Reciprocity

­study in the Chapterhouse

mutual faith

and relationships in the Church

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The New Testament nurtures the talents helping everyone's personality and values. Unlike the religious, believers are immersed in the study of God's word & revelations. This is a spiritual work: a high degree of interdependence or reciprocity. Yes. It requires reciprocity and investment of time.

Reciprocity is a real challenge, an uncharted territory nowadays. As Tim Maton (Everyday Church, Wimbledon) wisely commented:

"There are 59 specific "one another" instructions in the Bible about how we're to relate to one another within the church community. The phrase "one another" is derived from the Greek word allelon [al-el-on] which means to "one another, each other; mutually, reciprocally."
As well as loving, caring, serving, building up, honouring, accepting, comforting, encouraging, and praying for one another, is the command to admonish one another (in Romans 15:14 KJV and Colossians 3:16)."

Let us now look at Scripture examples, without commentary.

Rm 14:19
.. let us pursue what makes
   for peace and
   for mutual upbuilding.
2Pt:1-2
Simeon Peter, a slave and an apostle of Jesus Christ:
To those who have obtained a faith of equal privilege with ours through the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ.

Partial knowledge

1Cor 13:9-10
For we know in part, and we prophesy in part.
But when the perfect comes, the partial will come to an end.
Rm. 1:11-12
I long to see you, that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to strengthen you— that is, that we may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith, both yours and mine.

Partial functionality

Rm. 12:3-5
..by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned. For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another.

Each other

Respect each other

2Cor 10:7
If anyone is confident that he is Christ’s, let him remind himself that just as he is Christ’s, so also are we.

Love each other

John 13:34-35
A new commandment I give to You,
that you love one another:
Just as I have loved you,
you also are to love one another.
By this all people will know
that You are my disciples...

- says Jesus the Christ.

Helping, caring each-other in the partiality

John 13:13-14
You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet*. For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you.

Notice: We have partial ability during the *journey, (our walking is not perfect either, but the dusty road also means dirty feet). So we must clean each-other's feet. They are surely getting dirty and dusty during our pilgrimage now, and here in this declining Earth.
It's a mutual need. It is a must. The foot washing is not simply a symbolism. It is Cause and Effect: Walking in the Earth means dirt, and the solution is the mutual dependency.

Being honest before each other

Jms.5:16
Confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.

Equalising unity

Phi 3:15
Therefore, all who are mature should think this way. And if you think differently about anything, God will reveal this also to you.
Rm. 15:14-16
My brothers, I myself am convinced about you that you also are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, and able to instruct one another. Nevertheless, I have written to remind you more boldly on some points because of the grace given me by God to be a minister of Christ Jesus

Remember this: Love and respect is essential

Love is essential to today's church. Believers follow leaders, but (unlike the simple religious) they do not simply follow "visionary leaders", but Leaders who foster reciprocity. Respect and appreciation for one another was fundamental to the lives of the apostles. But not only did they respect each other from a distance - they also shared their teachings. Consider the following lines from Peter's apostolic letter:

..as our dear brother Paul has written to you according to the wisdom given to him. He speaks about these things in all his letters in which there are some matters that are hard to understand. The untaught and unstable twist them to their own destruction, as they also do with the rest of the Scriptures.

This means that the communities of Peter knew the apostle Paul's teachings.
The church of the New Testament is not about someone leading the crowd by his own faith. Yes. The leader has anointing and authority but does not block the various work of the Holy Spirit. He leads by showing a model of reciprocity and mutual respect. He is to explore the talents and gifts of service in the Church.
According to the apostolic teachings, believers are not passive receivers, but have also received the Holy Spirit themselves and they get/see visions too. See: Acts 2:17 (Based on the fulfillment of Joel 2:28)
We, together have the glorious inheritance!

...not that we lord it over your faith, but we work with you for your joy, for you stand firm in your faith.
2 Cor 1:24
I myself am satisfied about you, my brothers, that you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge and able to instruct one another.
Rm 15:14

Reciprocity is crucial in the human relationships, cleans up the self esteem, helps us opening our Johari window: understanding our pros cons. Reciprocity is being built by mutual appreciation and brotherly love.

Eph. 1:18
I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you,
the riches of his glorious inheritance
IN his holy people.

"one another" verses

Iron sharpens iron,
and one man sharpens another
Pro 27:17
Render true judgments, show kindness and mercy to one another..
Zech 7:9
do not devise evil in your hearts against one another
Zech 8:17
If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example..
Jn 13:14
A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.
By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.
Jn 13:34
This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.
Jn 15:12
love one another, just as He has commanded us.
1 Jn 3:23
By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another
John 13:35
all who believed were together and had all things in common
Act 2:44
There was not a needy person among them, for as many as were owners of lands or houses sold them and brought the proceeds of what was sold and laid it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to each as any had need.
Act 4:34
Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality.
Rm 12:9-13
Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be wise in your own sight. Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all.
Rm 12:16
Therefore let us not pass judgment on one another any longer, but rather decide never to put a stumbling block or hindrance in the way of a brother.
Rm 14:13
May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus, that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Therefore welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God.
Rm 15:5-7
God has so composed the body..., that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another..
1Cor 12:24-26
Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.
Eph 4:32
be filled with the Spirit, addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father
Eph 5:19
submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ
Eph 5:21
God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us so that whether we are awake or asleep we might live with him. Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.
1Thess 5:9
exhort one another every day, as long as it is called “today,” that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.
Heb 3:13

HU

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