not the foundation, morality will crumble and with it society.

(3) These passages stress the necessity of a heart relationship with God through the Word of God. Love for others can only grow out of the soil of love for God as it is fed and watered by fellowship with God in His Word. Without this, you and I will end up with a life that is pharisaic (i.e., external, sterile, artificial, petty, critical, selfish, and lifeless). Our actions of love, if we have any, will be full of hypocrisy. Compare Romans 12:9, “Let love be without hypocrisy.”

(4) In these passages we also find the concept of vision. Vision means having God’s Word, and from the insight it brings into one’s life, seeing as God sees and allowing that sight to direct one’s path. Having vision flows out of devotion to God’s person. But to have vision we must start with God’s Word and our relationship with Him.

Because We Want to Glorify Him

1 Peter 4:10-11 As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. 11 Whoever speaks, let him speak, as it were, the utterances of God; whoever serves, let him do so as by the strength which God supplies; so that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belongs the glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.

Here is a wonderful passage that calls us to serve one another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God according to the particular gifts God has given us, whether a service gift or a speaking kind of gift, for both are given to enable us to minister to one another. But the basis and motivation for whatever we do is God’s glory that in all things He may be glorified through the Savior. Only through our new life in Him do we have both the needed spiritual gifts for ministry, and the capacity and strength to live an other-oriented, non-selfish life as epitomized in both the Father’s gift of His Son and the Son’s gift of His own life for us.

With these seven principles as a basis for our thinking and response to God’s grace and purposes, let’s look at some of the One Another injunctions of the New Testament.

The Basic and Primary Commandment:
“Love One Another”

Our Responsibility in Loving One Another

John 15:12, 17 This is My commandment, that you love one another, … This I command you, that you love one another.

Loving and caring for one another is not an option for the Christian. It is a mandate. It is solid proof of our love for the Lord and our fellowship with Him.

Our Example in Loving One Another

John 13:34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another.

John 15:12 This is My commandment, that you love one another, just as I have loved you.

The Lord provides us with the perfect human example in every way, manner, degree, extent, and purpose. Though being God of very God, He left heaven’s glory and became a servant in the form of humanity, and He went to the cross to bear the shame of our sin and guilt. He did all this with a specific goal in mind—to bring men to God and heal their lives (1 Pet. 2:21).

And so it must be with us. God has left us here to minister.

Our Means and Motive in Loving One Another

Galatians 5:13-26 For you were called to freedom, brethren; only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. 14 For the whole Law is fulfilled in one word, in the statement, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” 15 But if you bite and devour one another, take care lest you be consumed by one another.

16 But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh. 17 For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you please. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the Law. 19 Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality, 20 idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, 21 envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you just as I have forewarned you that those who practice such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. 24 Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.

25 If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit. 26 Let us not become boastful, challenging one another, envying one another.

The One Another commands, as with all the injunctions of Scripture, can only be carried out when we are controlled by the Spirit and thus filled with the love of God. Without the control of the Spirit, we will become indifferent to the needs of other, being dominated by the deeds of the flesh, and we will seek to meet our own needs for significance, praise, applause, or the approbation of men at the expense of others (cf. 1 Tim. 1:5).

Our Objectives in Loving One Another

(1) For a testimony to the world of the reality of God’s love in Christ: John 13:35: “By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”

(2) For loves continues to increase:

(a) Increase: “and may the Lord cause you to increase and abound in love for one another, and for all men, just as we also do for you” (1 Thess. 3:12); and (b) Intensity and Spiritual Source: “Since you have in obedience to the truth purified your souls for a sincere love of the brethren, fervently love one another from the heart” (1 Pet. 1:22). “Above all, keep fervent in your love for one another, because love covers a multitude of sins” (1 Pet. 4:8).

(3) For ministry and service to others: Ultimately, ministry and service summarize all the One Another injunctions that follow as expressions of God’s love for others.

Conclusion

God has called us to be a ministering people. Every born again Christian is a believer-priest (a minister by calling) who is to serve in various ways both inside and outside the church. The following are some questions we each need to ask:

(1) Ask God where He wants you to serve Him in ministry to others. The fields are white, the needs are all around us. We need to ask and pray that He will thrust us out as labors into the harvest.

(2) Ask God to burden your heart for the area of ministry He has for you. Note the three-fold work of the Godhead in 1 Corinthians 12:4-6. The word “varieties” used in this passage can also be translated as “distributions” which brings out the sovereign direction of God in our ministries. There is (a) the giving of gifts for ministry by the Holy Spirit (vs. 4), (b) the Lord Jesus’ direction in ministry (vs. 5), and (c) the Father’s blessing and prospering of those ministries (vs. 6).

(3) Ask God to give you a vision for ministry, to make you bold and available. Proverbs 29:18 says, “Where there is no vision, the people are unrestrained, …” Vision ultimately refers to God’s revelation to us as we have it today in the Bible. And it is this book that gives us God’s vision or revelation of His purpose for us in loving and ministering for others for Him here on this earth, but this will only occur when it takes shape in specifics as we find the areas of ministry where God wants to use us.

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1 See Jerry Bridges discussion of these four in relation to koinonia in his book, True Fellowship, Navpress, Colorado Spirngs, 1985, pp. 16-23.

2 The Expositor’s Bible Commentary, Frank E. Gaebelein, general editor, Vol. 11, Zondervan, Grand Rapids, 1981, p. 66.

3 John F. Walvoord and Roy B. Zuck, The Bible Knowledge Commentary, Scripture Press, Wheaton, IL, 1983, 1985, electronic media, p. 702.

4 Ibid., pp. 898-99.

In the gospels (Matthew 22:34f; Mark 12:28f; and Luke 10:25f) we have the story of the lawyer who, on hearing how well the Lord had answered the Pharisees, asked Him a very important question to which the Lord gave an answer that is fundamental to these One Another injunctions. The lawyer asked which was the foremost (greatest) commandment of all in the Law. The Lord’s answer—the foremost commandment is to love God with all your heart. But He didn’t stop there. Loving God, which includes knowing God intimately and having faith in Him, naturally leads to a second commandment—loving others as we do ourselves.

In Part One it was mentioned that in these two great commandments we have the principles of Summary and Substance. These two summarize the Bible and give us the basic substance of the Word of God and of what fellowship with God produces. Love for God and one another is the very essence, heart, and substance of the rest of Scripture. These two commands sum up the heart and goal of the rest of God’s commands in the Word. In other words the rest of Scripture gives us God’s commentary on loving God and loving one another. In doing this Scripture provides us with the means, manner, motive and method.

The other commands and principles of Scripture are never the end or goal in themselves, but find their meaning and purpose in these two things—love for God and love for men who are made in the image of God. As the Apostle wrote, “the goal (the end in view) of our instruction (apostolic or biblical instruction) is love from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith” (1 Timothy 1:5).

Thirteen times in the New Testament we find the injunction, “love one another.” These injunctions to love one another give us the substance and summary of our responsibility to others while the other One Another commands tell us how. They form God’s commentary on what it means to love one another.

These One Another commands come in two varieties: (a) There are the negative commands—what we are not to do, and (b) the positive commands—what we are to do.

The negative commands are basically canceled out by obedience to the positive commands. This reminds us of a very important concept in Scripture, the principle of exchange: of putting off by putting on. Breaking old patterns comes through experiencing the new life of Christ by faith.

Through the filling of the Spirit, fellowship with the indwelling Christ, and knowing and applying the Word, we are able to put on the Lord Jesus and as such, stop making provision for the flesh. Note the following passage:

Ephesians 4:21-32 if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught in Him, just as truth is in Jesus, 22 that, in reference to your former manner of life, you lay aside the old self, which is being corrupted in accordance with the lusts of deceit, 23 and that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind, 24 and put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth. 25 Therefore, laying aside falsehood, speak truth, each one of you, with his neighbor, for we are members of one another. 26 Be angry, and yet do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, 27 and do not give the devil an opportunity. 28 Let him who steals steal no longer; but rather let him labor, performing with his own hands what is good, in order that he may have something to share with him who has need. 29 Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, that it may give grace to those who hear. 30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31 Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. 32 And be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you.

The Negative Commands

In the negative commands we find hindrances to loving one another and hindrances to fellowship. These negative injunctions stress and point to what we naturally tend to do without the exchanged life of Christ, without the life-changing power of the Lord, the ministry of the Spirit, and daily renewal in the Word.

For the purpose of this study, only five negative commands will be listed, but note how they are nullified by the positive injunctions of the New Testament. The sixth command is foundational and we will deal with it in more detail.

Do Not Judge One Another

“Therefore let us not judge one another anymore, but rather determine this—not to put an obstacle or a stumbling block in a brother’s way” (Rom 14:13).

Do Not have Lawsuits With One Another

“Actually, then, it is already a defeat for you, that you have lawsuits with one another. Why not rather be wronged? Why not rather be defrauded?” (1 Cor. 6:7)

Do Not Bite and Devour One Another

“But if you bite and devour one another, take care lest you be consumed by one another” (Gal. 5:15).

Do Not Challenge and Envy One Another

“Let us not become boastful, challenging one another, envying one another” (Gal. 5:26).

Do Not Speak Evil or Complain Against One Another

“Do not speak against one another, brethren. He who speaks against a brother, or judges his brother, speaks against the law, and judges the law; but if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law, but a judge of it” (James 4:11).

“Do not complain, brethren, against one another, that you yourselves may not be judged; behold, the Judge is standing right at the door” (James 5:9).

Do Not Seek Glory from One Another

“How can you believe, when you receive glory from one another, and you do not seek the glory that is from the one and only God?” (John 5:44).

While this command was addressed to the unbelieving religious leaders in Israel, there is a principle here that obviously applies to us all, and is tremendously important to the entire process of our ability to love one another.

In John 5:37-40 these Jews were studious and knew the Old Testament Scriptures, but they had missed the purpose of Scripture and had become self-righteous and proud of their knowledge. Failing to see their sinfulness they were self-confident externalists who sought acceptance with God and the praise of men by their legalistic obedience to the Law. They failed to see their need of the cross and a suffering Savior.

Because they failed to see their sinfulness and weakness, they saw no need for faith in Christ. There was also no genuine love for God in them because of their pride and self-love (John 5:42). What they did religiously, they did for their own glory and admiration from men as chapters 6 and 23 of Matthew make perfectly clear.

John 5:44 points us to the heart of the problem. John writes: “How can you believe, when you receive glory from one another, and you do not seek the glory that is from the one and only God?”

They were seeking glory from men or from one another. Without awareness and recognition of our sinfulness and need, without faith in God’s Son and the cross, without truly resting in who we are in Christ and His acceptance of us, we are left to justify ourselves and find our sense of security and significance from people. When we seek glory from one another, we are unable to love one another in the biblical sense according to the character of the Word. Rather, we become engrossed with such things as

Performance: How do I do?

Appearance: How do I look?

Status: How important am I?

The religious leaders did not approve of Christ’s act of love when he healed the sick man on the Sabbath. Rather, they were infuriated because Christ had broken the Sabbath. They failed to see that the Sabbath according to God’s purpose as a blessing for man (Mark 2:27). Their self-righteousness had blinded them to the ultimate goal of Scripture—love for God and love for man.

In John 5:44 the Lord said, “How can you believe, when … ?” In other words, how can you put your faith in God, how can you learn to rest in Him and what He has to offer you? You have put your trust in the wrong place and you are seeking your happiness in the wrong way. Christ shows us that what they were doing was keeping them from trusting in Him and what He had to offer them.

Seeking glory from one another hinders our capacity to trust in God’s acceptance and evaluation of our lives. Such a trust causes us to seek from men what only God can give us. Seeking glory from men means we are seeking our security and sense of significance from their praise, applause, and approval, rather than resting by faith in God’s estimation and the promises of His Word. Ultimately, the glory that is from God is found only in Jesus Christ, and it is through Christ that men find security and significance. Not only must we come to Christ for God’s righteousness, but we must learn to rest in God’s acceptance and evaluation of who we are in His Beloved, the Lord Jesus.

In Christ our sins are removed and we find complete acceptance. We become accepted in the Beloved (cf. Eph. 1:6, KJV).

In Him we become the children of the living God. “But as many as received Him, to them gave He the right to become the children of God, even to those who believe in His name” (John 1:2).

In Him we find meaning and purpose which means significance. “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them” (Eph. 2:10).

