Welcome One Another

Hospitality…it warms the soul to be shown it and it unites a church together when it is present. Join Dr. Marty Baker as he takes us through part two of four in our “One Another” sermon series as we learn what it means to welcome one another.

In our opening study of this new series, I posed an all-important yet straightforward question for you to consider as a worshipper of the Lord in this local church.

What Is The Recipe For Church Health?

Churches grow spiritually when the disciples of Christ who compose them give adequate time and attention to the “one another” commands of the New Testament. Foundational to all of these fifty commands is the first one given by Jesus before His crucifixion:

¹⁷ This I command you, that you love one another. (John 15)

How this works is simple: When we truly love each other with the same selfless, sacrificial agape love of God, then we naturally see the need to fulfill the other forty-nine “one another” commands. How are you faring? Remember to use Paul’s description of agape love from 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 as your laser level. Daily, compare your life against this standard and make adjustments as necessary to mature as a follower of Christ.

While you are committed to learning how to love other saints more consistently, why not add three more of these command concepts to your spiritual repertoire? Again, as you are obedient to the implementation of these in your life, you will spiritually mature, the church will be strengthened, unbelievers will be challenged by what they see, and the Lord will be glorified and honored. What’s up next?

Be Devoted To One Another (Rom. 12:10)

Paul closes out his excellent letter to the Romans, wherein he explains in detail how sinners secure eternal salvation by means of their faith in the person and redemptive work of Jeus (Rom. 3:23; 6:23; 10:9-10), by spending five chapters teaching believers how to behave (Rom. 12:1-16:27). This structure is typical of Paul’s letters where doctrine precedes practice, and this is how it should be. What we believe about Jesus should, by definition, alter how we live as His children.

In verse 10 of chapter 12, Paul offers this unique but timely command:

¹⁰ Be devoted to one another in brotherly love; give preference to one another in honor…(Rom. 12:10)

The Greek for this text is most instructive:

¹⁰ τῇ φιλαδελφίᾳ εἰς ἀλλήλους φιλόστοργοι, τῇ τιμῇ ἀλλήλους προηγούμενοι…

There is no verb in the first clause. Grammatically, this is known as ellipsis, and it is used to convey a highly emphatic concept. Here, Paul emphasizes the importance of believers showing brotherly love toward one another. The word he employs at the head of the sentence is philadelphia (φιλαδελφίᾳ). It is a compound word composed of the word for love, phileo, and the word for brother, adelphos. The final word in the clause is philostorgoi (φιλόστοργοι), and it denotes the tender love you naturally show to a family member.

So, just as you (should) naturally love a real brother or sister, you should show the same love toward a fellow male or female Christian because they are your new spiritual brother and sister in Christ. Sibling love is a sign of family health, whether it is an earthly or heavenly family. Even though there are several thousand people in our worship services on a given Sunday, you should automatically assume that those who are believers are your spiritual kin. This reality warrants your love and honor for each other because that is what healthy siblings do.

Why did Paul give this command? He gave it because he knew that brothers and sisters in Christ, just like their earthly counterparts, can misbehave and fight with each other. Once, when my parents left on a date, my father spoke with my older sister, Marla, and me about the house rules while they were out. Looking at me, he said, “Marty, I don’t want you to hit your sister. If you do, I will have to discipline you.” I got the message, but she didn’t. No sooner did the door close and lock than Marla turned to me and said, “You are mine now. I can do anything I want to you, and there is nothing you can do about it.” Instantly, she began to pinch my cheeks really hard. I tried to bear the pain, but when it became too great, I went into self-preservation mode. I punched her one time in the gut. She backed up from me and her mouth groped like a fish for air. I laughed hard, but when she finally regained her capacity to breathe, she roared, “You are in such trouble.”

Likewise, sometimes saints fight among themselves like dysfunctional children. Perhaps you’ve seen it. They fight over worship songs, the color of the new worship chairs, the level of the music, how some worshippers dress, the finer points of doctrine, which translation you use . . . to mention a few.

