This is an outline I developed for a Sunday school class that I have not yet taught on what it means for Christians to be “members one of another”.

Members One of Another

Introduction (2 weeks)

  • Biblical Foundations of Corporate Body

    • Reality of spiritual realm (2 Kings 6:17)
    • The present reality of body (Eph. 4:15-16; Eph. 5:30, 1 Cor. 6:15, 1 Cor. 12:27)
    • The present reality of the temple (1 Corinthians)
    • cf. Galatians 5:25

  • Loving as We Have Been Loved

    • John 13:35: By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.
    • cf. 1 Cor. 13, Romans 12:9-21, 1 Timothy 1:5, 1 Peter 1:22, Colossians 3:14
    • Loving in deed (1 Jn 3:18)
    • Love is the biblical governing principle for membership

Outline of Loving as the Body of Christ

  • Speaking (3 weeks)

    • Being truthful (Eph. 4:25)

    • Giving thanks (1 Thess. 5:18)

    • Exhorting one another constantly (Hebrews 3:13; Hebrews 10:24)

    • Speaking and rejoicing in the truth (1 Cor. 13:6; Col. 3:9-10; 1 Peter 2: 1)

    • Protecting from evil dopers and false teachers (Romans 16:17-20, 1 Corinthians 5; 2 Thess. 2:15; 2 Thess. 3:6; Hebrews 13:9; James 5:19-20; 1 Peter 5:8; 2 Peter 2:2; 2 John; 3 John; Jude 1:23)

    • Speaking with grace (Galatians 5:15; Ephesians 3:15; Ephesians 4:29; Ephesians 5:18-21; Colossians 3:16; Col. 4:2; 1 Thess. 5:14; James 3:1-12; James 4:11-12; James 4:9)

    • Excursus on speech and the 10 Commandments, see below.

  • Praying (1 week)

    • Praying for and with one another (Romans 12:12; Col. 4:2; 1 Thess. 5:17; Hebrews 13:18; 1 John 5:16)

  • Honoring (2 weeks)

    • Showing honor and submitting to authority (Romans 12:10; Hebrews 13:7, 17; 1 Peter 5:5; WLC 123-133)
    • Deferring to others (1 Cor. 13:4)
    • Showing affection (2 Cor 13:12; 1 Thess. 5:26; 2 Peter 1:7)
    • Empathizing (Romans 12:15; 1 Corinthians 12:26; Galatians 6:2; 1 Peter 3:8)
    • Honoring the consciences of others (Romans 14, 1 Corinthians 8)
    • Showing mercy to weak Christians (Jude 1:22)
    • Bearing with one another (Col. 3:12-13; 1 Thess. 5:14)

  • Humbling (2 weeks)

    • Showing humility (Romans 12:16; 1 Corinthians 11:17-22; 1 Cor. 13:4; 2 Cor 10:17,18; Galatians 5:26; 1 Timothy 2:8; James 1:9-11; James 3:1; James 3:14-17; 1 Peter 4:5-6)
    • Showing contentment (1 Timothy 6:8-10; James 1:2-3; James 4:9-11)
    • Showing self-control (2 Peter 1:6)
    • Seeing one another as Christ sees us (2 Cor. 5:16; Eph. 4:32; James 4:11-12)

  • Forgiving (2 weeks)

    • Forgiving one another (2 Cor 2:5-11; Ephesians 4:26, 32; Col. 3:12-13; 1 Peter 4:8)
    • Seeking reconciliation (1 Corinthians 6:1-8, 2 Cor 13:11)

  • Sharing (1 week)

    • Giving to the Needy (Romans 12:13; 1 Timothy 6:17-19; Hebrews 13:9)
    • Using our gifts for others (1 Corinthians 12, 1 Cor. 14:12, Galatians 5:13; Hebrews 13:9; 1 Peter 2:16; 1 Peter 4:10)
    • Doing good to all (Galatians 6:10; Titus 3:8)
    • Showing hospitality (Hebrews 13:2; 1 Peter 4:9)

  • Peacemaking (2 weeks)

    • Seeking peace (Romans 12:16, 17-20; 14:19; 2 Cor. 13:11; 1 Thess. 5:13; 2 Timothy 2:23; Hebrews 12:14; James 3:18)
    • Being patient (1 Cor. 13:4,7; Galatians 5:22-23)

  • Fellowshipping (1 week)

    • Meeting together (Hebrews 10:25)
    • Being steadfast and waiting for Christ together (Titus 2:13; 2 Peter 3; Jude 1:20-21)

  • Fleeing (1 week)

    • Fleeing malice (Ephesians 4:31; Col. 3:8; 1 Timothy 2:8; James 1:21; James 3:14-17; 1 Peter 2:1; 1 Peter 3:9)
    • Fleeing filthy speech (Eph. 5:3-5)
    • Fleeing foolish controversy and dissensions (Titus 3:9-10)
    • Fleeing partiality (James 2:1-13)

  • Conclusion (1 week)

Excursus

All ten commandments affect our speech to and with one another. Here is a look at that from the Larger Catechism.

  • 1st Commandment requires “highly esteeming” and “rejoicing in” God, “giving all praise and thanks”.
  • 2nd Commandment requires “prayer and thanksgiving in the name of Christ”
  • 3rd Commandment requires “that the name of God, his titles, attributes, ordinances, the word, sacraments, prayer, oaths, vows, lots, his works, and whatsoever else there is whereby he makes himself known, be holily and reverently used in … word”. It forbids “murmuring and quarreling at… God’s decrees and providences” and “making profession of religion in hypocrisy”.
  • 4th Commandment requires us “to dispose and seasonably dispatch our worldly business, that we may be the more free and fit for the [worship] of” the Lord on His day.
  • 5th Commandment requires “thanksgiving for” those in authority over us, “defense… of their persons and authority”, and “and covering them in love”; it forbids “cursing, mocking” of those in authority. It requires us to “instruct, counsel, and admonish” those under us and forbids us from “counseling… them in what is evil.” It requires us to “rejoice in each others’ gifts and advancement” and forbids us from grieving in such.
  • 6th Commandment requires “peaceable, mild and courteous speeches” and prohibits “provoking words… [and] quarreling”.
  • 7th Commandment requires “chastity in… words” and forbids “all corrupt or filthy communications”.
  • 8th Commandment forbids “injustice and unfaithfulness in contracts between man and man, or in matters of trust”.
  • 9th Commandment requires “preserving and promoting of truth between man and man, and the good name of our neighbor, as well as our own; appearing and standing for the truth; and from the heart, sincerely, freely, clearly, and fully, speaking the truth, and only the truth, in matters of judgment and justice, and in all other things whatsoever; a charitable esteem of our neighbors; loving, desiring, and rejoicing in their good name; sorrowing for and covering of their infirmities; freely acknowledging of their gifts and graces, defending their innocency; a ready receiving of a good report, and unwillingness to admit of an evil report, concerning them; discouraging talebearers, flatterers, and slanderers; love and care of our own good name, and defending it when need requireth; keeping of lawful promises; studying and practicing of whatsoever things are true, honest, lovely, and of good report.” It forbids “speaking untruth, lying, slandering, backbiting, detracting, talebearing, whispering, scoffing, reviling, rash, harsh, and partial censuring”.
  • 10th Commandment forbids “envying and grieving at the good of our neighbor”.