READ: Col. 3:11–15: … tender mercies … bearing with one another and forgiving one another … love … peace … in one body …
Communion with Christ must have its effect in mutual communion within the congregation of Christ. This communion is a precious matter in Christ’s eyes: it is His bride, for whom He gave His life. Jesus already spoke of this in the parable of the Good Shepherd: He gives His life for the sheep, and there shall be one flock, one Shepherd. When there is close communion with Christ there shall also be a close unity within the congregation.
For this Christ prayed to His Father: “Holy Father, keep through Your name those whom You have given Me, that they may be one as We are” (John 17:11). He even speaks of a perfect unity (John 17:23). In the Form for the Lord’s Supper we read: “Therefore we, though many, are one body, because we all partake of the one bread,” and all who are incorporated into Christ by true faith are together one body.
In Col. 3 Paul makes clear what living together as God’s elect concretely means: It is therefore God’s will that we as church members love one another. For this Jesus gave His disciples, and us, a new commandment (John 13:34,35): “that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”
Thus our mutual love within the congregation is an expression of our responsive love toward Christ, who gave His life for us and daily intercedes for us. Love for the other begins with tender mercies: your inner being, your heart, goes out to the other as your brother or sister in the Lord. You are moved with compassion toward him or her precisely because God has shown compassion toward you (cf. Luke 6:36: “Therefore be merciful, just as your Father also is merciful”).
That also sets you in motion: you share in the other’s circumstances and show this toward him or her. Included in this is an attitude of kindness, humility, and patience. You give yourself to the other in love, forgiveness, and forbearance. This does not mean that you must tolerate what goes against God’s Word. Then true love will also mean admonishing one another (Heb. 3:13). Thus in all things the true peace of God is served.
What do you do regarding fellowship with the members of the congregation?
Singing: Ps. 72:2,4