Did brothers and sisters in Christ fight in some of the NT churches? Unfortunately, the answer is yes. Here’s an interesting one:

² I urge Euodia and I urge Syntyche to live in harmony in the Lord. (Phil. 4)

Would you like to be enshrined in holy Scripture for a fight you had with someone else? I wonder what they were all upset about? Perhaps one person ran the church kitchen and kept it clean, while the other used it and didn’t clean it up, and she had a history of doing this. Whatever the issue was, Paul essentially tells them here to put it aside and be devoted to one another. The fight just wasn’t worth it. You encounter and expect that kind of petty action in the world, but it shouldn’t be a topic of discussion in the local church, ever. Talk about a way to tarnish the image of the gospel of Jesus.

Did the disciples fight? Unfortunately, the answer is another yes. Just after Jesus prophetically foretold His coming crucifixion (Luke 9:44), the clueless, self-absorbed brothers in Christ didn’t know what Jesus was speaking about, so they devolved into a knock-down, drag-out argument about which one of them was the greatest (Luke 9:46). Seriously? That is what they fought about? Yes. Not long before His crucifixion, Jesus prophetically foretold it again, and once again they didn’t grasp His teaching. As before, they jumped right into fighting about which one of them was the greatest disciple (Luke 22:22-26). Jesus corrected them by telling them that they were supposed to be humble servants of one another above all else.

No wonder Paul uttered this timely command, for he knew that sibling rivalry can naturally arise among spiritual siblings due to the same age-old drivers, such as jealousy, meanness, power, arrogance, and so forth.

On the other hand, we are called to a higher, holier way of living in relation to one another. We are to be utterly devoted to one another, like healthy spiritual siblings should be. And you had better get with the program in the here and now, because you will spend an eternity together. Ah, now there is something to ponder.

What’s the snapshot of a devoted spiritual sibling? Here are a few ideas:

• They are there for you when you have a need.
• They let you know they will never desert you.
• They’ll make sacrifices for you of time, talent, and treasure.
• They’ll call, text, message, or write you.
• They’ll return your phone calls and emails promptly.
• They’ll invite you to spend time with them and their family when you know they didn’t have to.
• They will lend freely to you when they have something you need.
• They won’t explode all over you over secondary, non-essential matters.

You know, when you act like a loving brother or sister to other saints, you, by definition, fulfill the last clause of Paul’s command here in Romans 12, verse 10. What’s that? You naturally show that you honor your brother or sister above yourself because your tender love puts them first. When my sister Marla was dying from three forms of ovarian cancer, she took the time to make me a memory book about my life. It was titled “This Is Your Life.” Inside the book were pictures of me and us over the years, accompanied by kind, loving, and sometimes humorous words she had written to me. I’ll forever cherish that little book because it represents her love for me, her brother. By giving me this book, she also honored me. I should have given her a book, but love drove her to beat me to the proverbial punch. Say, here is a thought: Go and do likewise to your spiritual brothers and sisters in Christ. Find unique, creative ways to let them know you are devoted to them and that you ultimately desire to honor them.

A third important “one another” command appears in Romans chapter 15.

Be Accepting of One Another (Rom. 15:7)

⁷ Wherefore, accept one another, just as Christ also accepted us to the glory of God. (Rom. 15:7)

⁷ Διὸ προσλαμβάνεσθε ἀλλήλους, καθὼς καὶ ὁ Χριστὸς προσελάβετο ὑμᾶς εἰς δόξαν τοῦ θεοῦ. (Rom. 15)

The command to accept one another needs some quick analysis. For one, it is composed of a preposition wedded to a verb: proslamvanesthe (προσλαμβάνεσθε). This makes the statement very emphatic and vital. Furthermore, it is a present-tense imperative, which suggests its perpetual validity. Put differently, saints are to remember to accept each other continually. Do you? Will you?

Who is our model of how we should go about accepting other brothers and sisters in Jesus? Jesus himself, as Paul states in the closing clause. This naturally leads to a practical question: How did or how does Jesus accept us?

