The Christ-life is not a solo journey on a private highway. Christianity is a faith community comprised of followers of JesusChrist who are personally committed to “one another.” This phrase, “one another” occurs throughout the New Testament and a variety of writers use it.
The Church is God’s “social construction” not ours. We become part of the people of God when we enlist in the Church of God (cf I Cor. 1:1-2). Becoming people of God, author Curtis DeYoung notes that, “we cannot sit around griping about the rise of immorality and violence in homes, cities and across the globe. We are not at liberty to be mere observers of the dismantling of family life, the disaster of public education, the increasing environmental pollution or the debacle of urbanizing. Jesus expects the people in his church to be caring and commonsense stewards.
DeYoung concludes, “He once told his disciples a parable about a king and his servants. Before going on a long journey, the king gave some of his servants specific assignments with the command, “Occupy till I come” (Luke 19:13, kjv). The inherent message was that, until Jesus returns to earth at the end of the age, the people of God are agents and heralds of all God’s truth, including the message of holistic reconciliation between God and humankind and between hostile people. We are God’s ambassadors entrusted with the word of reconciliation” (p72, Beyond Rhetoric, Judson, 2000).
From now on, declared the Apostle Paul, “therefore, we regard no one from a human point of view; even though we once regarded Christ from a human point of view, we regard him thus no longer. Therefore, if any one is in Christ, he is a new creation, the old has passed away, behold, the new has come. All this is from God, who through Christ rconciled us to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of econciliation. So we are ambassadors for Christ” (2 Corinthians 5:16-20 rsv italics added)... and this is walkingwithwarner.blogspot.com
Each writer uses it to exhort “one another” in following in the steps of Jesus--THE ONE who is not just the written word on the pages of our bibles, but he is the Logos that lived in the flesh (cf John 1). He is God's one-of-a-kind“ atonement” (at-one-ment, i.e., Jesus) and we find him on the cross at Calvary (Hebrews 8:6-13).
He is the Person we walk with through life in relationship with him (discipleship)rather than just read about as ritual. Jesus taught his twelve disciples that he was the Messiah, the fulfillment of Israel’s prophetic promises to the Chosen People. As such, Jesus brought the Grace of God and fulfilled the requirements of the Law.
Jesus taught his disciples the LAW and the GOSPEL could be summarized in two essential teachings:
Jesus taught his disciples the LAW and the GOSPEL could be summarized in two essential teachings:
1) Love God supremely; and,
2) Love your neighbor as yourself.
Consequently; we have this recurring theme throughout the New Testament that affirms the new covenant by which all believers live--“one another.” In affirming one another, we mutually love God and we mutually share responsibility for one another. Note the following exhortations:
I John 3:11 – Love one another.
I John 3:11 – Love one another.
Romans 15:14 – Instruct one another.
I Thessalonians 5:11 – Encourage one another.
Hebrews 10:24 – Stir up one another to love and good works.
Romans 12:15; I Corinthians 12:26 – Rejoice with one another.
Romans 12:15 – Weep with one another.
Ephesians 4:32 – Forgive one another.
Ephesians 4:2 – Forbear one another.
James 5:16 – Confess your faults to one another.
James 5:16 – Pray for one another.The Church is God’s “social construction” not ours. We become part of the people of God when we enlist in the Church of God (cf I Cor. 1:1-2). Becoming people of God, author Curtis DeYoung notes that, “we cannot sit around griping about the rise of immorality and violence in homes, cities and across the globe. We are not at liberty to be mere observers of the dismantling of family life, the disaster of public education, the increasing environmental pollution or the debacle of urbanizing. Jesus expects the people in his church to be caring and commonsense stewards.
DeYoung concludes, “He once told his disciples a parable about a king and his servants. Before going on a long journey, the king gave some of his servants specific assignments with the command, “Occupy till I come” (Luke 19:13, kjv). The inherent message was that, until Jesus returns to earth at the end of the age, the people of God are agents and heralds of all God’s truth, including the message of holistic reconciliation between God and humankind and between hostile people. We are God’s ambassadors entrusted with the word of reconciliation” (p72, Beyond Rhetoric, Judson, 2000).
From now on, declared the Apostle Paul, “therefore, we regard no one from a human point of view; even though we once regarded Christ from a human point of view, we regard him thus no longer. Therefore, if any one is in Christ, he is a new creation, the old has passed away, behold, the new has come. All this is from God, who through Christ rconciled us to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of econciliation. So we are ambassadors for Christ” (2 Corinthians 5:16-20 rsv italics added)... and this is walkingwithwarner.blogspot.com
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