Following are two charts to illustrate the importance of our focus:

Chart 1: Disorientation to Grace

Chart 2: Grace Oriented

It seems evident from the two great commandments of Mark 12:28-33 and the many commands to love one another that love is one of the clear marks of maturity. A mature man or woman will be one who loves. But if love is the evidence of maturity, what is its essence? Is the mature person just a programmed individual who obeys a host of injunctions to love others, whose life consists of certain kinds of activities that he chooses to do? Certainly, people must choose to act against natural unloving inclinations and feelings on behalf of others. If something deeper does not occur, however, his love will lack reality and it will fail.

Why do we so often fail to love? Because, like the Pharisees, when we are seeking glory from men we are looking to get from people what only the Lord can give. Because we live in a very imperfect world, we often do not get what we want and, to get our wants met, we act out of self-protective measures in very unloving ways, or our overt acts of love are really acts of hypocritical self love. We build walls around ourselves for protection, but these walls become hindrances to our ability to love.

We become defensive and self-assertive.

We challenge others in an unloving way.

We become critical to protect ourselves or to build ourselves up both to others and to ourselves.

We complain and speak evil of others to build up our own self-esteem or to meet our felt needs.

We may withdraw and fail to reach out to others in love because we are afraid of being hurt or of some kind of failure.

So, if the evidence of maturity is love, the essence of maturity is a daily realized spiritual dependence on the Lord out of which we find the tripod we all need for spiritual stability:

Acceptance (God has accepted me in Christ),

Belongingness (as a child of God, I belong to Him and to His family), and

Competency (as a believer in Christ, one blessed with every spiritual blessing and the indwelling Spirit, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me”).

Conclusion

We do not live in the Garden of Eden, which was lost because of the fall, nor in the glories of the future reign of Christ where the lamb will lie down with the lion. Until we acknowledge that this life, because of the evil of this age, is going to be filled with times of pain and disappointment in circumstances and relationships, we will not pursue Christ with the passion of a deep thirst, nor will we be able to reach out in love to those around us. Why? Because we will be seeking glory, security, and significance from this life rather than from the Savior.

As long as we seek from man what only God can give through Christ, we will not exercise faith in the only One who can fill our core and most fundamental need which is to know God. We will have turned God’s process upside down. We will be looking for love, security, and significance in all the wrong places. The great need is to seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, to know God and to rest in Him, and to commit our other longings and needs to the Lord.

Matthew 6:31: “Do not be anxious then, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘With what shall we clothe ourselves?’” These are casual longings, but this applies to the critical longings as well.

Matthew 6:32: “For all these things the Gentiles eagerly seek; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.” This is the pattern of the world, so, trust God for your needs.

Matthew 6:33: “But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added to you.” Crucial longings, the core needs of man which must take first priority.

Matthew 6:34: “Therefore do not be anxious for tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” So again, trust God.

Immediately following these exhortations of Matthew 6:31-34, the Lord deals with the negative affects of our other longings, those that involve our relationships with people, when our primary focus in not on Him and His kingdom.

Do not judge lest you be judged. For in the way you judge, you will be judged; and by your standard of measure, it will be measured to you. And why do you look at the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ and behold, the log is in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.

In other words, seek first the kingdom of God, get your own life right before Him, submit to God’s authority, then you will have the ability to truly deal with people in love.

The positive One Another passages in Scripture express the means and the methods for living as members of the body of Christ and as brethren together in the family of God. These passages also focus on two things: attitudes and actions. Since attitudes form the soil and the root out of which actions grow, we will look at those One Another injunctions that focus on attitudes, particularly those that enable us to obey the One Another commands.

Attitudes can be like cobwebs which clutter up the mind and cause us to fail in the purposes of God. Or they can be like an interstate highway to an automobile, smoothing the way to our destination. Swindoll writes:

This may shock you, but I believe the single most significant decision I can make on a day-to-day basis is my choice of attitude. It is more important than my past, my education, my bankroll, my successes or failures, fame or pain, what other people think of me or say about me, my circumstances, or my position. Attitude is that ‘single string’ that keeps me going or cripples my progress. It alone fuels my fire or assaults my hope. When my attitudes are right, there’s no barrier too high, no valley too deep, no dream too extreme, no challenge too great for me.⁵

Because attitudes are so important, Scripture has a great deal to say about our thinking processes which produce our attitudes and which in turn produce our actions. Proverbs 23:6-7 shows that a man who is thinking selfishly will invariably act in hypocrisy.

Do not eat the bread of a selfish man, Or desire his delicacies; For as he thinks within himself, so he is. He says to you, “Eat and drink!” But his heart is not with you.

Matthew 12:33-37 shows what we say is but the product of how and what we think and believe. Scripture teaches that wicked behavior is the product of a wicked and deceitful heart (Jer. 17:5; Matt. 23:26). “First clean the inside of the cup and dish, and then the outside also will be clean.” The problem is “stinking thinking,” thinking that is lacking divine viewpoint and faith in the power and purposes of God.

To grasp this concept, it is helpful to divide sin into two categories:

(1) Visible acts of transgression against the commands and principles of Scripture, and

(2) Inward acts of transgression, sins of the mind and attitude which would include subtle violations of our Lord’s command to love.

We tend to deal only with the first category or if we deal with the second, it is superficial. Larry Crabb in his book, Inside Out, gives us a good illustration:

“Are you willing to follow Christ?” The hundreds of teenagers shift uncomfortably in their seats as they hear the speaker boom out the challenge at the morning meeting.

“He invites you to come to Him, to really come, to come in total surrender. If you’re sick and tired of playing at Christianity, then take His invitation seriously and come. Get your drugs, your porno magazines, your rock tapes—get everything that defiles you—and bring it all tonight to the rally. We’ll have a great burning of all these tools of the Devil to symbolize your decision to follow Christ.”

That night, dozens of kids, with eyes moist and jaws firmly set, dump their marijuana, Penthouses and Bon Jovi tapes in a pile outside the meeting room. As the fire roars, they all join hands and sing, “I have decided to follow Jesus.”

As a teen, I took part in similar happenings, making strong commitments as I stared into the dying campfire to never miss devotions and to witness every day. But although good spiritual directions were sometimes set in these moments, the promises I made on the mountaintop often dissolved into complacency when I returned to the valley of everyday life. Something inside me that needed to be dealt with was never touched.⁶

The focus is too often all wrong: I have no argument with exhorting people to abandon clearly sinful practices and to develop good habits … But a sharp focus on visible conformity to specific standards of right and wrong can easily lead to a disastrous neglect of subtle sins against relationship.⁷

Verses that Focus on Attitudes

Command 1: Have the Same Mind With One Another

The believer is commanded in Scripture to have a different mind, to develop a biblical viewpoint, and possess a Christlike attitude in all things.

Romans 12:16 Be of the same mind toward one another; do not be haughty in mind, but associate with the lowly. Do not be wise in your own estimation.

Romans 15:5 Now may the God who gives perseverance and encouragement grant you to be of the same mind with one another according to Christ Jesus;

William Law wrote nearly two centuries ago, “Man needs to be saved from his own wisdom as much as from his own righteousness, for they produce one and the same corruption.”⁸

(1) Having the same mind means knowing and understanding Scripture.

From the Word of God we need the infusion of God’s thoughts which are infinitely higher than ours (Isa. 55:8-11). Then, in faith we need to apply His truth as we depend on the indwelling Spirit. The need is to think with the same kind of viewpoint, to possess the same kind of attitudes toward life and one another. We need to have the mind of Christ, to think with His values, to possess His vision, and to allow that to change our attitudes which in turn will change our actions and pursuits.

1 Peter 3:8 To sum up, let all be harmonious, sympathetic, brotherly, kindhearted, and humble in spirit;

The term “harmonious” is literally, “of one mind, likeminded,” (homophron, oJmovfrwn). The actions of being brotherly, kindhearted, and humble all stem from having one mind, thinking with the mind of Christ.

Acts 1:14 These all with one mind were continually devoting themselves to prayer, along with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with His brothers.

Acts 2:46 And day by day continuing with one mind in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they were taking their meals together with gladness and sincerity of heart,

Acts 4:24 And when they heard this, they lifted their voices to God with one accord and said, “O Lord, it is Thou who didst make the heaven and the earth and the sea, and all that is in them, …”

Acts 5:12 And at the hands of the apostles many signs and wonders were taking place among the people; and they were all with one accord in Solomon’s portico.

In each of the above verses “with one mind” or “one accord” is homothumadon (oJmoqumadovn), from homos, “one” and thumos, “passion.”

Romans 12:16 Be of the same mind toward one another; do not be haughty in mind, but associate with the lowly. Do not be wise in your own estimation.

Romans 15:5 Now may the God who gives perseverance and encouragement grant you to be of the same mind with one another according to Christ Jesus;

In these two passages in Romans, the verb is phroneo (fronevw), which means first, “to have understanding” and then “to think, be minded in a certain way.”

In all of the above verses we see that the positive actions of the body of Christ are tied into possessing the same mind (or mental attitude) which formed the dynamic for its ministry in the world. For your own study compare also: Philippians 1:27; 2:3-5; 1 Corinthians 1:10; 2:16; 2 Corinthians 10:4-5; 13:11; Romans 12:2; 1 Peter 1:13; 4:1.

(2) Having the same mind means thinking with the Word.

To have the mind of Christ means to think with the Word of God, to live, not by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God (the Scripture), so that we bring our thoughts and actions into harmony with God’s viewpoint by applying God’s thoughts to everything we do and to everything that happens to us.

To experience God and the joys of His plan and purposes for man, man must know His Word.

Isaiah 55:8-11 “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Neither are your ways My ways,” declares the LORD. 9 “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts. 10 For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven, And do not return there without watering the earth, And making it bear and sprout, And furnishing seed to the sower and bread to the eater; 11 So shall My word be which goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me empty, Without accomplishing what I desire, And without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it.”

The Devil sought to get the Lord to live independently of His Father at the beginning of His ministry. Jesus not only countered each time with Scripture, but He quoted Deuteronomy 8:3 to show how vital God’s whole council is to our ability to handle temptation and sin.

Matthew 4:3-4 And the tempter came and said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.” 4 But He answered and said, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.’”

(3) Having the same mind means regular renewal in the Word

It requires biblical truth for its development and maintenance, daily renewing of the mind.

Romans 12:2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.

Ephesians 4:23 and that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind,

It requires conquering thought patterns by focusing on principles and promises of the Word.

2 Corinthians 10:4-5 for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses. 5 We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ,

1 Peter 1:13 Therefore, gird your minds for action, keep sober in spirit, fix your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

(4) Having the same mind means possessing an attitude of joy

We develop an attitude of joy through biblical vision for and submission to the calling and purposes of God (Prov. 29:18; John 13:3-4; Heb. 12:1-4; Phil. 4:4-8). In Philippians 4:8 we see again an emphasis on our mind and our attitudes. They can be kept free from bitterness, blame, self-pity, and hopeless pessimism if we cast our cares on the Lord and trust in His sovereignty. By getting rid of the stuff that chokes out God’s viewpoint, we create space for hope and joy to take its place.

(5) Having the same mind means an attitude of humility

An attitude of humility expresses itself in servant living. Humility prepares the way for sacrificial love which puts the needs of others above self (Mark 10:45; John 13:4; Phil. 2:3f; 1 Pet. 5:5; Rom. 12:10, 16b; Gal. 5:13). Humility is never self-depreciating. Rather it is the recognition of who we are by God’s grace and leads to the use of our abilities in loving service for others. Humility allows us to take the position of John 13.

Religion and religious striving are far too often egocentric and, though this can be purified and brought into the service of God and others through the Word, too often true religion is corrupted and nullified by cravings and striving for power and security—the opposite of submission, humility, and trust.

In Crabb’s book, Inside Out, he talks about the problems of self-protection and our motives: “The sin of self-protection to which I refer occurs when our legitimate thirst for receiving love creates a demand to not be hurt that overrides a commitment to lovingly involve ourself with others.”⁹

(6) Having the same mind means an attitude of loving family affection

Romans 12:10 Be devoted to one another in brotherly love; give preference to one another in honor;

Christ became one with us that he might feel for us in our humanity. Likewise, as brethren in Christ, God wants us to become more and more devoted to one another so that we place the needs of others above ourselves. Romans 12:10 means we are to love one another with a family affection as brothers in Christ (cf. Heb. 2:11-18 with Rom. 12:10).

