Tuesday, May 19, 2009

"One anothering one another"

My previous posting made reference to the importance of living a missional as well as an attractional lifestyle. I've written before about learning to live missionally, but wanted to say more here about the priority of also living attractionally. This is a theme throughout the entire New Testament as writer after writer goes to great lengths to describe how Christians are meant to live in community with one another.

In fact, the term "one another" occurs 56 times in a relational sense in the New American Standard New Testament. "Love one another" is 17 -- or 30% -- of those references, but in essence, all of those references are about loving one another. Such verses are the nuts and bolts of Christian community. Their intent is to explain how people can live together harmoniously. They express how we can demonstrate such a unity of spirit to a watching world that people will recognize that we are followers of Jesus! After all, Jesus did say, "By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another" (John 13:35).

There are at least 25 unique and practical ways that the New Testament writers explicitly urge us to express our love for "one another." The theme of this collection of "one another" verses is what I like to call "one anothering one another!"


Try reading this selection of
references in sequence. It can be both a challenging and encouraging exercise. Then let’s one another one another!


  • "...be at peace with one another." (Mark 9:50)
  • "This I command you, that you love one another." (John 15:17)
  • "Be devoted to one another in brotherly love..." (Romans 12:10)
  • "...give preference to one another in honour" (Romans 12:10)
  • "...let us not judge one another..." (Romans 14:13)
  • "So then let us pursue the things which make for peace and the building up of one another." (Romans 14:19)
  • "...be of the same mind with one another according to Christ Jesus." (Romans 15:5)
  • "...accept one another, just as Christ also accepted us..." (Romans 15:7)
  • “…through love serve one another.” (Galatians 5:13)
  • “Bear one another’s burdens, and thereby fulfill the law of Christ.” (Galatians 6:2)
  • "I entreat you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called,...showing forbearance to one another in love" (Ephesians 4:1-2)
  • "And be kind to one another..." (Ephesians 4:32)
  • "...and be subject to one another in the fear of Christ." (Ephesians 5:21)
  • "...regard one another as more important than [your]self."
  • "...bearing with one another..." (Colossians 3:13)
  •  (Philippians 2:3)
  • "...forgiving each other..." (Colossians 3:13)
  • "...teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God." (Colossians 3:16)
  • "Live in peace with one another." (1 Thessalonians 5:13)
  • "...always seek after that which is good for one another..." (1 Thessalonians 5:15)
  • "...encourage one another day after day..." (Hebrews 3:13)
  • "...let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds" (Hebrews 10:24)
  • "Do not speak against one another, brethren." (James 4:11)
  • "Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another, so that you may be healed." (James 5:16)
  • "Be hospitable to one another without complaint." (1 Peter 4:8)
  • "...clothe yourselves with humility toward one another..." (1 Peter 5:5)
© 2009 by Ken Peters

2 comments:

Ben Neufeld said...

I'm encouraged every time I visit your blog... Thanks

benN

Ken said...

Thanks Ben! That means a lot to me. And I'm glad you enjoy the blog.