Who is “one another” in the Bible?
Approximately 59 times in the New Testament the phrase one another is used in the command form. It is pretty clear that the writers of the New Testament, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, wanted us to understand that what we do to, for, and with one another is paramount to the Christian life. But to whom is one another referring? There are some misconceptions out there.
The basic definition of another is to refer to an additional person or thing of the same kind as one already mentioned. So then the direct context of these passages is vital to our faithful application of these commands. In EVERY passage that uses the phrase one another it is referencing disciples/followers of Jesus and born-again Christians. The one another commands are to be lived out towards other Christians.
This serves to debunk one misconception that has cemented itself in the evangelical ethos. The misconception that one anothers really means others. Others meaning those outside the faith and the marginalized in our culture. Those that hold to this misconception look at commands like “love one another” (John 13:34, also occurring 16 more times), “accept one another” (Romans 15:7), and “look to the interests of one another” (Philippians 2:4), as ways that we are to approach our community and society as a whole. This is a classic over-interpretation of the text to serve an extra-biblical agenda. This is not to say that loving others outside the faith is not important. But there is more scriptural dedication to the idea of one another rather than other. In fact, Jesus taught that there should be priority placed on loving one another.
By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” John 13:35 (ESV)
Jesus is teaching here that the main evidence of Christ in us is our love for other Christians.
Let me be clear. There is a dangerous, unbiblical movement in Christianity that places love for others over one anothers. It is the movement that accepts isolating yourself from Christian community to be among the others. I have met so many “followers of Jesus” that pour out their lives in love toward the others and want nothing to do with the one anothers. This is not what our Lord and His disciples taught us.
Exclusively the one another commands are referring to Christians and overwhelmingly they are referring to Christians within the confines of the local church. So just as Jesus put priority, not exclusivity, on love towards other Christians, the disciples in their writings put priority on Christians within your local church. For example, Galatians is written to the individual churches in Galatia. So when we read “serve one another” (Galatians 5:13) and “bear one another’s burdens” (Galatians 6:2), that is in direct context to the local church that is reading that letter. Serve all Christians everywhere? Yes. But where do I start? How do I practically do that? It begins and should be prioritized towards your local church.
Again, there are many Christians that seek Christian community in more organic ways apart from the local church. This lack of commitment shows a lack of love toward those that we are to prioritize above all else. It shows that when things get too hard, too awkward, too convicting, too small, too big, too loud, too quiet that they can leave when they want and chalk it up to a toxic culture and cancel that group from their life. By this point, most all of us have had a negative, hurtful, abusive or even traumatic church experience. I am not saying that when there is an unfaithful, unbiblical culture set by a church that you shouldn’t consider fighting for biblical truth and potentially have to leave that local church as a result. There are times when you have to leave and then find a faithful local church to join. If you are a Christian and you are not actively looking for a faithful local body of believers, then you are neglecting and disobeying the clear one another commands of the Bible. You need to sit with that for a while. For far too long Christians have justified their lack of love for the one anothers with their love for others.
Lastly, I want to encourage those that love others well. Some of you have left the local church in search of what you think is genuine faith in Christ. You’ve sidelined your love for one anothers because you see the neglect of love towards others. You’ve seen a gradual drift towards a “get on board or get lost” mentality towards lost people that was rarely the approach of Jesus. You’ve left the church because you’ve seen such a lack of love and compassion towards the marginalized in our culture that you felt compelled to change it. Since you’ve made that decision, you’ve only deepened your conviction towards the local church by the external newsworthy evidence of toxic leadership and abusive cultures in churches around our country. Can I appeal to you for a moment? There is plenty of blame to go around as to the state of the American church. But there is one (not the only) factor you probably haven’t thought of. The church has gone further this way because you are not there. The local church needs you. It needs your viewpoint, your compassion, your kindness towards others. It needs your patience, love, and forgiveness that you extend to others extended towards them.
I need you and you need me. We need one another.
