Strengthening Bonds: Embracing the One Another Imperatives
Through Jesus Christ, we become family with God. We become the body of Christ. As part of God’s family, we are called to live a certain way. Our attitudes and interactions with other believers should be on another level. A level that is befitting of being called God’s children. We are given allēlōn (one another) imperatives in the Bible. These are commands we are given that show us how to interact with other believers. Doctors Stephen and Mary Lowe write, “Allēlōn expresses concepts like mutuality, reciprocity, equality, sharing, and exchange. In the New Testament, the term conveys a relationship between two or more people committed to one another through a common faith in Jesus Christ. The relationship is interactive, with each person contributing to the welfare of the others through a variety of connections, behaviors, attitudes, and actions.[1] In doing for one another, we not only build up the body of Christ, but it also helps believers mature in their walk with Christ. God expects us to be spiritually formed individually and as a community. We will look at five, out of the one hundred, “one another” imperatives and how those imperatives work within digital ministry and spiritual formation.
The “Umbrella” Imperative
Jesus gave us the command to love another just as he loved us. This first imperative can be termed an umbrella imperative due to how much it encompasses. In John 13:34-35, Jesus says, “I give you a new command: Love one another. Just as I have loved you, you are also to love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” (Christian Standard Bible) This “one another” imperative works as the overarching imperative. We must love another first to carry out the kingdom’s work and show Christ’s love to others. Whether we are in a digital or physical ministry, these verses apply. David Dockery writes, “Here Jesus said that love among Christians must be in the vanguard of all we are about. Further, if we fail in this endeavor, the world will be given the right to deny that we are disciples of Christ. Our love for one another will be the distinguishing mark of authenticity that we truly follow Christ.” [2] It is from this base imperative that all others will fall into place.
I give you a new command: Love one another. Just as I have loved you, you are also to love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.
John 13:34-35 (CSB)
Prayer
A recurring theme we see throughout the Bible is prayer. The imperatives are not immune to the practice of prayer. In James 5:16, James wrote, “Therefore confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is very powerful in its effect.” Accountability and prayer are two of the most important things we can do for one another as believers. We confess our sins to one another to be held accountable, and we always pray for those who need that accountability. However, prayer is not only for the rough times in life. We also pray when we are joyful for one another. The power of prayer cannot be underestimated.
Therefore confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is very powerful in its effect.
James 5:16 (CSB)
Carrying One Another’s Burdens
If we see a brother or sister struggling, we should help them lighten the load. Paul writes in Galatians 6:2, “Carry one another’s burdens; in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.” Much like prayer and accountability, helping to carry one another’s burdens helps to build relationships between believers. Tony Evans writes, “Burdens do not necessarily imply sin. The burdens of life can include all sorts of weighty problems: physical, relational, financial, and emotional. Carrying the burden of another can take an unlimited number of forms, including prayer, making time for a person, providing practical assistance, financial assistance, and a listening ear.” [3] Brothers and sisters in Christ need to participate in the carrying of one another’s burdens. It is the right thing to do, and there may come a time when that helping hand will be extended back to the helper.
Carry one another’s burdens; in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.
Galatians 6:2 (CSB)
A Heart Filled With Christ
There must be a point where the heart is completely saturated with the love of God. The believer must allow God to invade every part of them. Colossians 3:16 states, “Let the word of Christ dwell richly among you, in all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another through psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts.” Whether we want God to see it or not, he has access to every inch of our hearts. We can hide things from him, but he will find them. This is why we must always be building up our brothers and sisters. We can admonish one another in person or virtually as written in Scripture. It is our duty to each other to ensure we live as God commands.
Let the word of Christ dwell richly among you, in all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another through psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts.
Colossians 3:16 (CSB)
Building Up
The promotion of peace and the building up of one another should be the hallmark of a Christian. Paul writes in Romans 14:19, “So then, let us pursue what promotes peace and what builds up one another.” Christians should always show a unified front. In tearing down other believers, we do not present that unity that people should see in Christians. This unification is significant in digital ministry. People are a lot bolder when they are saying things virtually. That is why we must not tear down fellow believers. Christians should always have an eye on what is peaceful. Evans writes, “The kingdom's goal is not to keep other people in line with our preferences but to pursue what promotes peace. We can use our freedom in two ways: tear down God’s work in people’s lives by flaunting our liberty, or build up one another by being sensitive to our weaker brothers and sisters.” [4] The goal of Christians should always be to build one another up. These attitudes and actions should be evident when others encounter a Christian.
So then, let us pursue what promotes peace and what builds up one another.
Romans 14:19 (CSB)
Conclusion
These five “one another” commands show how the believer is formed individually and in a community setting. The commands are meant to bring believers together in their attitudes and actions. In turn, believers can also grow individually. Lowe and Lowe write, “They seem deliberately to cover a wide range of human capacities and a wide range of human relationships. One could imagine that Jesus needs only to have uttered the umbrella reciprocal command “love one another” and that would have sufficed. Yet, it seems as though the New Testament deliberately elaborates on this generic reciprocal command so that we do not lose the point that the diversity of the created human requires diverse approaches that encompass the “integrated totality” of the person.” [5] While we are being spiritually formed individually, we must keep in mind that the “one another” commands are there to help build community. Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 14:17, “For you may very well be giving thanks, but the other person is not being built up.” The edification of others should be as necessary as the individual walk with Christ.
References
[1] Stephen D. Lowe & Mary E. Lowe, “Allēlōn: Reciprocal Commands and Christian Development,” Christian Education Journal 7, no. 2 (2010): 285. https://doi.org/10.1177/073989131000700203
[2] David S. Dockery, ed., Holman Bible Handbook (Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers, 1992), 623-624.
[3] Tony Evans, The Tony Evans Study Bible: Advancing God’s Kingdom Agenda. (Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers, 2019), 1388.
[4] Evans, The Tony Evans Study Bible, 1335.
[5] Lowe and Lowe, Allēlōn: Reciprocal Commands, 288.