Conclusion

We cannot impart to others what we do not ourselves possess! Our relationship with one another always manifests the reality of our life with the Lord and the condition of our thinking and attitudes!

Often, the prayer that’s most in accord with God’s Word is not, “Lord change my wife, or children, or church board,” but “Lord, change me!”

The big question is not simply, is Christianity true? There is plenty of historical evidence that it is. The basic question is, what difference is it making in my life and the way I think and believe? This is what the world looks for in our lives as the evidence of reality, and that’s what the church needs in its relationships with one another.

The all important ingredient is our focus and an attitude of trust in the Lord. One of the best illustrations I know of the importance of keeping a focused and right attitude is found in the book by Chuck Swindoll, Strengthening Your Grip:

The colorful, nineteenth-century showman and gifted violinist Nicolo Paganini was standing before a packed house, playing through a difficult piece of music. A full orchestra surrounded him with magnificent support. Suddenly one string on his violin snapped and hung gloriously down from his instrument. Beads of perspiration popped out on his forehead. He frowned but continued to play, improvising beautifully.

To the conductor’s surprise, a second string broke. And shortly thereafter, a third. Now there were three limp strings dangling from Paganini’s violin as the master performer completed the difficult composition on the one remaining string. The audience jumped to its feet and in good Italian fashion, filled the hall with shouts and screams, “Bravo! Bravo!” As the applause died down, the violinist asked the people to sit back down. Even though they knew there was no way they could expect an encore, they quietly sank back into their seats.

He held the violin high for everyone to see. He nodded at the conductor to begin the encore and then he turned back to the crowd, and with a twinkle in his eye, he smiled and shouted, ‘Paganini … and one string!’ After that he placed the single-stringed Stradivarius beneath his chin and played the final piece on one string as the audience (and the conductor) shook their heads in silent amazement. ‘Paganini … and one string!’¹⁰ (And, I might add, an attitude of fortitude.)

Swindoll goes on to say:

This may shock you, but I believe the single most significant decision I can make on a day-do-day basis is my choice of attitude. … Attitude is that ‘single string’ that keeps me going or cripples my progress. … When my attitudes are right, there’s no barrier too high, no valley too deep, no dream too extreme, no challenge too great for me.

Yet, we must admit that we spend more of our time concentrating and fretting over the strings that snap, dangle, and pop—the things that can’t be changed—than we do giving attention to the one that remains, our choice of attitude.¹¹

For the Christian, however, we are not talking about just a positive attitude. We are talking about an attitude that comes from a heart focused on God and that trusts in Him.

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5 Charles R. Swindoll, Strengthening Your Grip, Word Books, Waco, TX, 1982, p. 207.

6 Larry Crabb, Inside Out, NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO, 1988, p. 113.

7 Crabb, p. 115.

8 Martin and Deidre Bobgan, Psycho Heresy, EastGate Publishers, Santa Barbara, CA, 1987, p. 7.

9 Ibid., p. 117.

10 Swindoll, Strengthening Your Grip, Word Books, Waco, TX, 1982, pp. 205-206.

11 Ibid., p. 207.

One of the clear emphases of Scripture concerns the fact that the world we now live in as Christians is an alien world. The believer has been translated out of the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of God’s dear Son. Believers live in a hostile environment, one opposed to his progress in spiritual growth, spiritual health, and to the fulfillment of God’s purposes for his life as a child of God.

John 17:15-20 I do not ask Thee to take them out of the world, but to keep them from the evil one. 16 They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. 17 Sanctify them in the truth; Thy word is truth. 18 As Thou didst send Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world. 19 And for their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they themselves also may be sanctified in truth. 20 I do not ask in behalf of these alone, but for those also who believe in Me through their word;

Ephesians 6:10-16 Finally, be strong in the Lord, and in the strength of His might. 11 Put on the full armor of God, that you may be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore, take up the full armor of God, that you may be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm. 14 Stand firm therefore, having girded your loins with truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; 16 in addition to all, taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming missiles of the evil one.

1 Timothy 4:1-3 But the Spirit explicitly says that in later times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons, 2 by means of the hypocrisy of liars seared in their own conscience as with a branding iron, 3 men who forbid marriage and advocate abstaining from foods, which God has created to be gratefully shared in by those who believe and know the truth.

2 Timothy 2:15 You therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. 2 And the things which you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, these entrust to faithful men, who will be able to teach others also. 3 Suffer hardship with me, as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. 4 No soldier in active service entangles himself in the affairs of everyday life, so that he may please the one who enlisted him as a soldier. 5 And also if anyone competes as an athlete, he does not win the prize unless he competes according to the rules.

2 Timothy 4:1-5 I solemnly charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by His appearing and His kingdom: 2 preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction. 3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires; 4 and will turn away their ears from the truth, and will turn aside to myths. 5 But you, be sober in all things, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.

But God has not left us without His personal provision for this alien environment. His provisions include the Word, the Holy Spirit, and pastor/teachers or elders who are to shepherd the church and protect it from the many forces at work to corrupt, deceive, and destroy the ministry of the church. But another very important means of protection lies in the ministry of the body of Christ as seen in the One Another injunctions of the New Testament. This concept is emphasized in John 15 where our Lord taught the disciples concerning three crucial relationships: our relationship with the Lord, our relationship with one another, and our relationship to the world. Concluding His discourse on our relationship to one another, He said, “This I command you, that you love one another” (John 15:17). This is immediately followed by His teaching concerning two things: (1) the hatred and antagonism of the world system (15:18-15), and (2) the purpose of the church to be a witnessing, ministering people through the ministry of the Spirit of God (15:26-27).

In other words, we will have tribulation in this world. Satan will seek to nullify, neutralize, or hinder us by any and every way he can. Regardless, we are to continue on in His purposes, and one of the things God will use to protect and keep us is loving and caring for one another. Working together and caring for one another, we can provide protection, stimulation, support, motivation, and enablement to the body of Christ.

This principle is illustrated for us in the animal kingdom when certain animals band together against outside forces. For instance, the musk oxen of the arctic when threatened by wolves form a circle facing the enemy with their calves in the center of the circle. While wolves will attack one or two lone oxen, they are afraid to attack an entire herd and will move on to other prey.

In this portion of our study we will summarize the remaining One Another passages in four categories:

• Verses Promoting Spiritual Growth and Health in the Body of Christ
• Verses Promoting the General Welfare and Good of the Body of Christ
• Verses Promoting Unity and Peace in the Body of Christ
• Verses Promoting Ministry and the Function of the Body of Christ

Each of these could become a topic for longer studies but the purpose here is an overview of the whole to illustrate our responsibility and the great need facing the church.

Verses Promoting Spiritual
Growth and Health in the Body of Christ

Command 2: Encourage and Build Up One Another

In the New Testament, encouraging and building up refer to the process of building spiritual maturity and Christian character through the function of the various gifts of believers—particularly teaching and the encouragement of others. Each believer is to be involved in the edification process of the church, the building up of one another, which is figurative of the process of spiritual strengthening and edification. Of first importance is the spiritual health of one another. The most important thing for all of us is our walk with the Lord. This brings us back to the concept of cause and effect, or root to fruit. The One Another injunctions are a means to an end—ministry to one another with the goal of Christlikeness through helping others to experience the sufficiency of the Savior.

The Apostle Paul had one important concern that was constantly on his mind and heart—to do all he could to build up the body of Christ (Col. 1:28-2:2). But one individual can do only so much, and God’s strategy is for the body of Christ to be involved in this same concern for all members of the body. Thus, a number of the One Another injunctions concern this very issue. They fall into two categories, those concerned with the progress of growth and those concerned with stopping spiritual regression and fall out.

As with Paul in the first century, no one Christian in the twentieth century can build up all other believers in a local church. God’s design and plan is that every Christian be a functioning part of the body of Christ; that every Christian contribute to the process. “The whole body,” wrote Paul, must be “joined and held together by every supporting ligament.” And as the body draws strength and direction from its Head, Jesus Christ, it then “grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work” (Eph. 4:15-16).¹²

(1) Encourage One Another

1 Thessalonians 5:11 Therefore encourage one another, and build up one another, just as you also are doing.

“Encourage” is the Greek parakaleo (parakalevw). It is used a 109 times in the New Testament. It can mean “to exhort, admonish, teach,” or “to beg, entreat, beseech,” or “to console, encourage, comfort, help.” Its basic purpose always seems to be the same—to promote the spiritual growth of believers in Christ by helping them learn to draw on their new resources in the Savior. This is clear from the next injunction, “build up one another.”

(2) Build up One Another

Romans 14:19 So then let us pursue the things which make for peace and the building up of one another

Romans 15:2 Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, to his edification.

1 Corinthians 14:12, 26b So also you, since you are zealous of spiritual gifts, seek to abound for the edification of the church … 26 … Let all things be done for edification.

Ephesians 4:29 Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, that it may give grace to those who hear.

“Build up” is the Greek oikodomeo (oikodomevw), “to build, erect,” or metaphorically, “to edify.” It is used figuratively of the process of building, strengthening, and edifying to build spiritual maturity into believers. Getz writes:

Many biblical examples demonstrate that the primary means for encouraging other believers focuses in God’s truth. For example, Paul, giving the qualities for eldership in his letter to Titus, emphasized that a pastoral leader “must hold firmly to the trustworthy message as it has been taught, so that he can encourage others by sound doctrine and refute those who oppose it” (Titus 1:9).¹³

Here are a few passages which speak to this theme:

Colossians 2:2 that their hearts may be encouraged, having been knit together in love, and attaining to all the wealth that comes from the full assurance of understanding, resulting in a true knowledge of God’s mystery, that is, Christ Himself,

Titus 1:9 holding fast the faithful word which is in accordance with the teaching, that he may be able both to exhort in sound doctrine and to refute those who contradict.

2 Timothy 4:2 preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction.

1 Thessalonians 2:11-13 just as you know how we were exhorting and encouraging and imploring each one of you as a father would his own children, 12 so that you may walk in a manner worthy of the God who calls you into His own kingdom and glory. 13 And for this reason we also constantly thank God that when you received from us the word of God’s message, you accepted it not as the word of men, but for what it really is, the word of God, which also performs its work in you who believe.

Romans 15:4-5 For whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction, that through perseverance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. 5 Now may the God who gives perseverance and encouragement grant you to be of the same mind with one another according to Christ Jesus;

Note the following passages for specific truths used to encourage and edify believers in the Lord: 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; 2 Thessalonians 2:1-17.

Command 3: Admonish One Another

Romans 15:14 And concerning you, my brethren, I myself also am convinced that you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, and able also to admonish one another.

1 Thessalonians 5:14 And we urge you, brethren, admonish the unruly, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with all men.

Colossians 1:28 And we proclaim Him, admonishing every man and teaching every man with all wisdom, that we may present every man complete in Christ.

The word “admonish” is the Greek word noutheteo (nouqetevw), “to put in mind, to admonish, warn, advise, instruct.” Since this word has a broad range of meaning, it is sometimes more difficult to translate. Translators use various terms to translate Paul’s exhortation in Romans 15:14. The NEB and Williams’ Version translate it as “council.” The NIV and the NRSV have “instruct one another.” Beck translates it with “correct.” The KJV always translates this word with “admonish.” Getz writes:

Actually, the word noutheteo doesn’t refer to casual communication or normal-type teaching. It implies a definite exhortation, correction, and warning. In the Thessalonian letter, the translators of the New International Version use the word “warn” to describe Paul’s admonishment to Christians who were idle and lazy (1 Thes. 5:14; they use the same word in Acts 20:31 and 1 Cor. 4:14).¹⁴

When this word is used, there is always the implication of a problem. It presupposes an obstacle that must be removed or changed. Cremer says, “Some degree of opposition has been encountered, and one wishes to subdue or remove it, not by punishment, but by influencing the nous” (mind).¹⁵ Certainly, there is in this word some kind of a moral appeal for change in behavior through warning and biblical instruction, or putting sense into the mind with a strong appeal to the will through understanding.

In the psychological climate of our today where so much stress is placed on professional counselors, Romans 15:14, 1 Thessalonians 5:14, and Colossians 3:16 teaches us an important point we must not miss. Paul assumes that the body of Christ, not simply ministers of the Gospel or professionals, can and should engage in the ministry of admonishment which is a form of counseling. Two things, however, are required to make us able or competent to warn, instruct, or counsel one another.

