Care One For Another
The Good News Plan
Supplement #42 to The Christadelphian Advocate
www.thegoodnewsplan.org
ID 178443469 © Nelosa | Dreamstime.com
Near the end of Jesus’ public teaching, before he was arrested and crucified, a
lawyer from the Pharisees’ sect asked him a question to test him.
“Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” And he said to
him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul
and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second
is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two command-
ments depend all the Law and the Prophets” – Matthew 22:36-40.
Love is at the core of the two great commandments. The first commandment
addresses our love for God and the second one, our love for our neighbor.
At an earlier point in his ministry, a similar incident is recorded where a lawyer
stood up to test Jesus by asking a different question, “Teacher, what shall I do
to inherit eternal life?” In this exchange, Jesus turned his question back to the
lawyer by asking him, “What is written in the Law? How do you read it?” The
lawyer cited the same two commandments about love in the Law. But he, desir-
ing to justify himself, said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” – Luke 10:25-29.
It was in answer to this question that Jesus replied with the parable of the Good
Samaritan. At the end of the parable, Jesus asked the lawyer, “Which of these
three, do you think, proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell among the
robbers?” and the lawyer replied, “The one who showed mercy.” – vv. 36-37.
A neighbor was not defined by Jesus in an arbitrary way, such as the person
who lives next door, but by how one acts towards those in need.
Jesus taught that his disciples would be recognized by the love that they had
for one another: By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you
have love for one another” – John 13:35. What does that mean, to have “love
for one another?” Is it a way of thinking that drives a way of acting?
The writings of the apostles provide the answer. It’s important to un-
derstand because Jesus said it had to do with inheriting eternal life.
Let’s take a look.
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God provided us an example of love for us to learn from and follow. That exam-
ple was provided by His only begotten son, our Lord Jesus Christ.
This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you –
John 15:12, cf. 13:34. Jesus said, As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you.
Abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love –
John 15:9-10. It was in this context that Jesus also said, Greater love has no one
than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends – v. 13. By studying to
understand how Jesus loved his disciples, and how the Father loved him, we can
learn how to love one another. Obedience to his commandments is necessary to
abide in his love.
Forgiving one another is not an option but a necessity
The pattern of God’s forgiveness toward us is essential to apply to one another.
·
Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in
Christ forgave you – Ephesians 4:32.
·
Bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, for-
giving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive –
Colossians 3:13.
Forgiveness means striking the mistake from the record book and not holding it
over the transgressor’s head for the rest of their life. The way in which we bear
with one another is further elaborated:
·
with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in
love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace – Ephe-
sians 4:2-3.
What Does It Mean “To Love One Another?”
Love’s Order of Precedence
Why did Jesus say that the second commandment, to love your neighbor, was
like the first one, to love God?
The apostle John taught that our love for one another is learned from God’s
love for us and is our response to His love:
·
Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves
has been born of God and knows God – John 4:7.
·
Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another – 1 John
4:11.
·
No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and
his love is perfected in us – 1 John 4:12.
Our love for one another is how we show God’s love for us.
We love because He first loved us. If anyone says, “I love God,” and hates his
brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen
cannot love God whom he has not seen – 1 John 4:19-20. It is necessary to first
keep the second commandment – to love one another – before it is possible to
keep the first and greater commandment to love God.
Doing Good To One Another
This approach means constantly looking for the best in one another and acting
with goodwill to bring it out.
·
See that no one repays anyone evil for evil, but always seek to do good
to one another and to everyone – 1 Thessalonians 5:15.
·
Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the
sight of all – Romans 12:17.
·
Love does no wrong to its neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the
law – Romans 13:10.
What love does for one another
What loves does not do
Aim for restoration, comfort one
another, agree with one another, live
in peace; and the God of love and
peace will be with you. Greet one
another with a holy kiss – 2 Corinthi-
ans 13:11-12; show hospitality to one
another without grumbling – 1 Peter
4:9
Therefore let us not pass judgment
on one another any longer, but rather
decide never to put a stumbling
block or hindrance in the way of a
brother – Romans 14:13; Do not
grumble against one another, broth-
ers, so that you may not be judged –
James 5:9
Live in harmony with one another...
associate with the lowly – Romans
12:16; Clothe yourselves, all of you,
with humility toward one another,
for “God opposes the proud but
gives grace to the humble” – 1 Peter
5:5
Let us not become conceited, provok-
ing one another, envying one another
– Galatians 5:26
Do not be haughty... Never be wise in
your own sight – Romans 12:16
...in humility count others more sig-
nificant than yourselves – Philippians 2:3
submitting to one another out of
reverence for Christ – Ephesians 5:21
Do nothing from selfish ambition
or conceit - Philippians 2:3; that none
of you may be puffed up in favor of
one against another – 1 Corinthians 4:6
Love one another with brotherly af-
fection. Outdo one another in show-
ing honor – Romans 12:10; the mem-
bers may have the same care for one
another – 1 Corinthians 12:25
But when they measure themselves
by one another and compare them-
selves with one another, they are with-
out understanding – 2 Corinthians 10:12
And let us consider how to stir
up one another to love and good
works – Hebrews 10:24
But if you bite and devour one anoth-
er , watch out that you are not con-
sumed by one another – Galatians 5:15
let
each
one
of
you
speak
the truth with his neighbor, for we
are members one of another – Ephe-
sians 4:25
Do not lie to one another, seeing that
you have put off the old self with its
practices – Colossians 3:9
“Have The Same Care For One Another”
Summary
Twice in his epistle to the brothers in Rome, the apostle Paul appealed to them
to welcome one another, even those who were “weak in the faith.” As for
the one who is weak in faith, welcome him, but not to quarrel over opinions...
Therefore welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of
God –14:1, 15:7. Our welcome to others is intended to be as we desire that
Christ will welcome us into his presence.
Through Christ, our love extends to the most precious of all relationships – fel-
lowship in the Lord. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fel-
lowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all
sin – 1 John 1:7.
To abide in his love, we must walk in the light of the Word and keep his com-
mandments: For this is loving God, that we keep his commandments. His com-
mandments are not grievous – 1 John 5:3WEB.
By our love for another, we show (a) to all men that we are Christ’s disciples and
(b) that we love God and are thankful for the work He wrought in Christ.
Give instruction
in the ways of God
I myself am satisfied about you, my brothers, that
you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with all
knowledge and able to instruct one another –
Romans 15:14
Use one’s gifts
to serve one another
As each has received a gift, use it to serve
one another, as good stewards of God's varied
grace – 1 Peter 4:10
Use spiritual songs
to teach
and to express
thankfulness to God
Addressing one another in psalms and hymns and
spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the
Lord with your heart – Ephesians 5:19
Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching
and admonishing one another in all wisdom,
singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with
thankfulness in your hearts to God – Colossians
3:16
Share the load
cooperatively
Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law
of Christ – Galatians 6:2
Let us therefore follow after the things which make
for peace, and things wherewith one may edi-
fy another – Romans 14:19KJV
Confess to one another
Pray for each other
Therefore, confess your sins to one another and
pray for one another, that you may be healed. The
prayer of a righteous person has great power as it
is working – James 5:16