Tag Archives: One Another

The Power of One Another

Posted on by
Reply

I hope you’ve had a chance to ponder on the “One Another” scriptures I posted on Wednesday. I don’t know what they did in your heart or what you observed about them, but this is what God was screaming to me: We have to fulfill these scriptures because we are commanded to and the only way we can fulfill them is to be in close relationship with others. I know if we all understood this—not just in our minds but in our hearts, Christians’ lives would be more unified, more mature, more powerful and a lot more stress-free.

Unified—brought together to form a single unit or entity* (John 13:35)
Jesus said the world would know us Christians by our love for each other. When people see us loving on each other through the “One Another” scriptures, it will be clearly evident that we are not just moral people doing good things but that we belong to Jesus Christ, that He is the one who brought us together to form the single unit of the body of Christ.

Maturity—the state of being fully grown or developed (Ephesians 4:11-13)
Being in relationship with others striving like you provides the space to challenge any stagnation. As we fulfill the “One Another” scriptures, we help each other to examine ourselves and move beyond our immaturities, be they emotional, social, mental or spiritual.

Powerful—having or exerting great physical or mental strength; possessing the strength or qualities to produce a fast and effective result; able to produce a strong effect on people’s ideas or emotions (Acts 1:8).
Jesus gave us the Holy Spirit so we’d have power to live impactful lives. Living out the “One Another” scriptures causes us to allow the Holy Spirit to lead our lives, thus making dramatic change for the better in our and others’ lives.

Stress-free—free from mental, emotional or physical strain (James 5:16)
When the “One Another” scriptures are in effect, we have the support of other Christians and know we aren’t alone in our battles. Sure God is our ultimate help, but He placed us in each others’ lives to be able to combat opposing forces together.

I know many of us have not had positive experiences being close with others, even other Christians. Because of these experiences, we may be hesitant to fulfill the “One Another” scriptures and allow others to help us through them. Please know this: your bad experience shaped your past reality but through faith Jesus can control your current and future realities. You must believe that by following the commands of His scriptures you will reap the good that God intends for you to reap (John 10:10). “Oh taste and see that the Lord is good” so you can be on your way to a unified, mature, powerful and stress-free life (Psalm 34:8).

Copyright 2009 by Rhonda J. Smith
*All definitions taken from the Encarta Dictionary English (North America)

Love Connection

Posted on by
2

Last week’s blog entries dealt with Christians being kind—doing good and saying good things, from the heart—toward each other and those throughout the world. This topic won’t shake me loose as I continue to ponder on why God commanded us to be that way. Today I’m particularly stuck on what Christians should be and do for each other. I’ve listed 30 scriptures that command God’s people how to treat each other. These fall under the common heading of some “One Another” scriptures. I list these today so that you see what’s on my mind and so you, too, can ponder what your relationship should be like with other believers of Jesus Christ. As always, I welcome your thoughts:

1. Ye shall not steal, neither deal falsely, neither lie one to another (Leviticus 19:11)
2. Ye shall not therefore oppress one another; but thou shalt fear thy God: for I [am] the LORD your God (Leviticus. 25:17).
3. And ye shall take them as an inheritance for your children after you, to inherit [them for] a possession; they shall be your bondmen for ever: but over your brethren the children of Israel, ye shall not rule one over another with rigour (Leviticus. 25:46).
4. If I then, [your] Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another’s feet (John 13:14).
5. A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another (John 13:34).
6. [Be] kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another (Romans 12:10). . .
7. [Be] of the same mind one toward another. Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits” (Romans 12:16).
8. Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another (Romans 14:19).
9. Wherefore receive ye one another, as Christ also received us to the glory of God (Romans 15:7).
10. And I myself also am persuaded of you, my brethren, that ye also are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, able also to admonish one another (Romans 15:14).
11. That there should be no schism in the body; but [that] the members should have the same care one for another (1 Corinthians. 12:25).
12. For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only [use] not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another (Galatians 5:17).
13. Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ (Galatians 6:2).
14. With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love (Ephesians 4:2).
15. And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you (Ephesians 4:32).
16. Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God. Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God (Ephesians 5:21).
17. Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds (Colossians 3:9).
18. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord (Colossians 3:19).
19. Wherefore comfort one another with these words (1 Thessalonians 4:18).
20. Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do (1 Thessalonians 5:11).
21. But exhort one another daily, while it is called Today; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin (Hebrews 3:13).
22. And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some [is]; but exhorting [one another]: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching (Hebrews 10:24-25).
23. Speak not evil one of another, brethren. He that speaketh evil of [his] brother, and judgeth his brother, speaketh evil of the law, and judgeth the law: but if thou judge the law, thou art not a doer of the law, but a judge (James 4:11).
24. Grudge not one against another, brethren, lest ye be condemned: behold, the judge standeth before the door (James 5:9).
25. Confess [your] faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much (James 5:16).
26. Finally, [be ye] all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, [be] pitiful, [be] courteous: Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise blessing; knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing (1 Peter 3:8-9).
27. Use hospitality one to another without grudging (1 Peter 4:9).
28. As every man hath received the gift, [even so] minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God (1 Peter 4:10).
29. Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all [of you] be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble (1 Peter 5:5).
30. Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others (Philippians 2:4).

By Rhonda J. Smith