Edify One Another

As we’ve journeyed through some of the “one another’s” of the New Testament, I’ve become more and more convinced that these are some of the Bible’s most difficult teachings to keep. I can look in my own life each week and see examples of times I’ve not honored these principles. But to ignore them will destroy the fellowship of God’s people.

We (beginning with me) must use them as an evaluation tool of our willingness to relate to one another differently than we would if we did not belong to Christ. This week’s “one another” is again really three “one another’s.” In fact, they spread out over two chapters of Romans, and I want to allow James to illustrate the truths.

1. When you disagree , listen.

When the King James says, “be of the same mind,” it has to do with intentional thought. It doesn’t just mean that we’re to agree. In fact, sometimes agreeing can be a bad thing when two wrong people agree. It means to give consideration for someone else’s mind on a matter. That is, we’re to listen. And in the context, it means to listen to people whom we might consider “of low estate.”

Last week, we talked about how to love people we may not like or whom we might normally get along with. This lesson isn’t far off that mark. We’re to come to the level of others and get over ourselves and our pride.

James illustrated it (James 2:1-12) well with the story of two men coming into a worship service, one finely dressed and the other in rags. To show favortism between the two is not acceptable. In my opinion, these verses speak of a kind of discrimination that takes place. While discernment (between right and wrong) is encouraged, discrimination (between people) is unacceptable.

We have all either experienced or witnessed various kinds of discrimination, such as gender, age, racial, economic, or national discrimination, but what a tragedy when it occurs within God’s family.

2. When you disapprove, show mercy.

Beyond showing favortism is the actual inclination to condemn someone. This has to do with making an assessment of someone’s worth or value, or an assessment of their eternal, spiritual condition. This is something impossible for us to do. If someone has never heard of Jesus Christ, then we can be sure they are not saved, but within the realm of God’s family, we can never make this determination about a brother or sister.

James said that to him who judges, judgment will be given in greater measure. Jesus said the same in the sermon on the mount. I’ve heard many Christians describe the behavior of another and say something like “well, ‘by their fruits ye shall know them,’ and their fruits indicate that they just aren’t saved.” The problem is, we’re not called to be fruit-inspectors, but to be seed-sowers!

So what’s the alternative to judgment? Mercy! We stand before God deserving hell, but He forgives us completely in Christ. He shows us mercy! We ought to show mercy in return. I love the way James says it in James 2:13, (paraphrasing) “If you don’t show mercy, you’ll receive none, but mercy allows us to rejoice in the face of inevitable judgment.”

3. When someone is weak, build them up.

This last one builds on the other two. Whether we disagree with a thinking pattern, or disapprove of a lifestyle choice, we’re to seek after that which edifies others within God’s family. to edify means to build up, as in the construction of a building. How do we build others?

Encouragement

We build others up by our encouragement. We all ought to be ministers of encouragement. I dream of a church that just oozes encouragement, that never lets up. I’m not talking about flattery, but the kind of encouragement that seeks out those who are down and seeks to lift their spirits with a kind word.

Discipleship

By our teaching and our modeling the Christian walk, we build others up in the faith. We should be imparting spiritual truth to someone, sharing our theology, our belief in Jesus.

By Refraining

At times there may be those things that we recognize as “ceremonially clean” or okay for a Christian, yet someone will either be offended, tripped up, or forced to pass judgment on us. In those times, we are to refrain from the activity. Keep in mind that in the context, Paul was speaking specifically about differences between Judaism and Christianity, between legalism and liberty. If we tried never to offend anyone by anything, we’d go crazy - there would be no limit to our limitations. But we are to consider others in our actions.

This is to “edify” one another. The church is compared in 1 Corinthians 3 to a building with Jesus as the foundation’s cornerstone and the New Testament prophets and apostles as the foundation stones. We, through the centuries of Christianity, are to build each other into a mighty house for God. So grab a hammer, let’s start building!