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Community was a foundational part of God’s design in creation (Gen 2:18) and remains foundational in the new creation, the church. The New Testament describes the local church as an interdependent body or family (Rom 12:3–8), made up of men and women who have believed the Gospel by repenting of sin and trusting in Christ, the Head of the Church. As the Head, Jesus did not leave us without instructions on how to relate to another in His body.
The often-repeated phrase, “one another,” occurs 100 times in the New Testament. Approximately 59 of these occurrences are specific commands that teach us how (and how not) to relate to one another. Obedience to these commands is not optional for two specific reasons.
First, these commands form the basis for all genuine, grace-saturated communities. Every one of these imperatives (commands) is rooted in the indicatives (statements of fact) of the Gospel (cf. 1 John 4:7-9; Col 3:13; Phil 2:3-8). For example, when we love, forgive, and honor one another, we demonstrate in action that we have been transformed from within by the Spirit to look and act more like Christ than our previous selves (Titus 3:3; 1 John 2:5-6). The Scripture teaches that all born of God will begin to demonstrate these Christ-like qualities towards one another in the redeemed community (2 Pet 1:3-8).
Second, obedience to these commands directly impacts our witness to the world (John 13:35). The New Testament presents unity in the church body as a primary testimony to the supernatural power of the gospel (Eph 4:1-6). The local church is the greatest means that God has given us for evangelism (Eph 1:22; Acts 1:8), so if we’re going to influence the unbelieving community, we must be Christ-centered, grace-saturated church.
Beginning this Sunday, October 3, we will devote the next two months to unpack 9 of these commands (see below). We hope to reflect not just on the mechanics of the Gospel (the who and the what) but the implications of the gospel. The question we regularly want to answer is this: “How ought our lives be transformed in the redeemed community because of what God had done for us in Christ?” Join us in praying for abundant fruit in our church body to the glory of God!
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