LIFE IN THE BODY (continued)

Four Commandments. Jesus said, "If you love Me, you will keep my commandments." John 14:15. These four commandments are very important for the Body to function properly. These commandments are both individual and collective. The Body functions properly if each part is individually working properly, Ephesians 4:16. We are commanded to love one another ... to preserve unity ... to be pure ... and to put love into action.

Commandment #1 ... Love one another. Jesus said, "This is My commandment, that you love one another, just as I have loved you." John 15:12. This commandment is the basis of the other three. Love should be our individual and collective attitude. It should be the motivation for all of our actions toward our fellow-believers. God loved us ... therefore, we should love each other, 1 John 4:11. We should love each other fervently from the heart, 1 Peter 1:22. As Christ laid down His life for us, we should lay down our lives for each other, 1 John 3:16. The world will know that we are His disciples because of our love for one another, John 13:34-35. Loving each other begins with an attitude change. "With humility of mind let each of you regard one another as more important than himself." Philippians 2:3. We are commanded to put that love into action ... "Through love serve one another." Galatians 5:13.

Commandment #2 ... Preserve unity. We are not commanded to create unity. Unity comes from the Spirit ... not from us. Individually and collectively, we must be "diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace." Ephesians 4:3. Jesus prayed that we would be one, John 17:11,21-23. His prayer in verse 23 was literally that we would be perfected into a unit ... so that the world would believe that He came from the Father. We are to be of one heart and one soul, Acts 4:32, Romans 15:5. We are to be of one mind, 1 Corinthians 1:10. Preserving unity is not easy. Preserving unity takes continuous action.

"Pursue the things which make for peace". Romans 14:19.

Show "forbearance to one another in love". Ephesians 4:2.

"Accept one another". Romans 15:7.

"Let us not judge one another". Romans 14:13.

Do not put "a stumbling block in a brother's way." Romans 14:13.

Don't let liberty be "a stumbling block to the weak." 1 Corinthians 8:9.

"Let no one act as your judge". Colossians 2:16-17.

Don't show "personal favoritism". James 2:1-9.

"Do not speak against one another". James 4:11.

"Do not complain ... against one another". James 5:9.

Do not "bite and devour one another". Galatians 5:15.

Be "subject to one another in the fear of Christ." Ephesians 5:21.

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Disciplemaking 1, copyright 2003, is available free from www.MyDisciplemaker.org where you can study online or print free copies. You may copy this course, any any part of it, for free or at-cost distribution ... without change to the content ... and with this copyright policy attached. Published by www.ActsOneEight.org. Bible Quotations are from the NASB unless noted.