(1) We must be “full of goodness.” Paul teaches us that the believers at Rome were able or competent because they were “full of goodness.” Goodness is the Greek word agathosune (agaqwsuvnh) which describes that which is good in its character and beneficial in its effect, at least in its goal or purpose. It becomes a synonym for Christlike character in motive, manner, and method. In other words, these believers were those who were mature enough to make sure the plank in their own eye was removed before they sought to remove the speck from their brothers eye (Matt. 7:3-5). They were not out to hurt, but to heal, not to get even, but to help and build up.

Getz writes:

Christians who are sensitive about their own walk with God are capable—and responsible—to admonish other Christians … It is one of the most difficult exhortations to obey, but it is necessary for the body of Christ to mature and grow.

Admonishment, when done according to biblical guidelines, is not “judging others.” One of the first guidelines was spelled out by Paul: make sure you are “full of goodness” yourself. Putting it another way, we must make sure we “clean up our own act” before we try to help someone else “clean up” his.¹⁶

Another passage that bears on our ability to admonish one another are the guidelines found in Galatians 6:1-5. This passage will be discussed later in this study.

(2) They were also “complete in knowledge.” Obviously, Paul is talking about an adequate knowledge of Scripture. Getz writes:

Admonishment must be based upon God’s specific will and ways—not on what we think other Christians should or should not be doing. We must be careful at this point. Many Christians tend to confuse absolutes and non-absolutes. If we exhort Christians in areas that are extra-biblical—areas that are not specifically spelled out in Scripture or specific things that involve cultural standards and practices—then we are in danger of imposing standards contrary to Scripture.¹⁷

Some churches, groups, or individuals have a list of rigid rules that they often seek to impose on others—the dirty dozen, the nasty nine, the heavenly seven. It varies with the local, but these are invariably doubtful or questionable things, certain practices which a portion of society may condemn as wrong, but they are called questionable because Scripture does not specifically condemn them as wrong. Scripture does set forth principles which guide us in how we should handle such practices. Interestingly, the Apostle Paul preceded this One Another injunction in Romans 15:14 with instructions regarding the issue of these questionable practices on which Christians very often disagree. These instructions divide neatly into three sections:

(1) Warnings against judging one another over these questionable issues (14:1-12). We are never to judge one another with contempt because of different opinions and actions regarding the questionable practices that may differ from ours. The admonishment of Romans 15:14 is not judgment, but loving counsel to move others to biblical living by the power of the Spirit of God.

(2) Warnings against hindering the spiritual growth and progress of one another by misusing our liberty or personal convictions on these issues (14:13-23).

(3) Exhortation to imitate the Savior by becoming a servant of one another, by bearing one another’s burdens (15:1-13).

This is then followed with verse 14 which teaches us that all believers, if they are full of goodness and knowledge (undoubtedly the knowledge of the Savior and our new life in Him), are competent to admonish one another in their walk with the Lord.¹⁸

Command 4: Comfort and Encourage One Another

1 Thessalonians 4:18 Therefore comfort one another with these words.

1 Thessalonians 5:11 Therefore encourage one another, and build up one another, just as you also are doing.

Hebrews 3:13 But encourage one another day after day, as long as it is still called “Today,” lest any one of you be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.

Hebrews 10:24-25 and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, 25 not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more, as you see the day drawing near.

The Greek word used in each of the above passages translated as “comfort” or “encourage” is parakaleo (parakalevw). It may mean, depending on the context, “to summon, call to one’s side to give aid,” then “to exhort, entreat, beseech,” but it is often used in the sense of “to strengthen, encourage,” or “comfort, console” as one who comes alongside to give aid, strength, comfort, courage. It means doing whatever is needed to bring courage into the lives of believers. To encourage is to bring courage. “Encouragement is the kind of expression that helps someone want to be a better Christian, even when life is rough.”¹⁹ Courage is the quality of mind that enables people to encounter difficulty and danger with firmness and resolve in spite of inner fears, to continue on in the pressures of life by faith so that we don’t throw in the towel.

Though the Thessalonian Christians were facing severe trials and persecutions (1:6), and though disturbed by doctrinal ignorance (4:13-18), and disturbance (2 Thess. 1:1-4), they had the ability and responsibility to encourage one another with God’s truth and by showing their support for each other. Indeed, they had been doing this very thing (1 Thess. 4:18; 5:11).

But what are the primary means of encouragement?

(1) Always, the primary means of encouragement is God’s Word, His truth, from knowing and resting in God’s promises (Josh. 1:7-9; Rom. 15:4; Tit. 1:9; 2 Tim. 4:2; 1 Thess. 2:13; 4:13-18 [involved knowing and resting in the truth of the rapture and resurrection]).

(2) Encouragement comes from remembering the testimony of our mentors in the Lord (cf. Josh. 1:1-2; Heb. 12:1-2; 13:7). Remembering the examples of men and women of faith can be a tremendous encouragement.

(3) Encouragement comes from helping other to recognize and relate to God’s pleasure, His will. We all need to have a sense of God’s calling and destiny (Josh. 1:2-8).

(4) Ultimately, courage comes from reckoning on God’s presence and knowing God personally (Josh. 1:9; Heb. 13:5-6). Behind God’s promises is God Himself. This is why we go to the Word. To see, know, love, and rest in God’s love.

(5) Finally, one of the tools God uses to bring encouragement to others is people themselves. This is the point of this injunction, “encourage one another.” But for this to happen, Christians need to spend time together. This is the point of the next command.

Command 5: Assemble Together With One Another

Ephesians 5:19 speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord;

Colossians 3:16 Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God.

Hebrews 10:25 not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more, as you see the day drawing near.

We do great harm to ourselves and to others when we fail to come together to spend time together around the things of Christ not only to worship and learn of Him, but also to minister to one another. God has given to the church the responsibility of restoring troubled, discouraged people to deeper relationships with God, and out of that, to ministry in a hurting world.

Church life involves people getting together, people in contact with other people—whether in small groups or huge sanctuaries, whether in praise meetings or teaching classes, whether in evangelistic campaigns or worship services. When any emphasis in our church life interferes at all with our effort to better understand the resources of Christ and to more effectively minister to needy people, then the church has lost its way. The church is people—God’s people.²⁰

When the central dynamic of living in relationship with God and each other is made secondary to concern for better facilities, expanded programs, or more staff, then the quietly enriching and soul-stirring excitement of life in Christ is numbed. The Christian life is in danger of being reduced to (depending on the personality of leadership) either a pep rally for Jesus or an irritating set of restrictions.

The muscles of relationship within the Christian body atrophy when we fail to exercise them, and the church becomes limp.²¹

Hebrews 10:25 warns us against failing to assemble ourselves together. But this is not the primary focus of this passage. The main verb and injunction is seen in verse 24, “and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds,” but the translations of the NASB and the NIV obscure the thrust of this command with the word “how.” Literally, the Greek text says much as the KJV reads, “let us consider one another to stimulate (incite, promote) to love and good works.” “Consider” is the Greek katanoeo (katanoevw), “to consider attentively, perceive, observe.” The text is calling us to notice and pay attention to people not to be judgmental, but that we might perceive one another’s moods, pain, needs. Why? That we might minister to those needs with a listening ear, a caring heart, a helpful word, etc., so that in turn, as we help them experience the sufficiency of Christ, they can become ministering people themselves in true Christlike living. The how element comes about in the verse that follows: (a) by not forsaking our own assembling together, and (b) by encouraging one another in the context of that assembled fellowship whether in small groups or in large gatherings.

So often when we gather together for events at church, or meet in the parking lot (or the foyer of the church before or after the service) the words we speak are often just surface words that lack little power or meaning because we aren’t truly listening and paying attention to each other. We often fail to ask questions of true concern and consequence. There is a failure to really consider one another in the sense of Hebrews 10:24-25. We face the problem of surface community that hides behind personal fears and apathy. We put up defensive layers. We keep people at a distance because of our fears of rejection or failure. But God is calling us to break out of this to become a ministering people.

Command 6: Bear One Another’s Burdens

Galatians 6:2 Bear one another’s burdens, and thus fulfill the law of Christ.

The context of this verse is that of reaching out to help a fellow believer with a problem of sin (vs. 1). No doubt this is one of the most difficult tasks God has given us. We naturally shy away from this. It is much easier to do almost any of the other One Another injunctions, but this one is a vital responsibility for the spiritual health of the church when done according to the directives of this passage.

(1) A Contrast in Expectations:

We should not miss the close connection between 6:1-5 and the preceding chapter which has contrasted the works of the flesh with the fruit of a Spirit-controlled life. Just what does it means to have a Spirit-controlled life that is characterized by love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, etc. (vss. 22-23)? To those who might think of the Spirit-controlled life primarily in terms of more self-centered concerns like personal satisfaction, emotional experiences, personal fulfillment, or realizing one’s potential, Paul’s words may come as an awakening shock, not what we might expect, for the Apostle quickly turns our attention to concerns that are oriented toward others—the burdens of others, those facing difficulty with life-dominating sins (vss. 1-5), and the use of our finances to minister to those who have ministered to us (vss. 6-10).

It is easy to talk about the fruit of the Spirit while doing very little about it. So Christians need to learn that it is in the concrete situations, rather than in emotional highs, that the reality of the Holy Spirit in their lives is demonstrated.²²

The situation of verse 1 that sets the stage for the injunction to bear one another’s burdens is a hypothetical but very real kind of situation any believer might face, that of another believer who finds himself trapped by some area of sin. “Caught” (NASB, NIV), or “overtaken” (KJV) in verse 1 should not be taken to refer to someone being caught in the act of some sin, but rather to the problem of someone being overcome by it.

The thought is that of someone running from sin but sin, being faster, overtakes and catches him. Two passages show how the legalists responded to such (cf. John 8:3-5; Acts 21:27-29).²³

The question is what is the Christian to do? How are we to handle the need? Paul gives us both the responsibility plus the qualifications.

(2) A Contrast in Persons—Only the Spiritual:

Paul’s words, “you who are spiritual” (pneumatikos [pneumatikvo”], “of that which belongs to or is activated by the Spirit”), teaches us that only the spiritual, those whose lives are truly controlled by the Spirit (5:1-26) and who possess both the attitudes and actions of this passage, are qualified to carry out this difficult and important responsibility.

(3) A Contrast in Aim—Restoration versus Censure (6:1a):

We are then shown the goal in view, the restoration of the sinning brother to a place of growth and victory over the overcoming sin. “Restore” is the Greek word katartizo (katartivzw), a term used of (a) mending nets (Mark 1:19), (b) of training students (Luke 6:40), and (c) in secular Greek as a medical term for setting a fractured bone. What is wrong in the life of the sinning believer needs to be mended or set straight with a view to spiritual growth and Christlike character.

(4) A Contrast in Attitude—Humility versus Pride (6:1b, 3):

A spirit of gentleness, itself a fruit of the Spirit (5:23), is to be the controlling sphere in which this work of restoration is to be done. The Greek word here is prautes (prauthv”), “meekness, humility, considerateness, gentleness.” Meekness or humility looks at the inward attitude while gentleness looks at its outward manifestation in relationships with others. This Greek word was used in secular Greek of horses that were gentle and under the control of their masters. It describes power under control. Verse 3 draws our attention more pointedly to the concept of humility. In the spirit of humility, considering our own potential lest we too are tempted, we are to delicately seek to restore the sinning Christian. Whenever we help another who has sinned, we are in danger of seeing ourselves as better or as his or her judge rather than as being one with them in natural tendencies with the same possibilities of sinning (1 Cor. 10:12).

(5) A Contrast in Actions:

A Burden Bearer versus One who Spreads Gossip (6:2): Serving others by helping them bear their burdens fulfills the law of Christ, the command to love one another in the example of the Savior Himself (Rom. 15:1-3). “Bear” is the Greek bastazo (bastavzw) which means: (1) to take up with the hands, lift up, (2) to take up in order to carry or bear what is burdensome, and then to endure, and (3) to bear, to carry in the sense of sustain, i.e. uphold, support which is the emphasis here. Christians are called to come alongside a brother to give support, to help him by sharing the load when life-dominating sins oppress his life. “Burdens” is baros (barov”), “a weight, a heavy load.” It refers to an excessive burden which needs the aid of others in contrast to “load” in verse 5, a different Greek word (see below).

