One Another Commands of Scripture in Relation to Christian Fellowship (Doctrinal Bible Church in Huntsville, Alabama)

Doctrinal Bible Church

Pastor-Teacher Bill Wenstrom

Wednesday April 22, 2026

One Another Commands Series: One Another Commands in Relation to Christian Fellowship

Lesson # 1

Whether believers like it or not they are related to other believers regardless of denomination.

Paul taught this principle to the Corinthians.

1 Corinthians 12:1 Now about spiritual gifts, brothers, I do not want you to be ignorant. 2 You know that when you were pagans, somehow or other you were influenced and led astray to mute idols. 3 Therefore I tell you that no one who is speaking by the Spirit of God says, “Jesus be cursed,” and no one can say, “Jesus is Lord,” except by the Holy Spirit. 4 There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit. 5 There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. 6 There are different kinds of working, but the same God works all of them in all men. 7 Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. 8 To one there is given through the Spirit the message of wisdom, to another the message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, 10 to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. 11 All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he gives them to each one, just as he determines. 12 The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ. 13 For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. 14 Now the body is not made up of one part but of many. 15 If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason cease to be part of the body. 16 And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason cease to be part of the body. 17 If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? 18 But in fact God has arranged the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. 19 If they were all one part, where would the body be? 20 As it is, there are many parts, but one body. 21 The eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you!” And the head cannot say to the feet, “I don’t need you!” 22 On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, 23 and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty, 24 while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has combined the members of the body and has given greater honor to the parts that lacked it, 25 so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. 26 If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it. 27 Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. 28 And in the church God has appointed first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then workers of miracles, also those having gifts of healing, those able to help others, those with gifts of administration, and those speaking in different kinds of tongues. 29 Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? 30 Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret? 31 But eagerly desire the greater gifts. And now I will show you the most excellent way. (NIV84)

Repeatedly the New Testament commands us to love and 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 joint-partners/fellow-members of His body, the church.

This “one another” care is to be the result of our fellowship with other believers, but many Christians today have seemed 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” and 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?

A study of two word groups used for fellowship in the Greek New Testament express four related and essential elements that describe what fellowship involves: (1) koinōnia (κοινωνία) (noun) (2) koinos (κοινός) (adjective) (3) koinonos (κοινωνός) (noun) (4) metechos (μέτοχος) (noun) (5) metochē (μετοχή) (verb).

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.

A comparison of the usage of these five words which form these two word groups reveals that there are four main concepts of New Testament fellowship.

(1) Relationship with Christ: We are all permanently united together by the common (eternal) life that we share as a result of regeneration and the Baptism of the Spirit (Acts 2:42; 1 C. 1:9; 1 Jn. 1:3).

(2) Partnership: We are to work together for a common purpose to obtain common objectives for the glory of God and the gospel of Jesus Christ (cf. Phil 1:27; Phlp. 1:5; Gal. 2:9; Heb. 1:9).

(3) Companionship: We are to communicate with one another and have fellowship with one another sharing with one another the things (viewpoint and thinking) of Christ (Acts. 2:42; Heb. 10:25; 2 Tim. 2:2; 1 Thess. 5:11; Rom. 1:11-12; 2 Tim. 2:2; 1 Thess 5:11; Philem. 6).

(4) Stewardship: 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 (Rom. 12:13; 15:27; Gal. 6:6; Phil. 4:15; Rom. 15:26; 2 Cor. 8:4; 9:13; Heb. 13:16; 1 Tim. 6:18).

To focus our attention to the “one another” concept, the Holy Spirit used a special Greek word, a reciprocal pronoun, allēlōn (ἀλλήλων), which means “the quality or state by which there is a mutual exchange between others and ourselves.”

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 indicates the importance of this truth to the growth, health, and ministry of the body of Christ.

The basic and primary command for believers is to love one another.

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: (1) The need we each have of the ministry and to aid others, and (2) Our responsibility to serve others.

As members of the body of Christ (Romans 12:5) we are also members of one another and 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.

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 and 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?

The following is a list of why we should love one another: (1) We are God’s children (Eph. 5:1). (2) We are brethren (Rm. 15:14). (3) We are members of one another (1 Cor. 12:25). (4) We are taught by God to love one another (1 Thess. 4:9). (5) God loves us (1 John 4:7). (6) It is the expression and fulfillment of God’s will (Mt. 22:35-40). (7) We want to glorify Him (1 Pet. 4:10-11).

The 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 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.