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What is the greatest teaching in the Bible? One another.
The phrase “one another” is one word in the Greek. This word is a reciprocal pronoun which translated means “two or more doing the same thing!”
“One another” is used 100 times in the New Testament. Fifty-nine of the occurrences are specific commands of what to do or what not to do. Yes, 59 commands on the same topic – one another!
The greatest teaching in the New Testament!
What to do commands:
Devoted to one another, honor one another, build up one another, admonish one another, care for one another, forgive one another, submit to one another, teach one another, comfort one another, and encourage one another.
Tired of saying “one another?” Then take a deep breath and let’s continue…
Pray for one another, exhort one another, confess to one another, show hospitality to one another, bear one another’s burdens, speak to one another with psalms, look to the interests of one another, be likeminded towards one another, accept one another.
There’s more, but I will stop.
Do we “one another” or do we just “one?”
By ourselves – teaching ourselves, listening to ourselves, honoring ourselves, forgiving ourselves, loving ourselves, and thinking the best of ourselves?
COVID has isolated us. Many once involved in “one another” are still by themselves.
There are insidious teachers today talking doubt as authentic faith. Doubt isolates while “one another” unifies.
Let’s review: 100 times “one another” is used in the New Testament and 59 times as something we are and aren’t to do together.
Fifty-nine specific commands!
What not to do commands:
Do not lie to one another, stop judging one another, do not bite and devour one another, do not envy one another, do not destroy one another, do not slander one another, and do not grumble about one another.
Inherent in the idea of faith is love. God is love and we know Him by faith. We should embed in our faith the “one another” of scripture, as love means believing that as God so loved us, we should love one another and as God forgave us, we should forgive one another.
One hundred times… 59 times… if we want to follow Jesus and obey His commands, we must consider our “one another.”
What to do and what not to do.