37 WAYS TO LOVE ONE ANOTHER

37 WAYS TO LOVE ONE ANOTHER

By Paul Tautges

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.]