Community = a people with a shared identity and mutual responsibility The Bible helps us think about community well: God is, as the Triune God, a community in Himself, existing perfectly, eternally. Humans have been made in His likeness and created in community with Him and each other. Sin has affected human community so that we are naturally set against God and each other. Israel was formed by God as His set apart community, but they failed to live faithfully as His people and demonstrated their need for salvation. The Gospel announces who Jesus Christ is and what He has done in order to save people from their sins, and anyone who believes in Him is brought into community with God and His people. The Church is the special community of Jesus Christ made up of everyone who believes in Him and lived out in local gatherings of believers, committed to helping each other grow in Him. What are the characteristics of the church’s community, and are there any corresponding responsibilities for those within its community? Unity and Diversity | Authority and Necessity 1. What are we talking about when we talk about the “one anothers”? 2. What are all of the relevant “one anothers”? Be at peace with one another (Mar 9:50; See also, Rom 14:19; 1 Thess 5:13) Wash one another’s feet (Joh 13:14) Love one another (Joh 13:34-35; See also, 15:12, 17; Rom 12:10 [philadelphia]; 13:8; 1 Thess 3:12; 4:9; 2 Thess 1:3; 1 Pet 1:22; 4:8; 1 Joh 3:11, 23; 4:7, 11, 12; 2 Joh 1:5) Outdo one another in showing honor (Rom 12:10) Live in harmony with one another (Rom 12:16) Pursue mutual upbuilding (Rom 14:19) Welcome one another (Rom 15:7) Able to instruct one another (Rom 15:14) Greet one another with a holy kiss (Rom 15:14; See also, 1 Cor 16:20; 2 Cor 13:12; 1 Pet 5:14) Wait for one another (1 Cor 11:33) Have the same care for one another (1 Cor 12:25) Through love serve one another (Gal 5:13) Bear one another’s burdens (Gal 6:2) Bearing with one another in love (Eph 4:2; See also, Col 3:13) Speak the truth with your neighbor (Eph 4:25) Be kind to one another and tenderhearted (Eph 4:32) Forgiving one another (heautou) (Eph 4:32; See also, Col 3:13) Addressing (lit. speaking to) one another (heautou) in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs (Eph 5:19; See also, Col 3:16) Submitting to one another (Eph 5:21) Count others (allelon) more significant than yourselves (heatou) (Phil 2:3) Encourage one another with these words (1 Thess 4:18; See also, 5:11; Jud 1:20) Build one another up (1 Thess 5:11) Always seek to do good to one another (1 Thess 5:15) Exhort one another (heautou) every day (Heb 3:13) Consider how to stir up one another to love and good works (Heb 10:24) Not neglecting to meet together (heautou) (Heb 10:25) Confess your sins to one another and pray for one another (Jam 5:16) Show hospitality to one another without grumbling (1 Pet 4:9) As each has received a gift, use it to serve (diakoneo) one another (heautou) (1 Pet 4:10) Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another (1 Pet 5:5) Fellowship with one another (1 Joh 1:7) Keep yourselves (heautou) in the love of God (Jud 1:21) Let us not pass judgment on one another any longer (Rom 14:13) To have lawsuits at all with one another (heautou) is already a defeat for you (1 Cor 6:7) If you bite and devour one another, watch out that you are not consume by one another (Gal 5:15) Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another (Gal 5:26) Do not lie to one another (Col 3:9) Do not speak evil against one another (Jam 4:11) Do not grumble against one another (Jam 5:9) 3. What are some observations related to the contexts of the “one anothers”? 4. How can we cultivate the “one anothers” in practical ways?