The "one another" of the kingdom

being part of a people

When we follow Christ, we follow Christ with other people. We talked about this just a few weeks ago. There is no solitary way of becoming like Jesus or participating in the kingdom of God. The Spirit does not just dwell in us personally, though He does do that, but also dwells in a people. Learning how to live with each other is part of being God’s people. 

I’m slowly reading through the Pentateuch right now for my personal reading. A week ago, I hit the middle section of Leviticus that moves from talking about sacrifices and skin diseases to how the people are and are not supposed to live together. Leviticus 19 gives a series of instructions that start by admonishing the people to be holy because God is holy, and wraps up almost each instruction reminding the people “I am the Lord.” The most interesting thing about the list is that the instructions involve how to live with other people. Holiness, being like God, representing God to the world, was demonstrated in community with God and neighbors. Holiness is not solitary. It is communal. Holiness is not deprivation. It is rich and overflowing. 

Occasionally I think we have the idea that being part of the people of God in the Old Testament was communal but now, since the new covenant, it’s just “me and Jesus.” In fact, we are still part of a people; together we are signposts to the kingdom, to quote N.T. Wright. The instructions of the New Testament are just as centered on our life together as the Old Testament law was. There’s a profound emphasis on the “one another” of our lives. The way we live together should draw other people toward Christ. 

Instead of my lecturing you about it, I’m going to provide short snippets of some of the verses that give instructions for “one another” below. Please look them up in context. Read over them slowly. Come back and linger with the list. Ask God to soften your heart, convict you where this isn’t how you’ve been living, change your idea of what it means to live well. I know I was convicted and compelled to something different as I typed up this list. 

“Love one another with mutual affection; outdo one another in showing honor.” Roman 12:10
“Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another.” Ephesians 4:32
“Let us not become conceited, competing against one another, envying one another.” Galatians 5:26
“Confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another.” James 5:16
“Encourage one another with these words.” 1 Thessalonians 4:18
“Be hospitable to one another without complaining.” 1 Peter 4:9
“Love one another.” John 13:34
“Owe no one anything, except to love one another.” Romans 13:8
“Be subject to one another out of reverence for Christ.” Ephesians 5:21
“Bearing with one another in love.” Ephesians 4:2
“This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.” John 15:12
“I am giving you these commands so that you may love one another.” John 15:17
“Welcome one another, therefore, just as Christ as welcomed you, for the glory of God.” Romans 15:7
“Greet one another with a holy kiss.” Romans 16:16
“When you come together to eat, wait for one another.” 1 Corinthians 11:33¹
“Greet one another with a holy kiss.” 1 Corinthians 16:20
“Greet one another with a holy kiss.” 2 Corinthians 13:12
“Bear one another’s burdens.” Galatians 6:2
“Encourage one another and build up each other.” 1 Thessalonians 5:11
“Let us consider how to provoke one another to love and good deeds.” Hebrews 10:24
“Maintain constant love for one another.” 1 Peter 4:8
“We also ought to love one another.” 1 John 4:11
“Bear with one another, and if anyone has a complaint against another, forgive each other.” Colossians 3:13
“You also ought to wash one another’s feet.” John 13:35
“By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” John 13:35
“That there may be no dissension within the body, but the members may have the same care for one another.” 1 Corinthians 12:25
“Do not lie to one another.” Colossians 3:9
“Have unity of spirit, sympathy, love for one another, a tender heart, and a humble mind.” 1 Peter 3:8
“Serve one another with whatever gift each of you has received.” 1 Peter 4:10
"Greet one another with a kiss of love.” 1 Peter 5:14
“For this is the message you have heard from the beginning, that we should love one another.” 1 John 3:11
“Let us therefore no longer pass judgement on one another.” Romans 14:13
“If we love one another, God lives in us.” 1 John 4:12
“Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with one another.” Mark 9:50
“Live in harmony with one another.” Romans 12:16
“May the God of steadfastness and encouragement grant you to live in harmony with one another.” Romans 15:5
“I myself feel confident about you, my brothers and sisters, that you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, and able to instruct one another.” Romans 15:14
“Let all of us speak the truth to our neighbors, for we are members of one another.” Ephesians 4:25
“May the Lord make you increase and abound in love for one another and for all.” 1 Thessalonians 3:12
“Always seek to do good to one another and to all.” 1 Thessalonians 5:15
“But exhort one another every day.” Hebrews 3:13
“Encouraging one another.” Hebrews 10:25
“Do not grumble against one another.” James 5:9
“So that you have genuine mutual love, love one another deeply from the heart.” 1 Peter 1:22
“We know that we have passed from death to life because we love one another.” 1 John 3:14
“We ought to lay down our lives for one another.” 1 John 3:16
“We should believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ and love one another.” 1 John 3:23
“Beloved, let us love one another.” 1 John 4:7
“Teach and admonish one another in all wisdom.” Colossians 3:16
“So we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually we are members one of another.” Romans 12:5
“Let us love one another.” 2 John 1:5
“Through love become slaves to one another.” Galatians 5:13
“You yourselves have been taught by God to love one another.” 1 Thessalonians 4:9
“We have fellowship with one another.” 1 John 1:7
“Do not speak evil against one another.” James 4:11
“All of you must clothe yourselves with humility in your dealings with one another.” 1 Peter 5:5

May we accept the Spirit’s invitation to a different way of living with one another. It seems it will be a life-long transformation.

1. Perhaps I can misuse this verse to tell my children that this is the reason they have to wait on everyone to sit down before they can eat?