Self Examination versus Condemnation (6:4-5): The remedy for self-conceit is found in verse 4. Here we are told to “examine” our own work or actions. “Examine” is dokimazo (dokimavzw), “to test with a view to approval.”

This means that rather than comparing himself with others he should step back and take an objective look at himself and his accomplishments. Then he can take pride in himself over what God has done in and through his life (cf. Rom. 12:3). The Greek word kauchema rendered “pride,” means personal exultation, not sinful pride.²⁴

Regarding verse 5, Donald Campbell writes:

The Christian does in fact test himself by carrying his own load. This does not contradict verse 2 because the reference there is to heavy, crushing, loads (bare)—more than a man could carry without help. In this verse a different Greek word (phortion) is used to designate the pack usually carried by a marching soldier. It is the “burden” Jesus assigns to His followers (cf. Matt. 11:30). There are certain Christian responsibilities or burdens each believer must bear which cannot be shared with others. Jesus assured His disciples that such burdens were light.²⁵

Verses Promoting
the Good of the Body of Christ

Command 7: Seek After That Which is Good for One Another

1 Thessalonians 5:15 See that no one repays another with evil for evil, but always seek after that which is good for one another and for all men.

In the context, this injunction follows several positive illustrations and one negative. The general principle is to set aside our rights in order to do that which will promote the good of others. Note this can include admonishing the unruly, but it must be done for their edification.

Ephesians 4:29 Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, that it may give grace to those who hear.

Command 8: Be Honest With One Another

Colossians 3:9 Do not lie to one another, since you laid aside the old self with its evil practices,

Honesty stands opposed to hypocrisy and the cover ups we all tend to hide behind in our relationships with others. Dishonesty can steal not only time and material things from others, but it can rob others of the truth and the honesty that is so vital to good human relationships that truly benefit each other.

Command 9: Show Hospitality to One Another

1 Peter 4:9 Be hospitable to one another without complaint.

The emphasis in this passage is reaching out to others. It includes being warm and hospitable to others such as visitors at church, having people in our homes, and promoting fellowship among believers. However, in New Testament times it primarily referred to helping suffering believers such as those in Hebrews 13:1-3; 10:32-34, and meant opening up their homes to those in need.

Command 10: Greet One Another with a Holy Kiss

Romans 16:16 Greet one another with a holy kiss. All the churches of Christ greet you.

This command is found four times in the New Testament (Rom. 16:16; 1 Cor. 16:20; 2 Cor. 13:12; 1 Pet. 5:14). “Greet” is aspazomai (aspavzomai) which meant “to greet or to welcome,” but the basic and original idea seemed to be “to embrace.”²⁶ So it came to be used of the embrace of greeting, welcome, or even parting.

As used in the New Testament epistles it was a sign of love, affection, and genuine interest in others. Often today our greetings are empty, superficial, or to gain points for ego purposes (Mark 12:38). Greeting one another warmly and genuinely is supra-cultural, going beyond the cultural patterns. “With a holy kiss,” is cultural and will change with the culture, time or area as we see in European countries today. In our culture, it would include a warm hand shake, an arm around the shoulder, or a hug.

Verses Promoting
Unity and Peace in the Body of Christ

Command 11: Be at Peace With One Another

Mark 9:50 Salt is good; but if the salt becomes unsalty, with what will you make it salty again? Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with one another.

1 Thessalonians 5:13b … Live in peace with one another.

Peace is more than the absence of war or a state of tranquillity. For the Christian community it expresses the harmonious and unified relationship of a body of people working together as a servant people in the kingdom of God for the purposes of God. It looks at a spiritual condition and attitude which is the product of commitment to God and out of that, commitment to people.

Command 12: Be Devoted to One Another in Brotherly Love

Romans 12:10 Be devoted to one another in brotherly love; give preference to one another in honor;

“Devoted” is philostorgos (filovstorgo”) which refers to family affection. It stresses how we should be devoted to and love one another because we are family, children of God through faith in Christ and the new birth.

Command 13: Give Preference to One Another in Honor

Romans 12:10 Be devoted to one another in brotherly love; give preference to one another in honor;

Philippians 2:3 Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind let each of you regard one another as more important than himself;

In Romans 12:10, “honor” is time, “a valuing.” It involved placing a value on something so that it came to have our honor and respect. “Give preference” is literally, “to go before as a leader, lead the way.” The idea is that of leading the way in showing honor and respect. We must learn to give one another the priority in honor. Many of the problems which disrupt peace and unity and thus the mission and effectiveness of the church concern rights and privileges, places and prestige. Perhaps Philippians 2:3-4 is the perfect commentary on the meaning of this verse.

Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind let each of you regard one another as more important than himself; do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others (Phil. 2:3-4).

Command 14: Clothe Yourselves with Humility Toward One Another; and be Subject to One Another

1 Peter 5:5 You younger men, likewise, be subject to your elders; and all of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, for God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble.

Ephesians 5:21 and be subject to one another in the fear of Christ.

These two verses go with each other like root and fruit or cause and effect and are tightly related to giving preference in honor. Humility is a result of orientation to God’s grace which protects us from pride and the typical ego tactics which kill unity and peace. Humility is a mental attitude that allows and causes us to surrender our rights and submit ourselves to the needs and interests of others. Humility is never self-depreciation, like, “ah shucks, it weren’t nothin” attitude, but an awareness of who we are and what we are by the grace of God:

• that we are accepted in the beloved through the merit of Christ,
• that we are children of God who belong to God’s family, and
• made capable for God’s calling on our lives by His resources and creativity, never ours, though He may use our God-given talents which we are to use in His strength, never our own.

Humility also means recognizing the value of others with the ability to appreciate them and their contribution to the body of Christ.

Command 15: Show Forbearance Toward One Another

Ephesians 4:2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing forbearance to one another in love,

Colossians 3:13 bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you.

“Forbearance” is anecho (anevcw) literally “to hold up.” It contained the idea of “to endure, to bear with, put up with,” either in relation to conditions or people. It was sometimes used in the sense of listening to someone, but really hearing what they are saying.

The context of Ephesians 4:2 points to four spiritual qualities needed to forbear with one another, humility, meekness (bridled strength, strength under control), patience (knowing that God is not through with the other person just as He is not through with me), and love (a work of the Word and the Spirit). Quite obviously this One Another injunction is aimed at protecting and promoting unity, peace, ministry, and building up of the body of Christ, also suggested by the context (4:3, 13-16).

We tend to be provoked by others who do not cater to our whims or even our ideas or convictions because we cling to our rights and desires rather than the well being of others. When we become provoked, we are in danger of hurting others and the peace of the body of Christ.

Command 16: Accept One Another

Romans 15:7 Wherefore, accept one another, just as Christ also accepted us to the glory of God.

This injunction is given in a context dealing with doubtful things or the taboos of a society. This means things that a segment of society may condemn but Scripture may not such as eating meat sacrificed in the heathen temples, observing certain days, or drinking wine (cf. Rom. 14:5-6, 21).

When believers, for whatever reason, have different opinions or beliefs concerning such things, they tend to become critical of those who do not believe as they do. This is true of both sides—those who observe or abstain and those who believe they have liberty to do as they please. The tendency is to reject one another which causes divisions.

See Addendum for a summary of the five types of believers.

Command 17: Be Kind to One Another, Tenderhearted, Forgiving One Another

Ephesians 4:32 And be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you.

Colossians 3:13 bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you.

“Be kind” (chrestos [crhstov”] fundamentally denotes the idea of “fitting, serviceable, good.” This means doing whatever is beneficial and benevolent to others (cf. Eph. 4:29). “Tender hearted” means “compassionate, having inner emotions of affection.” “Forgiving” is charizomai (carivzomai) from charis (cari”) “grace.” It means acting in grace toward one another, treating others as Christ treats us. When we fail to forgive others, it means we are acting on a works basis and accepting others on the basis of their record. This hinders peace and unity in the body and in turn hinders the body’s capacity to minister to a hurting world with the love and grace of Christ.

Verses Promoting
Ministry and the Function of the Body of Christ

Command 18: Serve One Another

Galatians 5:13 For you were called to freedom, brethren; only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.

1 Peter 4:10 As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.

Ministry is the ultimate act of love and humility. It is that which promotes peace in the body of Christ. Christ came not to be ministered to, but to minister and to give his life as a ransom for many. The ransom of His life was given to bring peace—peace with God and peace among men. He is the Peacemaker, but this He did by giving His life in ministry culminating in the cross. Even now, He is ministering to and for us at God’s right hand as He acts as our Advocate and Intercessor. Thus, the One Another injunctions call us to be servants who follow in His steps.

As good stewards of God’s grace, we are to employ our gifts in serving one another. Thank God, He has not left us to our own resources, but rather has enabled us to serve Him and one another through the power of the Spirit and through the gifts He gives to every believer in Christ. The emphasis is on being faithful to our stewardship.

Command 19: Live and Work as Members of One Another

Romans 12:4-8 For just as we have many members in one body and all the members do not have the same function, 5 so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another (emphasis mine). 6 And since we have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let each exercise them accordingly: if prophecy, according to the proportion of his faith; 7 if service, in his serving; or he who teaches, in his teaching; 8 or he who exhorts, in his exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness.

We are to live and work as members of one another using our gift(s) for the benefit of the body. These verses stress the same principle as above, but add the fact of our relationship together as members of the same body as a point of explanation and motivation. As the members of our human bodies work together to promote the general well being and ability of the entire body, so we are to minister to one another by discovering, developing, and using our gifts.

Conclusion

Just as musk oxen join forces to ward off an attack by the wolves of the arctic, so we must learn to face the various deceptive, disruptive, and savage wolves that Satan uses to attack us. We desperately need the protective ministry of the body of Christ working together by loving and caring for one another.

• Are you committed to the One Another principle?
• If not, will you commit yourself to becoming a One Another believer?
• Make a list of the One Another verses and review them periodically as a reminder.
• Ask God to make you sensitive to those around you and to enable you to apply these verses in your life in growing in your commitment to care for one another.
• When faced with attitudes and feelings that hinder care and concern for others, replace them with a commitment to minister to others.

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12 Gene A Getz, Building Up One Another, Victor Books, Wheaton, IL, 1976, pp. 110-111.

13 Getz, p. 112.

14 Getz, p. 52.

15 Hermann Cremer, Biblico-Theological Lexicon of New Testament Greek, T. and T. Clark, Edinburgh, p. 441, 442.

16 Getz, p. 53.

17 Getz, p. 54.

18 For other material related to this subject, see Jay Adams, Competent to Counsel, Presbyterian and Reformed Publishing Company; Gene Getz, Building Up One Another, Victor Books; and Larry Crabb and Dan Allender, Encouragement, Zondervan.

19 Crabb/Allender, Encouragement, Zondervan, Grand Rapids, 1984, p. 10.

20 Crabb/Allender, p. 14.

21 Crabb/Allender, p. 11.

22 James M. Boice, The Expositor’s Bible Commentary, Frank E. Gaebelein, general editor, Vol. 10, Zondervan, Grand Rapids, 1976, p. 501.

23 Donald K. Campbell, The Bible Knowledge Commentary, NT Edition, John F. Walvoord, Roy B. Zuck, editors, Victor Books, Wheaton, IL, 1983, p. 609.

24 Ibid., p. 609.

25 Ibid., p. 610.

26 Gerhard Kittel, Theological Dictionary of the New Testament, Vol. I, p. 497.

In this study, we found that the One Another injunctions and statements of Scripture fall into two categories: those that deal with attitudes and those that deal with actions because they are so closely related. In fact, we are told in Scripture to have the same mind with one another which is essentially, the mind of Christ. This is not simply so we can be nice to one another, but so that, in our love for one another, we can also become a united and effective body in the work of God.

To be a Christ-like people, we must also have the mind of Christ. This is vital to our ability to respond to God’s call and challenge as His people who are here to declare the excellencies of His grace. The church must come to understand who it is and why it is here and then become united in the purpose of that understanding.

(1) Meditating on God’s Word gives strength and courage to obey God’s call in a nation that has lost its way through.

Joshua 1:8 This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it; for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have success.

Romans 12:1-2 I urge you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. 2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.

