Sometimes being unified and being loving in a Christian community or organization is hard, so I find the realism of the Bible really comforting and helpful. The writers of the New Testament knew from personal experience how hard it is to love those who are different from us and to be unified with those we disagree with. So they gave us this amazing list of “one another” commands.
Love one another. (John 13:34)
Build one another up. (1 Thessalonians 5:11)
Bear with one another. (Colossians 3:13)
Forgive one another. (Ephesians 4:32)
Serve one another. (Galatians 5:13)
Be devoted to one another. (Romans 12:10)
Pray for one another. (James 5:16)
Teach one another. (Colossians 3:16)
Live in harmony with one another. (Romans 12:16)
Submit to one another. (Ephesians 5:21)
Honor one another. (Romans 12:10)
Welcome one another. (Romans 15:7)
Encourage one another. (1 Thessalonians 4:18)
Exhort one another. (Hebrews 3:13)
We don’t need these commands if unity and love come easily. We don’t need to forgive if there’s been no wrongdoing. We don’t need to bear with pleasant people. We don’t need a reminder to live in harmony with people we really like. All these commands depict unity and love between failing and sinful and weak and broken people. They are real. Christian love requires work!
But notice something magnificent: every single one of these commands reflects Christ’s heart and actions toward us. All the one another commands in scripture point to Christ and were fulfilled by Christ.
He loved us
He builds us up
He bears with us
He forgives us
He serves us
He is devoted to us
He prays for us
He teaches us
He lives in harmony with us
He submitted to us/for us
He honors us
He welcomes us
He encourages us
He exhorts us
We are the body of Christ, and Christ has made the way for us to be one in him. We are called to a tall task, but one that he has already fulfilled. So we are free to simply follow him.
I originally wrote this post for my church, Immanuel Nashville, in our Daily Pulse email. If you want encouragement from God’s word delivered Monday thru Friday to your inbox, I encourage you to subscribe.
