We are to teach, instruct, advise, counsel, warn, and rebuke one another because we care for one another. If we didn’t care, we would not interfere; we would not get involved. Read More ...
Our acceptance of one another is based on Christ’s acceptance of repentant sinners. Salvation is the common ground that unifies believers and brings them into fellowship with one another. If someone is genuinely saved, he should enjoy at least a basic level of acceptance with other believers. Read More ...
The Bible urges Christians to be likeminded and to agree with one another. People working on a project must be likeminded in order to get anything done. Church members in particular ought to be of like faith and practice; we ought to be likeminded. Read More ...
The term “brotherly love” refers to the love that should exist between siblings within a family. Applied to the church, it refers to the love Christians should have for each other as brothers and sisters in Christ. Read More ...
All the parts of the body are different, but all are necessary, and all should be functioning in love, unity, humility, appreciation, and commitment as we serve God by serving one another. Read More ...
The Bible uses the phrase “as a father” three times, and in each case, the authors tell us what fathers do or are supposed to do for their children. So I’d like to look at each of these three verses and see what they have to tell us about the biblical responsibilities of fathers. Read More ...
One of the marks of a healthy church is that it is able to continue steadfastly in fellowship. That is, the members of the church are able to work through their differences, deal appropriately with frictions and offenses, and maintain their partnership in spite of these problems. They intentionally pursue fellowship and refuse to let minor annoyances diminish fellowship. Read More ...
Christianity presents a certain lifestyle, a set of behavioral expectations that all Christians are supposed to uphold. If professing believers do not fulfill these expectations, then something is wrong—something out of order. We call that “sin.” And that’s what Paul is addressing in this last chapter—disorderly behavior among the members of the church. Read More ...
Psalm 128 reflects the biblical picture of the good life. In this picture, the family is happy and blessed because they fear God and walk in his ways. God sustains them through the work the man does, and God blesses the couple with a home full of children. Read More ...
Every generation has to receive the biblical traditions, hold on to them, and pass them down to the next generation. Those traditions give us stability; they prevent us from being shaken in mind and troubled. As we stand fast and hold the traditions passed down to us, God will comfort our hearts and establish us for every good word and work. Read More ...