An Over View Of The One Anothers Of The New Testament Series

AN OVERVIEW OF ONE ANOTHER

Introduction: One of the great things about doing what I do besides getting to meet lots of God’s people from all over the place is that I get to talk to people about the things that I feel are very important to the Church as a whole.

A. I have always had an interest in the Church.

1. What it is.

2. How it should function.

3. What makes it work in such a way as to be effective and relevant in today’s world?

B. In my study I came across a book by Gene Getz entitled “Building up one another”

1. That book struck a cord with me.

2. You see the church is more than just an organization.

a) It is more than policies and procedures.

b) It is more than a constitution and by laws.

3. The church is an organism. It is a living organism and as such it is necessary to make sure we are treating it that way.

C. As you will see as we get into this study God choose to use the imagery of a body to describe His church.

1. Not an organization although it is organized but a living and active organism made up of the people to whom he has given life.

2. It is to our advantage and the church’s as a whole to know how we should function within this wonderful organism so that it may remain healthy and prosperous.

D. When the bible repeats a word or a concept more than once it is a good idea for us to pay attention.

1. The Greek word that is translated “one another” is used 58 times in the NT not including the Gospels.

a) Paul uses the word most – 40 times

b) The usage of the word can be reduced to 12 general principles

c) We are going to put them into 3 categories that we will develop.

2. Foundation, Form, Function

I. FOUNDATION: Love one another

A. If any endeavor is to be successful it must have a sure and solid foundation.

1. Something upon which to build

2. Something that will tie everything else together

3. The same is true with the church with regard to our relationships to one another.

4. The underlying principle or foundation of the one anothers is to love one another 1 Cor. 12:31-13:13 (cf. Phil 1:9)

a) 9 of the 58 one anothers are instructions for us to love one another.

(1) Ro. 13:8 - Loving one another fulfills the law.

(2) 1Thess. 4:9 – It is taught by God

(3) Heb. 10:24 – we are to provoke one another to love.

(4) 1Peter 1:22 – fervently or strenuously love one another

(5) 1Jn. 3:1l, 23, 4:7-12

(6) 2Jn 5

b) If you add Christ’s commands (most notable John 13:34-35) the total comes to 16.

5. Just what kind of love are we talking about here?

a) Look at the person next to you.

(1) Is that person precious to you?

(2) Do you really Love that person no matter what?

b) Look around you. Do you feel the same way about every one here?

c) You may say:

(1) Certainly I love him/her she/he is my husband/wife.

(2) How can I love him/her I don’t know him/her.

(3) You don’t know what that person has done to me. I can’t possibly love that person.

d) Love is one of the most important ingredients of our Christina life.

(1) It is part of the fruit of the spirit – Gal. 5:22

(2) It fulfills the whole law – Gal 5:14

(3) We demonstrate our brotherhood through our love – Jn 13:35

6. Definition:

a) It is an act of the will on the part of the one loving.

b) It requires nothing on the part of the one loved

c) It is recognition of the preciousness of the object of one’s love.

d) It is a self-sacrificing love.

e) It is exemplified in Christ.

(1) Jn. 3:16

(2) Ro. 5:8

f) Paul clearly defines it in 1Cor. 13

(1) Vs. 1-3 whatever we do must be done in love or it is worthless.

(2) Love is defined by what it is and what it isn’t

(a) It is

(i) Patient

(ii) Kind

(b) It isn’t

(i) Jealous

(ii) Boastful.

(iii) Arrogant.

(iv) Unbecoming.

(v) Self seeking.

(vi) Provoked.

(3) It is defined by what it does and doesn’t do.

(a) Doesn’t

(i) Carry a grudge

(ii) Rejoice in Sin

(b) It does

(i) Rejoice in the truth

(ii) Bear all things

(iii) Believe all things

(iv) Hope all things

(v) Endures all things

(vi) Never fails

g) It is only produced by the Spirit. Gal. 5:22

B. This is so important that we need to really understand this truth.

1. Everything we do as believers has to be motivated by this.

2. Rule #1