Belonging To One Another

Last night we concluded a meeting with the brethren in Trenton, Florida. It has been a wonderful four days of fellowship with some of the finest folks you’d ever meet.

The church is served by four spiritual shepherds, John Frazier, Kent Heaton, Billy Mikell, and Freddie Summers who are truly servant leaders. Everritt Heaton, is a dedicated young man who serves as an evangelist with a wonderful family to support him. Kent works along side Everritt in a special teaching role.

Our theme for the week was “Belonging to One Another.” It was an emphasis on the “one another” passages in the New Testament. The lessons spoke to the need for closeness in our Christian community. Warm Fellowship. Right Relationships. A feeling of Family. Happy Comradeship. And mutual responsibilities. Today’s post provides a glimpse into the thesis of our lessons.

Belonging is a Biblical concept. It is taught through out the letters of the New Testament to both churches and individuals. Consider these exhortations to the church at Rome.

“And you also are among those who are called to belong to Jesus Christ.” (Rom. 1:6 NIV)

“Likewise, my brothers, you also have died to the law through the body of Christ, so that you may belong to another, to him who has been raised from the dead, in order that we may bear fruit for God.” (Rom. 7:4,ESV)

“So we who are many are one body in Christ, and individually we are members who belong to one another” (Rom. 12:5, NET).

These passages teach us 3 important things about how and what it means to belong.

(1) We belong in Christ.

The expression “in Christ” is used 87 times in the New Testament. We were “baptized into Christ” (Gal. 3:26). We enjoy spiritual blessings “in Christ” Eph 1:3). And our hope is “in Christ” (1 Cor 15:19).

Christianity is all about our relationship with Christ. It is fundamental to our spiritual well being. It is personal with each of us. And it provides for us a sense of security, safety and solace. It’s about the need to belong to someone who will always be faithful and care for us.

(2) We belong in one Body.

The Bible teaches that Christians are “called into one body” (Col. 3:15). Our calling is by the gospel of Christ (2 Thess 2:14). And the body is the church (Eph. 1:22-23). Our entry into the body is through baptism into Christ (1 Cor. 12:13; Gal. 3:26-27).

Indeed the church is not a building, but a body of Believers. People called out of darkness into the light. The church is not an organization like a business or a club, but a living, breathing organism.

(3) We belong to one another.

There are many one another commands in the New Testament. We are to accept one another. Care for one another. Be a blessing to one another. Confess our sins to one another. Serve one another. Be devoted to one another. Bear One another’s burdens. Comfort one another. And forgive one another.

On the negative side we are warned not to bite and devour one another. All of the one another exhortations can be summed in one word—love. Because we belong to another in the same body. The same family. The same blood bought relationship with Christ. We love one another.

A proper functioning church family will have many members contributing to its success in different ways based on each person’s gifts. It takes time, talent, energy and even money to achieve spiritual success. May we walk and model the one another way. May we in all our work, relationships and responsibilities seek to “edify one another” and “encourage one another,” as we enjoy “fellowship with one another.”

Today, this week, this month, think about where you belong. And then allow your belonging to translate into a mutual satisfying and spiritual fulfilling relationship with Jesus Christ and all others in His Body.

–Ken Weliever, The Preacherman