THE LORD is crystal clear in the priority and importance He puts on our love one for another. This is not an option but a reality that will manifest when true believers are together.447 If love is lacking there should be a sense of alarm that something is wrong in the body life.448 The law of love says: “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves.”449 Our Lord not only commanded the early disciples to love one another but said that it would be a fruit that would show the world that God has assembled a Church on the earth. Every believer should consider reading through 1 Corinthians chapter 13 on a regular basis to keep the right priority in Christian discipleship.
The phrase one another occurs over 25 times in the New Testament. Here are some of the phrases: Wash one another’s feet,450 love one another,451 honor one another,452 live in harmony with one another,453 stop passing judgment on one another,454 accept one another,455 instruct one another,456 greet one another,457 agree with one another,458 serve one another,459 bear with one another,460 be compassionate to one another,461 submit to one another,462 forgive one another,463 encourage one another,464 do not slander one another,465 act in humility towards one another,466 fellowship with one another.467 These statements are not just a rule sheet to keep but rather truths that the Holy Spirit of God wants to work into our lives, for us to become more like Jesus Christ. To walk in this New Covenant way of love requires a resting and dependence on the grace of our Lord. In an individualistic society we need to be watchful what we think of others, especially those of the household of faith.468
“Beware of schism, of making a rent in the Church of Christ. That inward disunion, the members ceasing to have a reciprocal love ‘one for another,’ is the very root of all contention, and every outward separation.”469
The two greatest commandments in the Bible given us by our Lord are based on love: “Jesus replied: ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’”470
The Scriptures says that if we do not love, we are nothing: “If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing.”471
Our Lord taught on the principle of loving the least brethren by saying: “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You something to drink? When did we see You a stranger and invite You in, or needing clothes and clothe You? When did we see You sick or in prison and go to visit You?’ The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for Me.’”472
“A sober revelation indeed: In the day of judgment, the Lord is not going to separate the sheep from the goats based upon how many sermons we preached, or how many souls we were able to convert to Christ, or how many things we accurately prophesied, or how many demons we cast out. Nay, here in this passage it is shown people being accepted or condemned based upon how they treated (and in the most practical ways) the ‘least’ of Christians—for how people treat the least of Christians is how they treat Christ Himself!”473
May we gain this priority of love as essential in our Assemblies and towards the weakest of believers as we meet together under the Headship of Jesus Christ.