Statement #5: Dedicated to "One Another"

“I will lovingly fellowship with and watch over other members in the church as they also watch over me. I will remember them in prayer, help them in sickness and distress, promote their spiritual growth, encourage them to turn from sin, and stir them to love and good deeds. I will seek to do this showing no partiality based on ethnicity, gender, background, social status, or education.” (Matthew 7:1-5; Romans 12:15; Colossians 3:13; 1 Thessalonians 5:11; James 2:1-13)

When a pattern of secret sin is suddenly revealed in the life of a Christian leader, the results can be catastrophic. Families and victims are devastated, ministries are destroyed, and the reputation of the Lord Jesus Christ is maligned. Unfortunately, what we see far too often in these public failures of high-profile leaders are often repeated dozens of times in situations much closer to us in our own everyday lives and church pew as well. As we try to make sense of such moments, we are often prone to ask the question, how did this happen? How was this allowed to get to such a point?

For one, we simply neglect to ask others about the condition of their spiritual lives. We assume that close friends are walking faithfully with Christ, so maybe we don’t ask. Or perhaps we are fearful of what others may think of us when we do. Maybe we are fearful of others seeking to return the question, for which we would rather not give an answer. Regardless of the reasons, this is not God’s purpose and design for His people, the church.

This section of our church covenant is derived from the “one anothers” texts of scripture (Rom. 12:10, Gal. 5:15, Eph. 4:25, 32, 5:21, Col. 3:16, 1 Thess.5:11, Heb. 10:24, 15, James 5:16). Throughout these texts, time and time again we learn how our spiritual growth (knowledge, action, and worship) is often tied to and in conjunction with our relationship with others (specifically those in the church).

Hebrews 10:23-25: ^“Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for  he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.”

In joining with this church in membership, each individual is declaring a commitment and desire to help each other to grow in their life and witness for the glory of God. While God gives us His Word and His Spirit for our personal growth in holiness, He has also given us each other. In this community, we are called to celebrate together the common salvation that we receive through Christ. God desires these open, honest, and loving relationships to spurn us on to greater love and good deeds in the community at large.

At RRBC we desire to be a church known for our mutual connectedness to the gospel, attentiveness to God’s word (truth), and in our ministering to each other. This we believe is a counter-cultural community that can only be explained by a supernatural God (Eccl 4:9-12, Acts 2:42-47, 1 Cor 12:25-27, 1Pet 4:8-11)!

Helpful Articles:

https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/ministry-belongs-to-the-members?fbclid=IwAR1ftnqB2T4zH4UV9k4U9d4uswy9qZBE0OTA2R3hRexchbgow1-aEVgByKI

https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/avoiding-difficult-people/