One Anothering III

III. PRACTICING THE TRUTH WITH ONE ANOTHER: DEMONSTRATING LOVE AND CHRISTIAN


COMMUNITY

A. Love one another

1. John 13:34-35, John 15:12 6. I John 3:11

2. I Thes. 3:12 – abound in love 7. I John 3:23

3. I Thes. 4:9-10 8. I John 4:7

4. I Peter 1:22 – love one another 9. I John 4:11 earnestly from the heart 10. II John :5

5. I Peter 4:8 – hold unfailing your love

(Definition) agape – self-giving love for the unworthy. God’s love to men proceeds from God’s own inner nature, and is not based on anything worthy of or meriting this love in man. God loves men despite their unworthiness. We see the cost of God’s love in the Cross. “Christian love, whether exercised toward the brethren, or toward men generally, is not an impulse from the feelings, it does not always run with the natural inclinations, nor does it spend itself only upon those for whom some affinity is discovered. Love seeks the welfare of all (Romans 15:2), and wills no ill to any (Romans 13:8-10), love seeks opportunity to do good to all men, and especially toward them that are of the household of the faith
(Gal. 6:10). See further (I Cor. 13 and Col. 3:12-14).”
“Christian love is the fruit of His Spirit in the Christian.”
(Vine’s Expository Dictionary, Vol. III, p. 21).

 B. Serve one another

1. John 13:14 – wash one another’s feet

2. Gal. 5:13 – through love be servants of one another

3. II Cor. 4:5 – For what we preach is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus sake.

4. Phil. 2:3-8 – We’re to have the servant attitude toward each other in the Body that Christ demonstrated toward us in his Incarnation.

(Definition) Literally the word is “slave”, to be in bondage to practicing the truth.

C. Have the attitude of service toward one another

1. Romans 12:10 – Out do one another in showing honor. Give preference to one another in honor

(NASV). HONOR – to value, to esteem, to respect greatly and regard highly. Believers are to honor one another rather than claim honor for self.

2. Eph. 5:21 – Be subject to one another out of reverence for Christ.

SUBJECT – a military term, to rank under, to rank oneself under in submission, obedience and ervice to another.

3. I Peter 5:5 – Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for “God opposes rrogant men, but gives grace to humble men.”

D. Be affectionate to one another

1. Romans 12:10 – love one another with brotherly affection

2. I Cor. 16:20

3. II Cor. 13:12 – greet one another with a holy kiss

4. Romans 16:16

5. I Peter 5:14 – greet one another with the kiss of love

E. Show hospitality to one another

1. Romans 15:7 – welcome one another as Christ has welcome you

2. I Peter 4:9 – practice hospitality ungrudgingly to one another

F. Care for the needs of one another

1. Gal. 6:2 – Bear one another’s burdens and so fulfill the law of Christ

2. I Cor. 12:25 – that there may be no discord in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another… If one member suffers, all suffer together…

G. Honesty, openness with one another

Eph. 4:25-26 – therefore, putting away falsehood, let everyone speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another. Be angry, but do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger.

H. Share spiritual gifts with one another

I Peter 4:10 – As each has received a gift, employ it for one another, as good stewards of God’s

varied grace: Whoever speaks, as one who utters oracles of God; whoever renders service, as one who renders it by the strength which God supplies.