2 Corinthians 10:4-5 for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses. 5 We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ,

(2) Meditating on God’s Word Develops the Mind of Christ

1 Corinthians 2:16 For who has known the mind of the Lord, that he should instruct Him? But we have the mind of Christ.

Philippians 2:5 Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus,

In his book, Kingdoms In Conflict, Chuck Colson writes:

Wise men and women have long recognized the need for the transcendent authority of religion to give society its legitimacy and essential cohesion. One of the most vigorous arguments was made by Cicero, who maintained that religion is ‘indispensable to private morals and public order … and no man of sense will attack it.’

In the West the primary civilizing force was Christianity. According to historian Christopher Dawson, Christianity provided a transcendent spiritual end which gave Western culture its dynamic purpose. It furnished the soul for Western civilization and provided its moral legitimization …0  

The American experiment in limited government was founded on this essential premise; its success depended on a transcendent reference point and a religious consensus. John Adams wrote, ‘Our constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate for the government of any other.’ Tocqueville credited much of America’s remarkable success to its religious nature; it was later called a nation with ‘the soul of a church.’²⁷

Later on in the same chapter, Colson makes this important crucial analysis:

The shock waves that threaten the very foundations of our culture today, then, emanate from society’s failure to understand man’s need for God and the Christians’ failure to accurately present Christ’s message of the Kingdom of God.²⁸

It is a bewildering paradox that one-third of all American adults claim to be born again and yet fail to impact our society which becomes sicker and more corrupt by the day.²⁹

In John Woodbridge’s book, Renewing Your Mind in a Secular World, George Gallup, Jr. is quoted as saying: “America in 1984 appears to be confronted with a great paradox: Religion is growing in importance among Americans but morality is losing ground.”³⁰

Are we troubled by this paradox? If we aren’t, we should be. Why is that we as evangelical Christians who make up one-third of the population of this country have not had greater impact on our society? Is it not because so many within the body of Christ have failed to respond to God’s call and take on the challenge that God has given us as His people? Many are troubled, but the majority are not. Why?

Though evangelical Christians affirm that the Bible is an infallible rule for faith and practice, many of them compartmentalize their faith in such a manner that biblical teachings do not much affect the way they live on a daily basis. They profess sound evangelical doctrine but betray those confessions by their deeds. They do not consciously seek each day to live under the direction of biblical ethics.

As believers, we are not sheltered from the enticing messages of our society, nor are we immune from the intoxication of unrelenting activity. We may yield to those pressures far more than we ourselves sometimes recognize. It would be easy for a spirit of worldliness to have entered our very being.

Christ taught that Christians are to serve as salt and light in the world (Matt. 5:13-16). But salt can lose its savor, and a light can be dimmed. It is quite possible that we are experiencing a loss of spiritual power because we are not yielding ourselves to the Holy Spirit on a daily basis. Little wonder we have lost some of our saltiness and light. We cannot change the world because we are too much like it. The challenge of keeping a godly mind in modern America has overwhelmed us.

Our minds play an exceedingly large role in our Christian lives. It is in our minds that some of our fiercest spiritual warfare takes place.³¹

Note the following texts concerning our responsibility as believers in the world:

Philippians 1:27 Only conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ; so that whether I come and see you or remain absent, I may hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel.

“With one mind” means having the mind of Christ, working in unity of purpose to promote the gospel of Christ, to reach out with the love of Christ to a hurting world.

1 Peter 1:13 Therefore, gird your minds for action, keep sober in spirit, fix your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. As obedient children, do not be conformed to the former lusts which were yours in your ignorance …

In other words, don’t allow your past patterns and the present pulls of the world to pull you back into your old way of life, one dominated by the wrong values.

Both of these passages center on our thinking, on what we think and how because this is so important to what we do.

Christians face a major problem: they receive too much of their mental input from the world and too little from biblical sources. Up to 90 percent of the information they sort in their minds is controlled by presuppositions antithetical to a Christian viewpoint. Therefore they must increase the amount of time spent in genuine, rich fellowship with other Christians, and they must work for better experiences in their devotional life.³²

Joshua 1:1-9 is a passage that relates directly to developing and maintaining the mind of Christ and having the courage and strength to respond to the call and challenge of God on our lives. In verses 1-5 we have God’s call and commission to Joshua. This is not unlike God’s call on every Christian in the sense that we are called to be like Joshua and to be involved in leading people into the riches of Christ.

Joshua 1:1-5 Now it came about after the death of Moses the servant of the LORD that the LORD spoke to Joshua the son of Nun, Moses’ servant, saying, 2 “Moses My servant is dead; now therefore arise, cross this Jordan, you and all this people, to the land which I am giving to them, to the sons of Israel. 3 Every place on which the sole of your foot treads, I have given it to you, just as I spoke to Moses. 4 From the wilderness and this Lebanon, even as far as the great river, the river Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites, and as far as the Great Sea toward the setting of the sun, will be your territory. 5 No man will be able to stand before you all the days of your life. Just as I have been with Moses, I will be with you; I will not fail you or forsake you.”

In verses 6-9 we have God’s challenge to strength and courage to accept the call with success.

6 Be strong and courageous, for you shall give this people possession of the land which I swore to their fathers to give them. 7 Only be strong and very courageous; be careful to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, so that you may have success wherever you go. 8 This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it; for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have success. 9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous! Do not tremble or be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.

Ultimately, strength and courage come from four things in this passage:

• Realizing the Pleasure of God’s Word—His will and call (1:1-2). Compare Colossians 1:9-10.
• Resting in the Promises of God’s Word (1:2b-6).
• Renewing the Mind in the Principles of God’s Word (1:7-8).
• Reckoning on the Presence of God’s Person (1:9).

The heart and the basis of this is the fact of God’s revelation and the need of daily communication and communion with the Living God. Each of these verses deal with two things: the fact of revelation from God and the need for response from Joshua.

• In verses 1-5 the call is based on revelation from God—His Word.
• In verse 6 the call to courage is based on God’s oath—His Word.
• In verses 7-8 the call to courage is based on the need to know the Law of Moses—His Word.
• In verse 9 the call to courage is based on the fact God had spoken to Joshua—His Word.

Do you get the point? Success in obedience to God’s call depended on hearing, knowing, and obeying God’s Word, but verses 7-8 give us the key to Joshua’s ability to respond and so also ours.

• In vs. 6, “be strong and courageous”
• In vs. 9, “be strong and courageous”
• In vss. 7-8, “only be very strong and courageous” is keyed to Joshua’s faithfulness to follow the Word
• Verse 7 is a stronger exhortation and shows the greatest need and the greatest danger

The greatest need: to commune with God daily on the basis of His Word.

The greatest threat: our failure to meditate on His Word that we might live by it.

Following a mental health and maturity survey of evangelical seminary students, Paul Meier summarized his research as follows:

1. Even though trusting in Christ is all that is needed to obtain eternal life, experiencing the abundant life Christ promised (John 10:10) and experiencing the fruit of the Spirit (love, joy, peace) rather than bitterness, depression, and anxiety are dependent upon a renewing of the mind.

2. Renewing of the mind can come from various sources, such as confrontation by loving friends about personal blind-spots, therapy with a Christian professional counselor, conviction from the Holy Spirit, confrontation with scriptural principles in sermons or seminars, and daily meditation on Scripture.

3. Renewing of the mind is a continual process, a progressive sanctification requiring continual, preferably daily, input from God’s Word.

4. Daily meditation on Scripture with personal application, is the most effective means of obtaining personal joy, peace, and emotional maturity.

5. On the average, it takes about three years of daily Scripture meditation to bring about enough change in a person’s thought patterns and behavior to produce statistically superior mental health and happiness.³³

Conclusion

Without biblical meditation, we fall into the trap of religiosity, of going through the motions of religion without really dealing with our lives. What God has called us to is not simply overt conformity to a set of moral rules, standards, and actions of service. Instead, He has called us to a heart relationship with Him through Jesus Christ through the Word in the power of the Holy Spirit. This means change in our lives from the inside out, changes in our values, sources of trust, in our purposes for living, and in the way we handle life.

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27 Chuck Colson, Kingdoms in Conflict, Zondervan, Grand Rapids, 1987, p. 47.

28 Ibid., p. 49.

29 Ibid., p.vii.

30 John Woodbridge, Renewing Your Mind in a Secular World, John Woodbridge, editor, Moody Press, Chicago, 1985, p. vii.

31 Ibid., p. ix.

32 Ibid., p. 97.

33 Paul D. Meier, Renewing Your Mind in a Secular World, Chapter 2, John Woodbridge, editor, Moody Press, Chicago, 1985, p. 27.

We live in a society committed to self-love and to each one doing his own thing, pursuing his own happiness, comfort, and peace. This commitment to self, of course, is destructive to society, to the family, and any human relationship. Such a course is the product of Satan’s influence and delusions and is directly opposed to the direction and injunctions of Scripture for the life of the Christian.

The mandate on the body of Christ is love for God and love for one’s neighbor, the pursuit and promotion of the kingdom of God, doing not our own thing, but denial of the self-life that we might be free to live for God and others.

Thus, we find in the New Testament what we can call the doctrine of One Another. Over and over again in the New Testament we find injunctions and statements concerning our responsibilities to one another. The point being, God has called us to be a ministering people following the example of our Lord who came not to be ministered to, but to minister and give Himself a ransom for many.

Galatians 5 is one of the key passages in Scripture dealing with the Spirit-filled life or walking by means of the Holy Spirit who indwells every believer. It is important to understand that Paul’s argument centers around the believer’s freedom. Note the following:

(1) They had been prisoners of sin, in bondage to its control and death (3:22), and the Law had not been able to liberate them. The Law had been merely a temporary custodian to care for Israel until Christ when man could be freed from sin and justified by faith (3:24).

(2) Before Christ, man was like a small child, under this tutor or guardian and no different from a slave and so, in bondage, under the legal practice of the law and Judaism (cf. 4:1-3).

(3) But with the coming of Jesus Christ, they were set free, made adopted sons with the Holy Spirit’s indwelling which was also a proof of sonship (4:4-7).

(4) However, because of false and legalistic teachers, some were trying to go back to the works of the Law as a means of spirituality. They were becoming entangled again as slaves under the Law (4:8-11).

(5) Thus, note Paul’s declaration and injunction in 5:1-12. Here the Apostle deals with the believer’s freedom and warns us against entanglements with the law or any kind of human works system by which one attempts to be justified from sin’s penalty or sanctified, delivered from sin’s power. The Christian is one who is justified, saved by faith in the person and work of Jesus Christ. He is also one who is sanctified, transformed in his spiritual character, through his new position in Christ and by faith in the Spirit who indwells him or her (3:1-5; 4:19; 5:4-5, 16, 25).

The believer in Christ is a freed man! What does that mean? How should that affect our lives? Biblical truth is never irrelevant to how we live our lives.

Man’s Viewpoint of Freedom

Paul is concerned about the wrong influence of man’s perspective about freedom. To the world (those operating without the divine absolutes of Scripture) freedom means the right to be and do as you please, how you please, when you please, where you please. It means doing your own thing, being your own boss, looking after number one first. The Webster’s New Collegiate Dictionary says it means “exemption from necessity in choice and action.” It is the right to any choice so long as it is your own personal choice.

But the Bible teaches, as well as a simple observation of life, that such a definition or viewpoint is not freedom. It is instead license and an excuse to throw off the moral restraints of God in pursuit of selfish goals (Rom. 1:18f; John 3:19-21). This always results eventually in the exploitation of others, moral degeneracy, and lawlessness as it is becoming more and more evident in our “do your own thing” society.

This kind of freedom, or license as it really is, is also SLAVERY OR BONDAGE.

2 Peter 2:17-19 These are springs without water, and mists driven by a storm, for whom the black darkness has been reserved. 18 For speaking out arrogant words of vanity they entice by fleshly desires, by sensuality, those who barely escape from the ones who live in error, 19 promising them freedom while they themselves are slaves of corruption; for by what a man is overcome, by this he is enslaved.

God’s Viewpoint of Freedom

Negatively: What Freedom is Not

Paul is concerned that we have God’s perspective, the viewpoint of Scripture regarding true freedom. Christian freedom is never the freedom to sin or do as you please.

Galatians 5:13 For you were called to freedom, brethren; only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.

