Intentional “One Anothering”
Love one another. Be devoted to one another. Outdo one another with honor. Be kind to one another. Welcome one another. Forgive one another. Live in harmony with one another. Encourage one another. Bear with one another. Speak truth to one another. Serve one another.
We call these, and many more I didn’t quote, the “one anothers” of the New Testament. And they are the assumed activities of the local church. More than any particular ministry or classes or outreach programs churches have done over the centuries or may do today, these are the vital signs the Scriptures assume are happening in any healthy local church. A church without these is just a weekly chapel service.
But when we survey the many “one anothers” of the New Testament that I just mentioned, we quickly realize that these don’t just happen within a people. These aren’t “let go and let God” kinds of commands. It takes some real consideration and effort from us as we live out the grace of God in the Spirit.
For starters, it takes commitment. We are first recipients of all the “one anothering” that Christ has done for us in the gospel, and that in turn transforms us and renews our minds to now be the kind of people who are committed to these. We here, for instance, see this exemplified and summarized in our church covenant. These are the things we see as vital to the Christian life and, at least on paper, we commit ourselves to them. But it doesn’t stop there.
One another ministry requires intentionality. You need a plan for these “one anothers”. Do you have a plan for how you intend to be devoted to one another (Rom 12:10)? Do you give time to consider how you might actually verbally encourage a fellow brother or sister in the Lord (1 Thess 5:11)? Have you ever prayed about how you’re going to bear the burden of a sister or brother here who is struggling with something really difficult right now (Gal 6:2)? Or do you even know people well enough here to even begin to carry this out? Has your commitment to serve one another on paper translated itself into real, committed, faithful service for the good of others here (Gal 5:13)?
“One anothering” must move beyond a theoretical commitment that we know about and recite in our church covenant, and move into the realm of intentional consideration in your life. But this is often where most of us fall short. We have all failed to live out these “one anothers” with the intentionality that they require. Ask the Lord to reveal to you the areas of your life that you haven’t fully submitted to him.
