Dependent Faith

A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.
John 13:34-35

As difficult as the 2020 quarantine was, in some ways it did offer opportunities for thoughtful Christians to get creative. We figured out how to stream services live, how to share live comments, and even how to zoom for Bible studies. We stayed in touch with our spiritual family by sending cards, texting, and phoning each other more often. Our youth minister came up with a traveling game and drove to the home of every youth group member to give each one a turn. Now that was clever! But it also showed commitment to keeping “the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace” (Ephesians 4:3).

God expects us to have a sense of commitment to each other, right? What does scripture require us to do for “one another”?

Some of the “one another” commands have to do with our attitudes. “Have peace with one another,”(Mark 9:50). “Be submissive to one another,” (1 Peter 5:5). But more often they indicate an obligation to do something.

..be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another.. (Ephesians 4:32)
..through love serve one another.. (Galatians 5:13)
..be hospitable to one another.. (1 Peter 4:9)
..exhort one another daily.. (Hebrews 3:13)
..comfort one another…edify one another.. (1 Thessalonians 4:18; 5:11)
..bear one another’s burdens.. (Galatians 6:2)
..teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs.. (Colossians 3:16)
..confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another.. (James 5:16)

Previously I talked (here) about how we each have to grow in our faith to the point that we can stand alone when we have to. But we aren’t meant to stand alone every day. Christianity involves a beautiful inter-DEpendence that should characterize our daily lives. And this cannot be done from a distance. Perhaps some of these things can be done from a physical distance sometimes, but like the 2020 quarantine, that’s not ideal. And what about emotional distance? We could be physically present at worship services every time the door is open, but if we stay emotionally distant, keep to ourselves, avoid interaction with the other people who are there, how can we fulfill these “one another” commands? We have to get to know each other to be able to bear each other’s burdens, for example. We have to have some awareness of each other’s needs if we’re to serve one another in love.

Our interdependence on one another and our fulfillment of the “one another” commands should not stop with meeting together for worship. But it does typically start there. When we come together for worship we are reminding each other of what really matters. English writer Samuel Johnson said something along these lines: “We need to be reminded more often than we need to be taught.” Do we all learn a ton of new information about Christianity every time we go to church? Probably not, but that is not the point. That’s not even necessarily the point of a Bible class. If I already know something, well good for me, but do I ever forget anything I know? Do I ever live in opposition to the things I know? Yes! All the time! And that’s exactly why I need to be at services. And worship services are not just static reminders. Being in the physical presence of one another does something for our hearts that nothing else can do. It reminds us that “we are members of one another” (Ephesians 4:25).

Maybe we don’t have to be in each other’s physical presence to worship “together.” But if we can literally be together, surely that is best, because togetherness and relationship are essential if we hope to fulfill the greatest “one another” command, repeated at least 15 times throughout the New Testament– that we love one another.

When we couldn’t be together during the quarantine, we realized the value of togetherness. Hopefully we have not forgotten it already. Though there are times we may each have to stand alone for our faith, let’s make sure we can depend on one another so we can stand together as the people of God, the way He designed us to do!

Dear God, help us to recognize the responsibilities we have to others, especially to each other as brothers and sisters in Christ. Give us the motivation to invest in relationships and to look for ways to serve. Thank You for the love You have shown us. Help us to follow Your example and Your teaching by showing love to one another at every opportunity. In Jesus’s name, Amen.

by Christie Cole Atkins