The Galatians, like many today, tended to go in one of two extremes. Some were reverting to the Law as a means of spirituality or righteousness. This only served to bring them back under bondage to both the power of the flesh and indwelling sin within and without. Thus, to these Paul wrote 5:2-12. Such a position always nullifies the deliverance that is ours in Jesus Christ because it places our faith in the wrong objects—self and the Law. This is what it means to fall from grace: to fall from God’s grace provision against the flesh. It doesn’t mean they had lost their salvation. It means they had forfeited their deliverance by the power of Christ. Legalism will produce some service, but it will be a joyless service and a service stemming from generally neurotic, self-promoting motives to meet selfish needs.

Others, hearing about their freedom in Christ, thought they could now do as they pleased. But such a philosophy always results in non-loving, selfish, exploitation that ignores the needs of others and acts in ways that are harmful to the body of Christ and God’s purpose for the church.

So, to these the Apostle wrote Galatians 5:13-14. “Serve” is the Greek douleuete, (douleuvete) a present active imperative of douleuo (douleuvw), “to perform the duties of a slave or servant.” It is important for us to note that most of the One Another injunctions in one way or another demonstrate the heart of a servant. “Opportunity” is aphorme (of-ormhv) which originally meant “a starting point” or “a base of operations,” then “an opportunity, an occasion, incentive” or “pretext, excuse.”

Principle: Our liberty in Christ and the abundant grace that is ours in Him must never be used as an excuse to do as we please and in the process hurt others or ignore our calling and obligations to God and men (cf. Rom. 5-6; Tit. 2:11-14). Freedom in Christ never means freedom from the presence and struggle with the flesh or indwelling sin. It means the provision of the Spirit as God’s means of victory (5:16-17). So our salvation and freedom in Christ is never to be considered as freedom from servanthood or from service and loving responsibilities to others (Rom. 14-15).

Here lies a great Christian paradox. It is interesting that Paul, having warned these Christians against becoming slaves again to the Law and the flesh, now urges them to become servants, slaves to one another (5:13) which includes, of course, being bond slaves to God (1 Cor. 6:19; Rom. 12:1). This paradox is tremendously instructive:

• Slavery to one another and to God is nothing at all like slavery to the flesh or to the Law.
• Slavery to flesh and the Law result in death, misery, and frustration. It causes us to be consumed, torn apart by one another.
• On the other hand, slavery to God and one another results in true freedom and maximum blessing.
• Slavery to sin is involuntary and never neutral. It is degenerative and destructive both to self and to others.
• Slavery to the Law is voluntary, it is man choosing to save himself. As such it is foolish, burdensome, but also completely helpless to change our lives from the inside where it really counts.
• Slavery to God and to one another is voluntary. But it is a product of love and the power of the Holy Spirit. Thus, it becomes a source of glory to God, and joy, peace, and blessing to self and to others.

Positively: What True Freedom Is

Freedom is not the right to do as one pleases, but the power and capacity both to will and to do as one ought. True freedom is never freedom from responsibility, but responsibility not only for choice, but right choices. Freedom is an inner contentment with who we are in Christ and with what we have. It means to covet only heavenly treasure. It means the willingness and ability to allow God to be in control of your life. It means single-mindedness which turns the control of one’s life over to Christ which in turn frees us psychologically and volitionally to follow the Lord. It means the liberty for self-responsibility to both God and man under the grace of God.

A train is a good illustration because it is only effective when it is on the tracks for which it was designed. Tracks don’t inhibit a train, but enable it to run freely as long as it is running under the power of the steam or fuel of its engines.

But let’s understand that freedom is particularly concerned with human relationships which flow from right relationship with God through faith in Jesus Christ and the ministry of the Holy Spirit. This is a key point throughout the fifth chapter of Galatians. Five times the apostle uses “one another” in relation to our freedom—once in verse 13, twice in verse 15, and twice in verse 26. Central to each reference is the ministry of the Holy Spirit.

This is a vital and key point in our study. No matter what mankind tries to do to improve the world or society, society eventually deteriorates. Why? Because man is enslaved to sin; man is primarily sinful and selfish. Rather than truly desiring to serve others, he basically desires to serve himself, to meet his own felt needs and, as a result, he ends up exploiting others as Paul warns us in Galatians 5:15 and 26.

This is evident in our social programs. The programs fail to work effectively because man is unable to work them effectively. Paul knew that if we were going to be able to serve one another in love we would need strength from a source other than ourselves and we would need to deal with the inner man honestly through confession and the power of the indwelling Spirit of God.

Mark 8:33-35 shows that true freedom flows out of total commitment to Jesus Christ. In losing our lives in devotion to Him and His purposes, and in turning control of our lives over to Him, we find true freedom—the freedom to be what we were designed to be and thus experience true joy. Using our freedom to indulge ourselves never satisfies the inner core longings of the heart. Instead it destroys the soul’s capacity to relate to others, and leads either to the neglect of others or their exploitation. Thus, we are to voluntarily, out of love, serve one another as bondslaves of the Lord.

Being a servant of Christ involves us in service to others because being in Christ we are part of His body and members of one another.

Our Caution:
A Warning Against License

A philosophy of license always results in non-loving, selfish, exploitation that ignores the needs of one another and acts in ways that are harmful to the body of Christ and God’s purpose for the church. So to this end, the apostle wrote Galatians 5:13-26.

Our Commandment:
Serve One Another By Love

Love fulfills the Law :

Galatians 5:13-15 For you were called to freedom, brethren; only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. 14 For the whole Law is fulfilled in one word, in the statement, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” 15 But if you bite and devour one another, take care that you are not consumed by one another.

Concerning Paul’s explanatory word in verse 15, Warren Wiersbe writes:

This verse gives the reason for the above (note the “For,” gar, a particle of explanation). Freedom in Christ does not ignore the law, it fulfills its holy demands through that which is its essence, love for one’s neighbor. “If you love people (because you love Christ), you will not steal from them, lie about them, envy them, or try in any way to hurt them.”³⁴

Love from within through the ministry of the Spirit, with Scripture as our guide for how love acts, fulfills the Law.

Consequences to Avoid:
Carnal Christian Cannibalism

Galatians 5:15 But if you bite and devour one another, take care lest you be consumed by one another.

When we do not serve one another we invariably end up devouring one another. This is the alternative. It seems there is ultimately no neutrality—either we live for others or we live for self.

Our Confidence:
God’s provision of the Spirit

Galatians 5:16 But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh.

Herein lies the secret. Not through the terrors of the Law, but through the personal ministry of the Holy Spirit will victory over the flesh or the sinful nature be experienced.

The Command

“Walk by means of the Spirit.” “Walk” is an imperative, a command. Though not under the law, we are not without the responsibility of right choices. As a command, it also implies the ability to do so. In the Greek text, the tense is present continuous action pointing to the need to walk moment by moment, step by step in dependence upon the Spirit. “By the Spirit” points to the Holy Spirit as the agent and means, and thus the strength by which we are to live our lives.

The Promise

“And you will not carry out the lusts of the flesh.” “Will not” is ou me (ouj mhv), a strong negative of denial, “not at all!” “Carry out” is teleo (televw) in the Greek meaning “bring to an end, finish, bring to fruition,” or “perform, accomplish, carry out.” “The lusts of the flesh” refers to the problem we all face of the continued activity of the sinful nature, the propensity for sin that continues to exist even in the life of the saved. While we are never entirely free in this life from the evil desires that stem from our fallen human nature, we can experience victory over them through the Holy Spirit.

Our Conflict:
The Struggle Between the Flesh and the Spirit

Galatians 5:17 For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you please.

In this verse the Apostle explains why we need to be walking by the Spirit, that is, to have a life controlled and energized by the very Spirit of God. The explanation is found in the fact of the raging conflict going on between the Spirit and the flesh. Though we are judicially dead to the sinful nature and its power and can experience the deliverance of our new life in Christ though our union with Him (Rom. 6:1-14) and the power of the Spirit, the sinful nature is nevertheless not eradicated. Bartlett has a good word here. He writes:

The acceptance of Christ into the heart will inevitably provoke a bitter and determined resistance on the part of the old sinful nature which hitherto has had everything its own way. Nor will the flesh be put to sleep by the fond delusion that it is dead and buried. It is imperative for our spiritual growth that we grasp the fact that the old nature is not removed or reformed at regeneration. Failure to understand this elementary fact frequently plunges the new convert into needless bewilderment and even despair of his standing before God when, after a peaceful period of triumph and fellowship with Jesus, he stumbles into the old sins and faults he fancied had been vanquished forever. With older Christians this error often operates to effect quite different results. Persuaded that they cannot sin, adherents of the heresy of sinless perfection will deny that those practices are sinful which the Word of God plainly denounces as sinful. He who thinks he has reached perfection is the victim of an illusion indicating that he is desperately in need of a new pair of glasses to forestall threatening blindness.³⁵

Our Conquest:
Deliverance from the Law through the Spirit

Galatians 5:18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the Law.

Again, this does not mean Christians are without responsibilities and imperatives to obey. The Lord said, “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.” The point is we have a new means of living. Just as justification is not by the works of the Law, so sanctification cannot be achieved by human effort. The believer is not spiritual because he keeps a set of principles or imperatives. He keeps the imperatives of Scripture because he is spiritual.

To be under the law is to be under its authority as a rule of life, and thus to try to keep it as a means of sanctification.

Two Characterizations:
The Works of the Flesh Versus the Fruit of the Spirit

Galatians 5:19-23 Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality, 20 idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, 21 envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you just as I have forewarned you that those who practice such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.

(1) A Contrast of Source or Means—Flesh versus Spirit—one or the other is dominant.

(2) A Contrast of Results or Effects—Works (points to human resources) versus Fruit (points to inner life and the result of nurturing the spiritual life and divine resources).

(3) A Contrast of Characteristics and Blessings.

The Works of the Flesh (19-21).

These form three categories which are, however, only a small illustration of the activities of the flesh. Note “and things like these” in verse 21.

(1) Sensual sins—immorality, impurity, sensuality, vs. 19, and drunkenness, carousing, verse 21.

(2) Superstitious or religious sins—idolatry, sorcery.

(3) Social sins—enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, envying. This by far, makes up the largest category with most of these involving the heart and mind and man’s relationships with people.

The Fruit of the Spirit (22-23)

“Fruit” is singular which suggests that these nine qualities form a unity. When one is missing the whole is spoiled. They form three categories:

(1) Conditions of the mind or mental attitudes which form the foundation or the soil for all the others—love, joy, peace.

(2) Actions toward others involving our relationships with man—patience, kindness, goodness.

(3) Qualities in relation to self which affect us in our relationship toward God, others, and self—faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.

We should note that which heads the list is love. This is the Greek agape (ajgavph) and is a Spirit produced, sacrificial, mental attitude kind of love that flows from biblical thinking buttressed by the control of the Spirit.

Our Crucifixion:
The Foundation for Transformed Living

Galatians 5:24 Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.

This does not refer to self-crucifixion or self-mortification—that which man does in the energy of the flesh to overcome the flesh. It refers to the truth of Romans 6:1-14, the truth of the believer’s co-identification with Christ through the baptizing work of the Holy Spirit (1 Cor. 12:12-13). The work which positionally and judicially unites us into Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection so that, while the flesh is still active, its power is broken with the result we can walk in newness of life. The flesh is still alive to us, as the context makes perfectly clear, but we are dead to it and we can, through the Spirit, have victory over its desires.

Our Cultivation:
An Exhortation to Cultivate a Walk by the Spirit

Galatians 5:25 If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit.

Since the emphasis is clearly on the fruit of the Spirit, the need is the cultivation of the spiritual walk. Note the condition or comparison. Since regeneration is a work of the Spirit of God (something man cannot do) so also is daily sanctification, resurrected, transformed living. “Walk” is stoicheo (stoicevw), “to be in rows (of waves, plants, and men), to walk in line and keep in step (especially of marching in file to battle).” We are to keep in step with the Spirit. Step by step our walk is to conform to the Spirit’s control, enablement, and direction.

Our Challenge:
Exhortations Against Non-Loving One Another Actions

Galatians 5:26 Let us not become boastful, challenging one another, envying one another.

When actions like these exist in our lives, it is clear evidence that we are not walking by the Spirit. Regardless of what we claim to know or believe, when we are acting like this, we are not serving by love and walking by the Spirit.

