I (Randy) had some good fellowship over a meal with another brother earlier this week. Afterwards we each e-mailed some encouragement to each other regarding the depth of sharing of our lives, hurts and wounds, and blessings and progress in a number of areas. The Body certainly needs to be, if not less, certainly not only, “gathering/meeting” focused, and to have more of this kind of fellowship between related parts in local expressions.
The writer of Hebrews exhorts us:
[Hebrews 10:23-25 NASB95] 23 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful; 24 and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, 25 not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging [one another;] and all the more as you see the day drawing near.s
When this scripture is brought to light we often only hear it used as a bludgeon to get ourselves into “church” meetings or services. “Not forsaking our own assembling together” to mean in a large corporate gathering or meeting. But let us take note of the “one another’ context here that seems to allude to a bit more intimate interaction. “Let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds….but encouraging one another; and all the more” both carry the notion of one. stimulating another, one encouraging another. I’m not so dogmatic as to say this stimulation or encouragement can only come one on one. However, I am also not so dogmatic as to say or think that only platform to spectator teaching are the only way to stimulate or encourage. In fact, in my experience as a believer of 50+ years, I have probably learned and been encouraged at least as much, if not a great deal more, through fellowship that comes out of more personal relationships and is often one on one sharing of life, understanding, experience, and insights. So, this is not to necessarily downplay group teaching or teachers, but to exhort each one to take up the course to edify, stimulate, and encourage others on a more personal basis outside of corporate gatherings and meetings alone. This requires the building of relationships and planning time together and making an effort to do so.
The same pen wrote this inspired warning and exhortation:
[Hebrews 3:12-13 NASB95] 12 Take care, brethren, that there not be in any one of you an evil, unbelieving heart that falls away from the living God. 13 But encourage one another day after day, as long as it is [still] called “Today,” so that none of you will be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.
The clear indication here is that we are prone to unbelief and discouragement, so we are in great need of ongoing, persistent, continual encouragement from one to the other, day after day, after day, after day as long as there is today in order to keep from being hardened, or ensnared, by the deceitfulness of sin. WE NEED EACH OTHER, and that kind or personal and ongoing sharing of life and encouragement in Jesus.
My friend’s email to me this week ended up with a list of all that had been delivered unto me/us by Jesus in “That terrible, offensive, undignified treatment of our creator and savior, the lover of our souls, by our own hands crucified….”
Here is the list . We have been
“Forgiven. Justified. Made righteous. Redeemed. Reconciled. Adopted. Complete. Made near to God. Seated in the Heavenlies. Made acceptable. Delivered. Translated into the Kingdom of His dear Son, Baptized into the one body. Partakers of the Priesthood, a chosen generation, a peculiar people. Heavenly citizens. Of the family and household of God. Glorified. Complete in Him. Given all spiritual blessings in heavenly places”.
Just consider this strong encouragement in the form of a simple email correspondence. All stuff you probably know. But,…. doesn’t it do you good. No… not just good, but GREAT GOOD to see it in print from another brother who is in the same condition as you, and has experienced the same great love and blessing in Him. As Paul wrote to the Philippians; “Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things again is no trouble to me, and it is a safeguard for you” So let us encourage, and safeguard, one another….at lunch… by email… by phone call… by text… day after day after day. Take in these scriptures supporting this excellent encouragement. And then perhaps think about whom you might encourage with a word from the Lord, or His word from the scripture.
Forgiven. – [1John 2:12 NASB95] 12 I am writing to you, little children, because your sins have been forgiven you for His name’s sake.
Justified. – [1Corinthians 6:11 NASB95] 11 Such were some of you; but you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God.
Made righteous. – [Romans 5:19 NASB95] 19 For as through the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, even so through the obedience of the One the many will be made righteous.
Redeemed. – [1Peter 1:18-19 NASB95] 18 knowing that you were not redeemed with perishable things like silver or gold from your futile way of life inherited from your forefathers, 19 but with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, [the blood] of Christ.
Reconciled. – [Romans 5:10 NASB95] 10 For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.
Adopted. – [Romans 8:15 NASB95] 15 For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, “Abba! Father!”
[Ephesians 1:5 NASB95] 5 He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will,
Complete. – [Colossians 2:9-10 NASB95] 9 For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form, 10 and in Him you have been made complete, and He is the head over all rule and authority;
Made near to God. – [Hebrews 7:25 NASB95] 25 Therefore He is able also to save forever those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.
Seated in the Heavenlies. – [Ephesians 2:5-6 NASB95] 5 even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), 6 and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly [places] in Christ Jesus,
Made acceptable. – [1Peter 2:5 NASB95] 5 you also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
Delivered. – [Colossians 1:13 KJV] 13 Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated [us] into the kingdom of his dear Son:
Translated into the Kingdom of His dear Son, – [Colossians 1:13 KJV] 13 Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated [us] into the kingdom of his dear Son:
Baptized into the one body. – [1Corinthians 12:13 NASB95] 13 For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free, and we were all made to drink of one Spirit.
Partakers of the Priesthood, – [1Peter 2:9 NASB95] 9 But you are A CHOSEN RACE, A royal PRIESTHOOD, A HOLY NATION, A PEOPLE FOR [God’s] OWN POSSESSION, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;
[2Pe er1:4 NASB95] 4 For by these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, so that by them you may become partakers of [the] divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust.
a chosen generation, – [1Peter 2:9 KJV] 9 But ye [are] a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:
a peculiar people. – [1Peter 2:9 KJV] 9 But ye [are] a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:
Heavenly citizens – . [Ephesians 2:19 NASB95] 19 So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and are of God’s household,
[Hebrews 12:22 NASB95] 22 But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to myriads of angels,
Of the family and household of God. – [Gal 6:10 NASB95] 10 So then, while we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, and especially to those who are of the household of the faith.
[Romans 8:29 NASB95] 29 For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined [to become] conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren;
Glorified. – [Romans 8:29-30 NASB95] 29 For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined [to become] conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren; 30 and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified.
Complete in Him. – [Colossians 2:9-10 NASB95] 9 For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form, 10 and in Him you have been made complete, and He is the head over all rule and authority;
Given all spiritual blessings in heavenly places. – [Ephesians 1:3 NASB95] 3 Blessed [be] the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly [places] in Christ,