• He accepted Nicodemus, one of the leaders of the Sanhedrin, the Jewish equivalent of our Supreme Court, who came at night so as not to be seen by others (John 3).
• He accepted Peter with his bull-in-a-china-shop ways. He acted, then later reflected on his actions.
• He accepted James and John, two brothers who had the nickname, Sons of Thunder. The name denoted their propensity to fight loud and hard at the drop of a hat.
• He accepted Thomas with his analytical, questioning mind.
• He accepted Levi, who lived a life of ripping off his countrymen as a tax collector.
• He accepted the Samaritan woman at the well even though she had a sordid marital past and was a member of a hated ethnic group.
• He accepted his half-brother, James, even though during His earthly life, His brother rejected Him. Somewhere along the line, James bowed before his brother as the Savior, and the Savior embraced him.
• He accepted the one thief on the cross who dared to claim Him as the true Messiah of Israel.

I could go on, but I’m sure you get the point. Jesus accepted these and called them onward and upward.

All of this causes us to pose the same question we asked before. Why did Paul give us this particular command? Paul was a student of human nature, and from his rich life experience, he knew that our carnal propensity to accept some and reject others could naturally be brought into the local church. James, the Lord’s half-brother, later recorded how this all unfolded in the local church.

¹ My brethren, do not hold your faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ with an attitude of personal favoritism. ² For if a man comes into your assembly with a gold ring and dressed in fine clothes, and there also comes in a poor man in dirty clothes, ³ and you pay special attention to the one who is wearing the fine clothes, and say, “You sit here in a good place,” and you say to the poor man, “You stand over there, or sit down by my footstool,” ⁴ have you not made distinctions among yourselves, and become judges with evil motives? ⁵ Listen, my beloved brethren: did not God choose the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which He promised to those who love Him? ⁶ But you have dishonored the poor man. Is it not the rich who oppress you and personally drag you into court? ⁷ Do they not blaspheme the fair name by which you have been called? ⁸ If, however, you are fulfilling the royal law, according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing well. ⁹ But if you show partiality, you are committing sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors. (Jas. 2)

Favoritism is nothing short of sin. Oh, you only cater to those saints who have a rank similar to or higher than yours? Oh, you only cater to those saints who have academic degrees you can respect? Oh, you only cater to those saints who are people of means? Such should not be the case. On the other hand, we are commanded to lead the way in accepting each other.

This is a tall order because we are all so different. Think of our personality make-ups. If Myers-Briggs is correct, there are (count them) sixteen distinct personality types, and our church has all sixteen types. We have the IDSTJs, or the Inspectors; the ISFPs, or the Artists; the INTPs, or the Thinkers; the ESTPs, or the Persuaders; the ESFPs, or the playful Performers; or the ENTP, the Visionaries or Debaters, to name a few. Each type, of course, has its strengths and weaknesses, and this in and of itself demonstrates not only our humanness, but our need for each other. The consonants represent various facets of the personality types:

• I=Introversion
• S=Sensing (Joe Friday of Dragnet fame, “Just the facts, ma’am.)
• T=Thinking (Logic; Objective analysis)
• J=Judging (Structure, goals, timelines)
• F=Feelings (tend to be sensitive and cooperative)
• E=Extroverts (people energize them)
• P=Perceivers (love to act spontaneously and to be flexible).

Let’s take a look at a couple of these personality types. I gleaned this info from simplpsychology.org/istj-personality.html.

ESTJ: The Supervisor or Director

Strengths:

• Organized and methodical: Good at setting structures, processes, and timelines.
• Goal-oriented: Motivated by measurable accomplishments and tangible outcomes.
• Leadership readiness: Natural inclination toward delegating tasks and coordinating efforts.

Potential Challenges:

• Overbearing management style: Strong push for efficiency can feel controlling to others.
• Resistance to new methods: Can be hesitant about unconventional approaches if they feel untested.
• Inflexibility: Might dismiss the emotional aspects of a situation if it conflicts with established procedures.