Conclusion

This then is the way to serve one another and experience true freedom, the freedom to follow the Lord. By faith in the finished work of Christ, by faith in our identification in Him, by faith in the ministry and power of the Spirit of God, God sets us free from the domination of sinful habits and lives of selfishness. In essence, one of the results of walking by the Spirit and the knowledge of the Word will be obedience to the One Another commands of the New Testament.

Many churches today are what we might call “preacher oriented” rather than “body oriented.” Only the pastor or special teachers share the Word of God with others in the church. The people come, listen to a sermon or a lesson and then depart and spend little or no time with other believers in a situation where they can love one another in the sense of these One Another injunctions. Please do not misunderstand. It is good and biblical for pastors and other teachers to expound on the Word (1 Tim. 4:6-13). This is a vital necessity, but according to the New Testament every member is to be contributing to the building up of the body of Christ in both informal and formal settings to provide opportunities to love, encourage or comfort, build up, and serve one another. No matter how large the staff, no church staff can begin to do the work needed to properly care for the body of Christ as can the body itself as God has designed it (Eph. 4:16). In fact, one of the jobs God has assigned to church leaders is that of training others to minister and build up the body (Eph. 4:11-16). No matter what your gift(s), get involved in your local church and in the lives of others in the sense of these One Another injunctions of the New Testament. God wants to use you. You are vital to the spiritual health of the church. And if you are a church leader, evaluate your church structure to see if it is designed to promote the function of the body.

Ephesians 4:11-16 It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, 12 to prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up 13 until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.

14 Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming. 15 Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ. 16 From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work. (NIV)

Addendum:
Five Types of Believers

As we study the New Testament and particularly these doubtful areas as dealt with in Romans 14, 1 Corinthians 8, 9, and 10:23-33, we find that Christians tend to fall into five different categories depending on how they understand and respond to their liberty in Christ.

The Weaker Brother

An analysis of these passages reveals four weaknesses which define the weaker brother.

He is weak in faith (Rom. 14:1-2; cf. 22-23).

Faith as used here means a firm, intelligent conviction based on Scripture that something is okay or not okay. The Greek text has “the faith” which may sometimes refer to the body of truth which is to be taken in faith, but due to context (vss. 2, 14), the article should be taken as a personal pronoun, “his faith.”

He is weak in knowledge (1 Cor 8:7; cf. Rom. 14:14).

This is the reason for his lack of conviction, a lack of biblical understanding of God’s grace. His faith is either misinformed or lacking in biblical content which included three issues.

• They did not realize the idol was nothing. They had not seen the implications that “there is only one true God” (1 Cor. 8:4-5).
• They did not know that food offered to “a nothing” was not spiritually affected and that it could not be unclean in itself (Rom. 14:14).
• Finally, they do not understand that food cannot commend us to God, that food in itself has no spiritual bearing on our spiritual lives (1 Cor. 8:8).

He is weak in conscience

This means his conscience is based on human standards and norms and is overly sensitive, condemning him for things Scripture does not (1 Cor. 8:7; 10, 12).

He is weak in his will

He is weak in his will because he can be influenced to do something contrary to his conscience, or to act without becoming fully convinced by Scripture that something is either right or wrong. In this case, the weaker person acts on the example of the stronger believer without biblical conviction and faith. This violates his conscience, and so causes him to sin against the Lord (1 Cor. 8:10).

The weaker brother is any believer who, because of the weakness of his faith, conscience, knowledge, and will, can be influenced to sin against his conscience by the example or life style of a stronger brother. The weaker brother is not just a new or immature believer; he is not a Christian who happens to differ with you or me on some issue, but he or she is one who can be influenced to act contrary to their conscience or personal convictions (14:23; 1 Cor. 8:9-12).

The Stronger Brother

Conversely the stronger brother of Romans 15:1 is the one who is strong in his faith (conviction) (Rom. 14:22); knowledge of grace and what is truly right or wrong (1 Cor. 8:7, 10; Rom. 14:14), in his conscience (Rom. 14:22), and will (1 Cor. 10:10; Rom. 11:14). So the stronger brother is the believer who is certain of his biblical convictions, understands his freedom in Christ, and exercises his liberty without doubting and without being improperly influenced by differing opinions or behavior.

The Pharisee Believer

Warnings of Scripture regarding being judgmental of others such as Matthew 7:1-3 undoubtedly had in mind the Pharisees. The Pharisee mentality is a problem among all people, and God’s people are not exempt because we still have old patterns that need to be dealt with along with a sinful nature that wars against the Spirit (Gal. 5:16).

Not understanding God’s righteousness in Christ, this type of believer works to gain God’s righteousness or to be accepted with God (Rom. 14:1-10). The tendency is for such believers to look down on those who do not do and believe as they do in regard to debatable issues. This was one of the problems for the church at Galatia (Ga. 5:1-15). Romans 16:17 warns about those who cause dissensions, and a critical spirit is associated with such people. Those involved in the fan clubs mentioned in 1 Corinthians 3:3 were critical of others in an effort to promote their favorite teacher. In fact, Paul warns of this in 1 Corinthians 4:3 (cf. also 2 Cor. 10:7-12; 4:6).

This believer is characterized by a number of things.

• He lacks in biblical understanding of the believer’s freedom in Christ and his deliverance from the works of the law, or from human works as a means of salvation or spirituality. So he is a legalist. Legalism is not simply the conviction certain things are wrong, nor the avoidance of certain things. Rather it is an observance or an avoidance done in order to merit favor with God.
• He has very strong convictions about his list of taboos, but his convictions are based primarily on his own background and prejudices rather than the teaching of Scripture.
• He is often strong willed. He is able to resist pressure from others to conform to their standards. He tends not to be influenced by the example of others and often takes religious pride in his taboos, for to him they are a sign of his super-spirituality.
• Above all he tends to be hyper-critical and judgmental and seeks to get others to conform to his opinions. Those who will not conform he rejects and refuses to accept.
• He is usually not too hungry for the in-depth study of Scripture. He tends to be superficial and an externalist.

The Stumbling Block Believer

This believer (cf. Rom. 14:13; 1 Cor. 8:9-13) may have all the characteristics of the stronger brother, only he uses his liberty without regard to biblical guidelines for the use of liberty, i.e., the biblical principles which govern behavior in the questionable things. The majority of 1 Corinthians 8 and Romans 14 and 15 are aimed at this type of believer, or at keeping the stronger believer from misusing his or her liberty. This is a believer who is weak on LOVE and concern for the One Another responsibilities laid out in the New Testament.

The Servant-Type Believer

This believer (cf. Rom. 15:1; Gal. 5) too has all the characteristics of the stronger believer, but he is not in bondage to his emancipation. He forgoes his liberty, out of love, for the sake of others, whenever it might harm another believer, hurt his testimony with unbelievers, or in essence break any one of the cardinal principles necessary for exercising our liberty, and for guiding us as to when we should or should not do certain things. The servant-type is strong on love and follows the model of His Savior. He pursues the things which make for peace and the edification of one another. Rather than becoming a stumbling block, he seeks to be a stepping stone.

Guiding Principles Under
Grace for Deciding Right and Wrong

Freedom in Christ never means freedom to do as we please, but the power to do as we ought in accordance with the character of Christ as His life is reproduced in the believer by a Spirit-filled, Word-filled life.

The Principle of Love

Though convinced that I have liberty to do something, nevertheless, out of love for the weaker brother, I will limit my freedom when necessary to avoid being a stumbling block (Rom. 14:15; 1 Cor. 8:1-13). If my actions may cause a believer to stumble by influencing him or her to follow my example, the question is, “Do I really have liberty to follow my own conviction regarding the doubtful thing?” The answer is an emphatic no!—not if I am walking by love. Listen to the warning of the following passage:

Romans 14:15-21 For if because of food your brother is hurt, you are no longer walking according to love. Do not destroy with your food him for whom Christ died. 16 Therefore do not let what is for you a good thing be spoken of as evil; 17 for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. 18 For he who in this way serves Christ is acceptable to God and approved by men. 19 So then let us pursue the things which make for peace and the building up of one another. 20 Do not tear down the work of God for the sake of food. All things indeed are clean, but they are evil for the man who eats and gives offense. 21 It is good not to eat meat or to drink wine, or to do anything by which your brother stumbles.

The Principles of Profitability and Edification

While all things that are not specifically forbidden by Scripture, particularly the New Testament, are lawful to me as a believer, the question I must ask is, “Is it profitable to my spiritual life, to God’s goals for me, to my health, to my testimony to the lost and my life as an example to other believers?” The Apostle wrote, “All things are lawful for me, but not all things are profitable” (1 Cor. 6:12). Again in 1 Corinthians 10:23, Paul wrote, “All things are lawful, but not all things are profitable. All things are lawful, but not all things edify.” (See 1 Cor. 10:23-32.)

The Principle of Enslavement, of Who and What is in Control

The answer to this question becomes a determining factor as to whether we really should or should not do the thing in question. Paul succinctly stated it this way, “All things are lawful for me, but I will not be mastered (brought under the control of) by anything” (1 Cor. 6:12b). Believers are to walk under the control of the Holy Spirit (Eph. 5:18; Gal. 5:16). By means of the Spirit, they are to have control over all aspects of their lives rather than be under the control of what we might call life dominating patterns. The body is a wonderful slave and God’s instrument of service, but it is a poor master. The questions we must ask is, “Will it enslave me? Is it something that is known to be habit forming or addictive so that it could enslave me?” This does not automatically exclude something and anything can become a habit that controls me, but this principle does pose a warning.

The Principle of the Temple

The New Testament teaches us that the body is the temple, the very dwelling place of the Holy Spirit and should be cared for accordingly (1 Cor. 6:19-20). The body is an instrument used by the Spirit of God, a vehicle of service by which we can glorify God. A weak body becomes a weak instrument, so we need to care for it, protect it. This means proper rest, diet, exercise, and the elimination of those habits which are unhealthy and harmful.

While sitting in a restaurant eating breakfast, I was once asked by another pastor who was sitting across the isle if I preached against sin. Knowing something about the church he pastored, and being a bit suspicious about the question, I asked him to clarify his statement. He said, “I am talking about things like dancing, wearing makeup, smoking, drinking, and things like that.” This man weighed at least three hundred pounds, was under six feet tall, and was eating a breakfast big enough to feed a small army. Maybe it was meanness coming out, but I replied, “No, not really. If I am going to preach against sin, I usually focus on things like gluttony and life dominating sins.” I hope he got the point.

The Principle of Exaltation

Here we must ask the question, “Will it glorify or exalt the Lord and His glory?” In a context dealing with doubtful issues, we are told to act on this principle, “Whether, then, you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God” (1 Cor. 10:31).

The Principle of Constraint, of Living as an Example in Supreme Self-Sacrifice

2 Corinthians 5:14-15 For the love of Christ controls us (compels, constrains), having concluded this, that one died for all, therefore all died; 15 and He died for all, that they who live should no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died and rose again on their behalf (emphasis mine).

This principle applies to all Christians, but it is especially vital for Christian leaders such as pastors, teachers, elders, deacons, etc. One of the characteristics so necessary for a leader is that of self-sacrifice, of giving up our rights for the benefit of others and for the glory of God. Why? Because their lives are so determinative and influential on others. Christ, our supreme model, said, “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45). This means the need for sacrifice whenever and wherever, or one forfeits the right of leadership (cf. 1 Cor. 9:1-23; 2 Thess. 3:7, 9; 1 Tim. 4:12; Heb. 13:7; Tit. 2:7).

Summary

A friend of mine, Jack Lewis, summed up the issues this way:

(1) Liberty is constrained by our love of Christ. If you do not love Christ forget all the rest of the principles and do what you want.

(2) Liberty should not cause another person to stumble, be made weak, or turn from Christ. This is a major point. It is the only one that says that a person sins against Christ.

(3) Liberty should be edifying. Does your liberty build up the body of Christ?

(4) Liberty should not be enslaving. Can someone be enslaved by their liberty?

(5) Liberty should glorify Jesus. Does your liberty bring glory to Jesus?

(6) Liberty should help you toward your goal God has set.

(7) Liberty should be worthy of the gospel. Does your liberty hinder the gospel of Christ?

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34 Warren Wiersbe, Be Free, Victor Books, Wheaton, IL, 1982, p. 127.

35 C. Norman Bartlett, Galatians and You, Moody Press, Chicago, 1948, p. 106.