One Another

          I have to admit that I enjoy my computer especially when it comes to Bible study. While I do still own a paper copy of Strong's concordance and Young's concordance, I have not opened them in years. Now before you say something about my lack of Bible study, let me say in my defense that one of the things I enjoy about my computer is the ability to look of phrases, whether they be big or small, in a matter of microseconds. That's quick. A number of years ago, I looked up a small phrase, “one another.” If you look up the word “one” separately and the word “another” separately and then find how many times they occur as a phrase, it might take you hours to do. My Bible study program did it in a microsecond. The program listed a number of times where the two words are used together. John 15:17 says, "These things I command you, that ye love one another.”

        By doing such a search, you soon find out that there are a list of things that the Christian is supposed to be doing and which is usually associated with a command such as the term listed above. Jesus began by saying, “These things I command you...” That seems to be pretty clear and doesn't require a lot of interpretation. The next part of the phrase tells us what is commanded and it says, “...to love one another.” This phrase itself occurs a number of times in the New Testament but is not the only one of the commands that you can find. You can find references to “bearing one another's burdens,” “praying for one another,” “exhorting one another” and so on. One of the functions of the Christian life is that it involves other people and specifically other believers. The phrase for today was also found in John 13:34-35 where it says, “A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.  By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.” The concept of loving one another is expanded by showing us just how we are to do it. The Lord Jesus Christ reminded us that it was to be “as I have loved you.” Wow! What a statement. Then, it goes on to remind us that this love as evidenced by the world, will be an indicator to all men that we are indeed disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ. While that is a large responsibility, it is possible to do once we get self out of the picture. It is sometimes sad that we have more the tendency to arrive at our castle, lock the gate, pull up the drawbridge, set the alarm and sing to ourselves, “O How I Love Jesus.” The Bible goes on to remind us how we can accomplish this endeavor especially in the Epistle of James, a practical book on living the Christian life. Paul also described how the Christian life should be in his epistle to the Philippians especially in chapter two. A new word came into being a number of years ago which is the word, “selfie.” A selfie is a picture that you take of yourself usually to promote something that you are doing. It is like the old thing kids used to say on the playground, “Hey. Look at me.” Jesus is telling us, “Hey, look at others.” Praise God today that He sent His Son to die on the cross for all of our sins. Indeed, Jesus paid it all.