Ray Ortlund Jr. once posted a provocative blog entitled, “One Anothers I Can’t Find in the New Testament.” His list is both somewhat amusing and gut-wrenching:
- sanctify one another
- humble one another
- scrutinize one another
- pressure one another
- embarrass one another
- corner one another
- interrupt one another
- defeat one another
- sacrifice one another
- shame one another
- judge one another
- run one another’s lives
- confess one another’s sins
- intensify one another’s sufferings
- point out one another’s failings
How often are we Christians really good at doing these “one anothers”? I know. It’s sad.
But if the church is going to be a harbinger of the new heavens and the new earth, not only do we need to jettison the list above, we have to excel at the list below: the true “one anothers” of the New Testament.
Here are the top 5 most frequent “one another” commands:
5. Forgive one another (Eph. 4:32; Col. 3:13)
Live in peace with one another (Mark 9:50; 1 Thess. 5:13)
Bear in love with one another (Eph. 4:2; Col. 3:13)
Have Compassion with one another (Eph. 4:32; 1 Pet. 3:8)
4. Be humble with one another (Eph. 4:2; 1 Pet. 3:8; 1 Pet. 5:5)
3. Greet one another (Rom. 16:16; 1 Cor. 16:20; 2 Cor. 13:12; 1 Pet. 5:14)
2. Encourage one another (2 Cor. 13:11; 1 Thess. 4:18; 1 Thess. 5:11; Heb. 3:13; Heb. 10:25)
And #1 on this list, the “one another” command most frequently given is…
1. LOVE ONE ANOTHER (John 13:34; 15:12; 15:17; Rom. 13:8; 1 Thess. 4:9; Heb. 13:1; 1 Pet. 1:22; 3:8; 4:8; 1 John 3:11; 3:14; 3:23; 4:7; 4:11; 2 John 5)
The church that is able to consistently practice just these, will be creating a culture of “Gospel + Safety + Time” and giving people a taste of heaven!
God, for the glory of your Son, Jesus Christ, make it so of us!
