Christianity is relational. It has both a vertical and a horizontal dimension. Salvation brings us into relationship with God. It also brings us into relationship with others who belong to the family of God. Through Christ all “saved” people are related, and Scripture is chock-full of references about the inter-relatedness of believers. Loving and caring for one another is not an option for the Christian. It is a mandate that proves our love for the Lord, and our fellowship with Him. The way we relate to others evidences our true spiritual condition.
Your relationship with God affects your relationship with men. Conversely, your relationship with men impacts your relationship with God. God takes it personal the way we treat fellow Christians. In the mind of God what we do to the “least of these”, is really done to Christ Himself (See Matt. 25:42-45). Christ takes to heart compassionate acts like meeting needs, feeding and supplying drink, and visiting the disadvantaged and imprisoned. He keeps records and compensates us. “Knowing that whatsoever good thing any man doeth, the same shall he receive of the Lord” (Eph. 6:8). Our vertical union with God has a huge bearing on human relationships. As we walk in communion with God He teaches us to love others. And the way to love others is by following the directives of Scripture.
The phrase “one another” occurs 100 times the New Testament. Many of these “one another” references are commandments instructing us how to relate to each other. These commands are specific, and obedience is imperative.
Jesus laid out His strategy for His church, “A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another (Greek word—alleon); as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another” (John 13:34-35). Our witness to the world is directly linked to the way we treat other Christians. Love is the distinguishing mark of God’s children. New Testament “love” is not like the soft, syrupy, and sloppy sentiment in many of today’s churches. It is active, practical, aggressive, and bold. The “love one another” command appears 16 times in the Scripture. Love is the heart of all Christian community. Loving God and loving people is our chief duty. Below are some of these “one another” imperatives.
POSITIVE ONE ANOTHER COMMANDS
- Be devoted to one another (Romans 12:10)
- Honor one another above yourselves (Romans 12:10)
- Live in harmony with one another (Romans 12:16)
- Build up one another (Romans 14:19; 1 Thessalonians 5:11)
- Be like-minded towards one another (Romans 15:5)
- Accept one another (Romans 15:7)
- Admonish one another (Romans 15:14; Colossians 3:16)
- Greet one another (Romans 16:16)
- Care for one another (1 Corinthians 12:25)
- Serve one another (Galatians 5:13)
- Bear one another’s burdens (Galatians 6:2)
- Forgive one another (Ephesians 4:2, 32; Colossians 3:13)
- Be patient with one another (Ephesians 4:2; Colossians 3:13)
- Speak the truth in love (Ephesians 4:15, 25)
- Be kind and compassionate to one another (Ephesians 4:32)
- Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs (Ephesians 5:19)
- Submit to one another (Ephesians 5:21, 1 Peter 5:5)
- Consider others better than yourselves (Philippians 2:3)
- Look to the interests of one another (Philippians 2:4)
- Bear with one another (Colossians 3:13)
- Teach one another (Colossians 3:16)
- Comfort one another (1 Thessalonians 4:18)
- Encourage one another (1 Thessalonians 5:11)
- Exhort one another (Hebrews 3:13)
- Stir up [provoke, stimulate] one another to love and good works (Hebrews 10:24)
- Show hospitality to one another (1 Peter 4:9)
- Employ the gifts that God has given us for the benefit of one another (1 Peter 4:10)
- Clothe yourselves with humility towards one another (1 Peter 5:5)
- Pray for one another (James 5:16)
- Confess your faults to one another (James 5:16)
NEGATIVE ONE ANOTHER COMMANDS
- Don’t lie to one another (Colossians 3:9)
- Stop passing judgment on one another (Romans 14:13)
- Don’t bite and devour one another (Galatians 5:15)
- Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other (Galatians 5:26)
- Do not slander one another (James 4:11)
- Don’t grumble against each other (James 5:9)
Galatians chapter five holds the key to loving others. “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit” (verses 22-25). Holy Spirit fullness is the only way to fulfill these commands. Apart from God’s power we become indifferent to the needs of others and dominated with our own interests. The “Self-life” seeks praise and applause instead of loving others.
The “one another” commands are God-given directives to us as followers of Christ. As we implement the “one another’s” we live in obedience to His revealed will. Seize every opportunity to minister grace to others.
Harold Vaughan
