Love One Another

The opposite of loving one another is to “bite and devour one another” (cf. Gal. 5:15). One of the hardest things to work on in the Christian life is putting others’ interest before our own. If people are honest, every person—perhaps not to the same degree—struggles with caring for self before caring for other people. The Christian faith is one of “putting off” and “putting on.” What do I mean? Paul uses this language a lot in his writings. If we are in Christ and have experienced through a work of the Holy Spirit what the Bible calls conversion, then we have the means to “put off” and to “put on.” In other words, we are to “walk by the Spirit” and not “carry out the desires of the flesh” (cf. Gal. 5:16). This can be a difficult process as the Holy Spirit shows us daily our need for repentance and turning to Jesus. Even Christians struggle with this temptation to “bite and devour one another.” It is part of our old nature to want to be right, to want to be the most liked, to want to be the smartest in the room, and to allow pride to puff up our hearts. When these type things are battling for our hearts, they are a work of Satan and the old nature we have been set free from in the gospel. We are tempted to do things to get our way or embarrass another brother or sister in Christ. This is not loving one’s neighbor as the Law of the Lord teaches us (e.g. Lev 19:18; Matt. 19:19).

What are some good examples of bringing oneself under the authority of God’s Word and allowing the Spirit to guide us? Let me give a few. James 5:9 says, “Do not complain, brethren, against one another, so that you yourselves may not be judged; behold, the Judge is standing right at the door.” This is a warning about what complaining against one another can bring. Philippians 2:14-15 says, “Do all things without grumbling and disputing; so that you will prove yourselves to be blameless and innocent, children of God above reproach in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you appear as lights in the world.” You want to prove yourself to be a child of God? This passage teaches us to stop grumbling and disputing so that you will prove yourselves to be blameless and innocent, “children of God” above reproach. Peter tells us in 1 Peter 4:9, “Be hospitable to one another without complaint.” And finally, one last passage to help us see our responsibility in “putting off” and “putting on,” we will read Philippians 4:8 which says, “Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things.” We are commanded to think and dwell on good things. Things that are lovely, of good repute, excellent, worthy of praise, whatever is right, pure, and holy. This means we must work to “put off” what is opposite of these things just mentioned. We must work at loving our brothers and sisters in Christ and not “bite and devour one another.” After all, we belong to the same family of God, the Church. Love one another.