 

ISTJ: The Logistician

Strengths:

• Detail-oriented and organized: Skilled at managing projects, schedules, and logical processes.
• Dependable and thorough: Reliable in following through on commitments.
• Upholders of tradition: Often serve as the backbone of teams or families by preserving proven methods.

Potential Challenges:

• Difficulty adapting to change: May struggle when situations require quick, flexible thinking.
• Overly strict standards: Can be rigid in applying rules or judging others who don’t meet exact expectations.
• Reserved communication style: May not always express emotions openly.[1]

I know, I know. The test is not perfect. However, it does help remind us that we are similar in many ways, yet wired psychologically in such different ways. Jesus could be classified as an ENFJ because He was a charismatic teacher and motivator, gifted at inspiring crowds, leading people, and creating a movement. He could also be classified as an INFP due to His introspective, values-driven preaching and teaching. Regardless of what He was, He created us with differing personalities, and He now expects us to accept each other for how He has personally made us. The overly analytical types who love facts and figures might be tempted to grit their teeth at the carefree, emotionally driven lifestyle of some saints, but they shouldn’t. Conversely, there should be immediate acceptance of who we are and how God has fashioned us. Indeed, we all possess both strengths and weaknesses in our personalities. Still, we must embrace all of this for the glory of God, the maturation of the local body, and the advancement of the gospel as the world witnesses our unusual and loving unity.

While you are thinking about the importance of accepting other saints, permit me to meddle a little bit by listing some of the (vacuous) reasons why full acceptance is sometimes hard to come by in church:

• I was hurt by other believers at another church, so I don’t know if I can accept everyone ever again.
• That particular person reminds me of a person at my last church that really did a number on me, so I think I’ll need to hold them at arm’s length.
• I don’t mesh with or like their personality. I’m an ISTJ (Introvert, Sensing person who focuses on facts, not feeling, Thinking vs. feeling, into logical analysis, Judging, meaning I’m very structured and decisive vs. flexible and spontaneous.
• We don’t jive because we are in entirely different financial worlds.
• They dress funny.
• They talk too much.
• I love rules and regulations, but they are just too free-spirited for my blood.
• I’m a five-point Calvinist, and they are a two-pointer. That’s a no-go.
• I’m a staunch Republican, and they are a progressive Democrat. Our political views prevent us from genuinely wanting to be friends at any level. Better to steer clear.
• I was for the governmental shutdown, and they opposed it. How could I ever accept them?
• Have you seen their yard? Weeds in the turf are simply unacceptable. Right?
• I’m in the military sector, and they are in the public sector, so our interests, goals, dreams, etc., are just different. I’d rather befriend those of like mind.

I’m sure you get the point. We can quickly devise all kinds of reasons why we don’t, or won’t accept another brother or sister in Christ, but such should not be the case. We should lovingly accept them, just as our Lord accepted us with all of our strengths and weaknesses. Will you follow suit? If so, you will grow up as a disciple of Jesus, and our church will be the better for it.

A fourth command rounds out our analysis in this study. I think you find it most challenging.

Be Hospitable With One Another (1 Pet. 4:9)

⁹ Be hospitable to one another without complaint. (1 Pet. 4:9)

 “Hospitable” is derived from the Greek word that denotes a love for strangers. It is one of the character traits needed in an elder (1 Tim. 3:2). It is also the characteristic of a bishop/overseer as well (Titus 1:8).

What does it mean to be hospitable? GotQuestions.org offers this helpful definition:

Hospitality can be defined as “the quality or disposition of receiving and treating guests and strangers in a warm, friendly, generous way.” In the New Testament, the Greek word translated “hospitality” literally means “love of strangers.”[2]

This translates into God requiring us to open our homes to people we know and sometimes to those we barely know. Jesus and the disciples depended on Christian hospitality as they traveled, spreading the gospel (Matt. 10:9-10). Paul enjoyed the hospitality of saints as he served the Lord on his missionary journeys (Acts 28:7). Will you follow the model of these ancient saints? This, however, leads to a pertinent question.

