Christian Community: The 'One Another' Commands
Christian community is built on the foundation of Christ's love and the unity we share as members of His body. Scripture provides numerous "one another" commands that guide how believers should relate to each other in the church. These commands aren't merely suggestions but divine directives for creating a healthy, thriving Christian community.
The Purpose of Christian Community
God calls us together as a faith community not merely for our own benefit, but because He has something to give us. (Stir Up One Another, 13:53) As Scripture teaches, worship is fundamentally about hearing, learning, and receiving from God through word and sacrament. (Stir Up One Another, 13:41)
The church is described in plural terms throughout Scripture - we are a body with parts (1 Corinthians 12), family members (Galatians 6), and a temple made of living stones (1 Peter 2). This emphasizes that Christian faith is not meant to be lived in isolation.
Key "One Another" Commands
Submit to One Another
Christian submission is not about hierarchy or power dynamics, but about putting others' needs before our own. (Ephesians 5:21) teaches us to "submit to one another out of reverence for Christ." (Submit to One Another, 0:55)
This submission flows from understanding our identity in Christ and recognizing that every believer bears His image. It involves counting others as more important than ourselves and looking not only to our own interests but also to the interests of others.
Encourage One Another
True encouragement in the Christian context goes far deeper than motivational slogans or positive thinking. (Encourage One Another, 1:05) While the world's encouragement often says "you've got this," Christian encouragement proclaims the greater truth: "Jesus has got it." (Encourage One Another, 19:57)
1 Thessalonians 5:11 commands us to "encourage one another and build up each other." This encouragement is rooted in the reality that we are children of light, not destined for God's wrath but for salvation through Jesus Christ. (Encourage One Another, 11:42)
Stir Up One Another
Hebrews 10:24 calls us to "consider how to stir up one another to love and good deeds." (Stir Up One Another, 4:10) This "provoking" or "stirring up" happens naturally when believers gather together for worship and fellowship.
The author of Hebrews immediately connects this command to regular gathering: "not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some." (Stir Up One Another, 11:07) We stir up one another through our presence, our worship together, and our mutual ministry.
The Heart of Christian Community
Christian community is fundamentally about ministry - both receiving from God and giving to others. (Stir Up One Another, 17:29) We don't come to worship merely to "get something for ourselves" but with the mentality of asking, "Who can I minister to today? Who is standing alone that I can reach out to?"
This community exists because something mysterious and wonderful happens when believers gather together. (Stir Up One Another, 20:50) There's encouragement, ministry, and mutual service that can only occur in the context of Christian fellowship.
Living as Children of Light
As believers, we are children of light called to live soberly and alertly in a dark world. (Encourage One Another, 15:27) This identity shapes how we relate to one another - we guard our hearts with the breastplate of faith and love, and our minds with the helmet of the hope of salvation. (Encourage One Another, 17:15)
Our encouragement of one another flows from this reality: Christ died for our sins, rose triumphantly, and calls us into community so we can remind each other of these truths. (Encourage One Another, 19:34)
The Call to Gather
Despite cultural trends toward individualistic faith or "churchless Christianity," Scripture consistently calls believers to gather together. (Stir Up One Another, 12:15) We need spiritual oversight, mutual accountability, and the encouragement that comes from being part of Christ's body.
The "one another" commands cannot be fulfilled in isolation - they require the presence of other believers. Through regular gathering, mutual service, and shared worship, we fulfill God's design for Christian community and experience the fullness of life in Christ together.