Flashback Friday – 37 Ways to Love One Another

by Paul Tautges | August 26, 2016 8:43 am

Five years ago, this month, I published this article. Since then 44,000 people have read it. Therefore, I thought it may make a good Flashback Friday post. I trust it will encourage your growth in grace.

A local church is not built by one man, or even a few men, but by every believer being actively involved in ministry through evangelizing the lost people in their lives and serving their fellow Christians. A quick glance at the practice of the New Testament church reveals that they thought very little about programs and very much about relationships.

Consider the disciple-making that would naturally take place in the life of a local church if every believer would practice the loving, one-another ministry that the early churches first read about in the instructions they received from the apostles:

  1. Be devoted to one another (Rom. 12:10).
  2. Give preference to one another (Rom. 12:10).
  3. Be of the same mind toward one another (Rom. 12:16).
  4. Accept one another by withholding judgment (Rom. 14:1).
  5. Accept one another by showing deference (Rom. 14:1–5; 15:7).
  6. Esteem [highly regard] one another in love (Rom. 14:5; Phil. 2:3).
  7. Build up one another (Rom. 14:19; 1 Thes. 5:11).
  8. Counsel one another (Rom. 15:14).
  9. Serve one another by showing deference in matters of liberty (Gal. 5:13).
  10. Bear one another’s sin burdens (Gal. 6:2).
  11. Be gentle with one another (Eph. 4:2).
  12. Be kind to one another so as to preserve unity (Eph. 4:32).
  13. Speak truth to one another (Eph. 4:25; Col 3:9).
  14. Submit to one another (Eph. 5:21).
  15. Show compassion to one another (Col. 3:12).
  16. Bear with the inherent sinfulness of one another (Col. 3:13).
  17. Forgive one another (Col. 3:13).
  18. Use Spirit-filled, Word-saturated music to teach and admonish one another (Col. 3:16; Eph. 5:19).
  19. Comfort one another with the hope of Christ’s return (1 Thes. 4:18).
  20. Encourage one another (1 Thes. 5:11).
  21. Live in peace with one another (1 Thes. 5:13).
  22. Seek good for one another (1 Thes. 5:15).
  23. Encourage one another to forsake unbelief and hardness of heart (Heb. 3:13).
  24. Stimulate one another to spiritual growth (Heb. 10:24).
  25. Encourage one another by faithful participation in your local church (Heb. 10:25).
  26. Confess sins to one another (James 5:16).
  27. Pray for one another’s spiritual and physical healing (James 5:16).
  28. Be long-suffering and patient toward one another (1 Peter 4:8; Eph. 4:2).
  29. Be hospitable to one another without complaint (1 Peter 4:9).
  30. Serve one another (1 Peter 4:10; Gal. 5:13).
  31. Act in humility toward one another (1 Peter 5:5).
  32. Show holy affection to one another (1 Peter 5:14).
  33. Participate in the holy walk with one another (1 John 1:7).
  34. Refuse to become resentful toward one another (1 John 3:11–12).
  35. Give sacrificially to meet one another’s needs (1 John 3:16–17).
  36. Fight fear together by growing in love (1 John 4:18).
  37. Walk in truth together (1 John 3:18; 2 John 1:5).

The Christian life is all about relationships. It’s God’s design for our personal growth, which then translates into church growth—the real kind. Loving one another is a powerful evangelistic tool, as Jesus says: “By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:35).

[The above list makes a great personal Bible study or the basis for small group discussion.]

Recommended Resource: Counseling One Another: A Theology of Inter-Personal Discipleship[1]

Endnotes:
  1. Counseling One Another: A Theology of Inter-Personal Discipleship: http://www.shepherdpress.com/product/counseling-one-another/

Source URL: https://counselingoneanother.com/2016/08/26/flashback-friday-37-ways-to-love-one-another/

Copyright ©2024 Counseling One Another unless otherwise noted.