What’s the purpose of hospitality? Here are a few answers:

• It provides for the basic life needs of saints.
• It provides the setting where you can establish, build, and deepen friendships.
• It provides a setting where you can show other saints you love them.
• It provides a setting where you can get to know other saints.
• It provides a setting where you can pray for other saints and their needs as they become known.
• It provides a setting where you welcome Christ because the saint at your table is His child. To serve them is to really serve Him (Matt. 25:40), and He will reward your service on the day of His glorious revelation.
• It provides a setting whereby you can emulate Christ’s love for the marginalized. (Luke 7:36-50 . . . shows what Christ expected when shown hospitality: concern, compassion, and care.
• It provides a setting whereby you can emulate Christ’s call for us to serve each other as He served us (Mark 10:45)
• It provides a setting whereby you can pose and discuss something spiritual.
• It provides a setting whereby we can deepen relationships. I can only get deeper with someone when we are nearer. You can learn a lot about a person over a burger, accompanied by a side of macaroni salad, some pork and beans, and a soda.

Sounds exciting, and it is. I’m thankful for a church that understands the importance of Christian hospitality. May this outstanding trait grow and flourish, so that God receives the glory and we experience spiritual growth.

In case Peter has not convinced you yet to be hospitable, I think I’ve heard some of your arguments against his commandments.

• Have you seen my house? It’s a mess most of the time. I couldn’t have anyone over
• Have you seen our landscaping? I can’t have anyone over until I get it squared away.
• My house has been totally remodeled, so I don’t want a bunch of people walking on my new flooring.
• I’m not a great cook, and neither is my husband.
• We have three dogs, and I’m sure someone will be allergic.
• I don’t want anyone to see our yard.
• We will have to talk with people we don’t really know. Do you know how uncomfortable that is? I don’t think I can do it.
• It takes too much time to plan to have guests over? (And you run a section at the NSA, and you can’t plan something at your home?).
• My husband and I both work, and our schedules are, well, packed. There is no way we can squeeze in any personal time with other Christians.
• Our dining room table only seats four people. (OK, so don’t have eight over. Problem solved.)
• Have you checked grocery prices lately? Inflation is at an all-time high, so a dinner, or even dessert, would take a lot of money out of our already meager budget.
• Our furniture is old, tattered, and dirty, and I don’t want anyone to see it, let alone sit on it. (Then why are you using it? Maybe it’s time for an upgrade.)
• My kids, who are all under seven, have to be in bed by seven, so it would be tough to entertain anyone.

What does Peter have to say about excuses like these:

⁹ Be hospitable to one another without complaint. (1 Pet. 4:9)

Ah, he just had to add that last prepositional phrase: without complaint. The Greek word for complaint is goggusmos (γογγυσμός). It is an onomatopoetic word. This is when a word makes a sound like its name: animal sounds: moo, woof, meow; impact sounds: boom, crash, thump; machine sounds: beep, vroom, honk. Hence, to say the world grumble is to talk in a grumbling fashion. If you are a godly grumbler when it comes to Christian hospitality, today is the day to confess your sin and tell God that from now on, your home is open to serve the saints. Will you do it? When you do, you grow spiritually as a disciple, other saints are loved on, and Jesus, of course, receives all the glory. What could be better?

So, let’s review. What are the ingredients of a healthy church?

• Love one another
• Be devoted to one another
• Be accepting of one another
• Be hospitable with one another

It’s time to get cookin’.

If you still need a little motivational push to become more hospitable, I’ll leave you with the words from the author of Hebrews:

² Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by this some have entertained angels without knowing it. (Heb. 13)

Who knows when you, like Abraham, might invite strangers over for a meal and they happen to be real, live, trans-dimensional angelic beings (Gen. 18:1-8)? Wow. Amazing and jaw-dropping.

[1] Julia Simkus, “Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI), Simplypsychology.org, Modified on October 20, 2025, accessed November 13, 2025, https://www.simplypsychology.org/the-myers-briggs-type-indicator.html.

[2] “What Does the Bible Say About Hospitality?” GotQuestions, accessed November 13, 2025, https://www.gotquestions.org/Bible-hospitality.html.