One Another Commands-One Another Commands of Scripture in Relation to Christian Fellowship
Wenstrom Bible Ministries
Pastor-Teacher Bill Wenstrom
Sunday November 9, 2014
One Another Commands: 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.
This principle Paul taught the Corinthians.
1 Corinthians 12:1 Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I do not want you to be unaware. 2 You know that when you were pagans, you were led astray to the mute idols, however you were led. 3 Therefore I make known to you that no one speaking by the Spirit of God says, “Jesus is accursed”; and no one can say, “Jesus is Lord,” except by the Holy Spirit. 4 Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit. 5 And there are varieties of ministries, and the same Lord. 6 There are varieties of effects, but the same God who works all things in all persons. 7 But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. 8 For to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, and to another the word of knowledge according to the same Spirit; 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, and to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, 10 and to another the effecting of miracles, and to another prophecy, and to another the distinguishing of spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, and to another the interpretation of tongues. 11 But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually just as He wills. 12 For even as the body is one and yet has many members, and all the members of the body, though they are many, are one body, so also is Christ. 13 For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free, and we were all made to drink of one Spirit. 14 For the body is not one member, but many. 15 If the foot says, “Because I am not a hand, I am not a part of the body,” it is not for this reason any the less a part of the body. 16 And if the ear says, “Because I am not an eye, I am not a part of the body,” it is not for this reason any the less a part of the body. 17 If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole were hearing, where would the sense of smell be? 18 But now God has placed the members, each one of them, in the body, just as He desired. 19 If they were all one member, where would the body be? 20 But now there are many members, but one body. 21 And the eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you”; or again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” 22 On the contrary, it is much truer that the members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary; 23 and those members of the body which we deem less honorable, on these we bestow more abundant honor, and our less presentable members become much more presentable, 24 whereas our more presentable members have no need of it. But God has so composed the body, giving more abundant honor to that member which lacked, 25 so that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another. 26 And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it. 27 Now you are Christ’s body, and individually members of it. 28 And God has appointed in the church, first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, various kinds of tongues. 29 All are not apostles, are they? All are not prophets, are they? All are not teachers, are they? All are not workers of miracles, are they? 30 All do not have gifts of healings, do they? All do not speak with tongues, do they? All do not interpret, do they? 31 But earnestly desire the greater gifts. And I show you a still more excellent way. (NASB95)
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.”
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) Koinonia (noun) (2) Koinos (adjective) (3) Koinonos (noun) (4) Metochos (noun) (5) Metoche (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, allelon 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.