One Another

Posted on April 11, 2015 Written by Mark McIntyre 5 Comments

While reading Philip Yancey’s book Vanishing Grace, I ran across a list of statements made is Scripture which contain the words “one another.” Here is the list presented by Mr. Yancey:

Love one another
Forgive one another
Pray for one another
Bear one another’s burdens
Be devoted to one another
Regard one another as more important than yourself
Do not speak against one another
Do not judge one another
Show tolerance for one another
Be kind to one another
Speak truth to one another
Build up one another
Comfort one another
Care for one another
Stimulate one another to love and good deeds.

He then goes on to ask the question:

I wonder how different the church would look to a watching world, not to mention how different history would look, if Christians everywhere followed that model.

This is a great question and one that we should take very seriously.

The point is not to beat ourselves up by our failures in implementing these “one anothers.” The point is that we should be seeking God to empower us to better live these out.

Rather than being overwhelmed at my failure to do these well, I should be encouraged that the desire to do them well is an indication of God’s handiwork in my life. I should also seek to be in fellowship with others that want to do these well and are seeking God for the power to do so.

One caution, the danger in church circles is to limit the “one another” to those in the church. But, I paraphrase Jesus here, if you love those who love you back, what’s the point?

If we did a better job of “one anothering” those outside the church, perhaps those on the outside would see less of our failures and more of Jesus.

About Mark McIntyre

A follower of Jesus Christ who shares observations about how Scripture should impact the church and the world. Mark is the original author and editor of Attempts at Honesty.

On holy heartburn

We should be reading with expectation of learning how our involvement in the story will change us. We should be reading with expectation of learning the extent of God’s love for us. We should be reading with the expectation of getting a glimpse of what we will become when God finishes his work in us.

We should be reading with expectation of holy heartburn.

Question on Hebrews 6

Recently, a friend emailed a question that came up in a small group Bible study regarding Hebrews 6. There was question about whether Hebrews 6 teaches that a person can lose his/her salvation. This post contains my response to the question.

A Thought from Saint Augustine

In the Confessions, Saint Augustine describes a depraved soul as “falling away from security in you to destruction in itself.” I like the way that Augustine puts this. When I make moral choices, I am choosing between God or self, light or darkness, building or destruction. There is no middle ground. Yet there is hope. […]

Tozer on Immortality

God has buried something deep within the soul of every man and woman. It is simply and profoundly a longing for immortality.

Thinking out loud – The Church and Political Process

Thinking out loud often gets me into trouble, but being slow to learn, I thought I’d record some thoughts prompted by a conversation. Waiting in line to get some pizza at the Costco snack bar, we met a couple that we recognized from church but did not know well. We ended up getting to know […]

He sat down to teach – Sermon on the Mount Series #2

The beginning of the Sermon on the Mount: 1 When Jesus saw the crowds, He went up on the mountain; and after He sat down, His disciples came to Him. 2 He opened His mouth and began to teach them . . .” (Matthew 5:1-2 NASB) At the end of chapter 4, Matthew informs us […]