Q11. Mutual Love and Communion Among Believers

Qu. 11. How are mutual love and communion among believers testified and confirmed in their observation?

Answ. In that they are appointed by the Lord Christ for that end, and in their own nature as attended to in their assemblies, are in an especial manner suited to that purpose (John 13:35; 1 Corinthians 10:16, 17; 1 Corinthians 11:18, 19; Ephesians 4:4, 5, 6).

Explication.

The principles of mutual, spiritual love among believers, arise from their relation to one Father (Matthew 23:9): "One is your Father which is in Heaven," who gives to all them that believe in Christ, power to become the sons of God (John 1:12). And their being all children of the same family; that family in heaven and earth which is called after the name of God the Father of it, as the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ (Ephesians 3:14, 15), and to Christ Jesus as their elder brother, who is not ashamed to call them brethren (Hebrews 2:11), being by him born of God; and from their participation of one and the self same Spirit, which dwells in them, as they are the temple of God, and the Spirit of God dwells in them (1 Corinthians 3:16), as also in all the fruits of that one Spirit (1 Corinthians 12:4, 5, 6, 7, 8), and in that one faith and hope whereunto they are called (Ephesians 4:4, 5, 6): endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace, there is one body, and one Spirit, even as you are called in one hope of your calling, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God, and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all. And that love which is not built on these principles and foundations, is not evangelical, whatever other ground it may have, or occasion it may pretend to. Communion of saints consists in their mutual love duly exercised according to rule; and all communion is an effect of union. In union therefore must lie the springs of love: and this consists in a joint incorporation of believers into Christ; for as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of that one body being many are one body, so also is Christ; for by one Spirit we are all baptized into one body; and this they have by the means before mentioned, namely their adoption, faith, and inhabitation of the Spirit. Now in the joint celebration of the ordinances of God's worship, they altogether make profession of these principles, and act that one faith, hope, and love jointly, whereof they are made partakers, and thereby grow up more and more into the head by that which every joint supplies (Ephesians 4:16), and some of them are peculiarly designed by the Lord Christ, for the testification of their love, and union among themselves (1 Corinthians 10:16, 17): "the cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? the bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ? as we being many are one bread, and one body, for we are all partakers of that one bread."