Bible Study

The Gift of Eternal Life Berean Bible Study Course

Part IV--The Family Of God / The Body Of Christ

C. Lesson 21--The Fellowship of Christ's Body

5. READ: ROMANS 12:3-16

d. How should we live with one another?

Answer: We should live in harmony with one another, (verse 16).

MORE INFORMATION AND/OR OTHER SCRIPTURE REFERENCES:

• "Harmony with one another" ("the same mind"--KJV) literally means "thinking the same thing toward one another." It means "to be in agreement, to live in harmony." One version of the Bible (Twentieth Century New Testament) translates this as "In your relations with one another, cultivate a spirit of harmony." Harmony equals unity:

  Romans 15:5-6: "May the God Who gives endurance and encouragement give you a spirit of unity among yourselves as you follow Christ Jesus, so that with one heart and mouth you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ."

  1 Peter 3:8-9: "Finally, all of you, live in harmony with one another; be sympathetic, love as brothers, be compassionate and humble. Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult, but with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing."

• From The Book of Romans by Jim McGuiggan:

  Be of the same mind one toward another [Live in harmony with one another--NIV]...What would I wish you to think of me? And what is the Golden Rule? [Luke 6:31: (Jesus said,) "Do to others as you would have them do to you."] Let us believe lovely things about one another. I'm not suggesting that we be naïve. Of course we all have flaws. I'm talking about choosing to ignore these and trust one another and credit to one another the integrity we choose within ourselves. A good man died saying: "I have loved more than I have been loved. I have trusted more than I have been trusted. But the gain has still been mine."