Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do.
Believers are to comfort one another and build one another up in faith, love, and hope, continuing a good work they already do together on Bible principles. This mutual encouragement rests on the assurance that Christ died for them so that, whether awake or asleep, they will live together with Him, for God has appointed them not to wrath but to salvation through Jesus. As children of light and of the day they are to stay awake and sober, putting on faith and love and the hope of salvation, while those in darkness face sudden destruction when the day of the Lord comes as a thief. Building up one another requires kindness, forbearance, and tender regard for all for whom Christ died, refusing evil speaking, faultfinding, judging, and tearing down, and instead strengthening the weak, helping those in difficulty, and speaking words of comfort, hope, and cheer. They fulfill this when they assemble in unity of heart to share, pray, visit, and support one another's work, for Christ imbues His people with love so that by upbuilding what is good they stand against Satan's kingdom of blended evil and show that God sent His Son to save the world.
Context and Ground
The call to comfort one another and build one another up rests on the assurance that Christ died for believers so that, whether awake or asleep, they will live together with Him. It belongs to the assurance that God has not appointed believers to wrath but to obtain salvation through Jesus, so their mutual encouragement is part of living in readiness for Christ's return and remaining where His wrath will not fall. As children of light and of the day, not of night or darkness, believers are not to sleep as others do but to watch and be sober. They are to put on the breastplate of faith and love and the hope of salvation as a helmet, with each one putting on for himself the full armor God has furnished. Those in darkness who say peace and safety face sudden destruction as travail when the day of the Lord comes as a thief in the night.
The encouragement commanded is to continue a good practice believers already follow, strengthening one another in faith, love, and hope of salvation. The command applies to believers who are together, such as together in school, to encourage and build each other up on Bible principles. God does not want them where His wrath will fall but wants them where beauty and loveliness of character reflects His divine image.
What Edifying Requires
To obey the call to comfort and build one another up is to take its words inside and live them by drawing near to God, fearing to sin against Him by dealing unjustly with brethren, fearing to offend His children, refusing to wound or bruise His heritage, showing the tenderest interest for all for whom Christ died in hope of His mercy toward sinners, and refusing to mishandle a brother's reputation when personal ideas are not exalted and honored as desired, because God loves them as He loves us and takes as much pleasure in them as in us. Building one another up requires cultivating kindness, forbearance, and love that represents Christ in character, and it forbids evil speaking, accusing, faultfinding, and misrepresenting brethren because personal ideas are not treated as of highest value. Conduct shows what a person's influence and principles are worth, for if self is the center self is seen in all that is done, while if Christ is the center His likeness is borne in edifying others. The verse forbids watching for the defects, haltings, and errors of those around as if sitting on the judgment seat judging, and instead means watching for souls as those that must give an account by watching for the prosperity of souls. That watching is done by going kindly to one seen in error and telling of the matter, by removing difficulties between brethren, by speaking a word in season and out of season, by always meeting error with truth in contrast to it since there is always a truth with which error can be met, and by living together as brethren and sisters with no difficulties remaining.
The chapter to which the verse belongs is to be read and studied as a warning against remaining under Satan's delusive representations, against calling base lust love, and against lust of the mind and corrupt thoughts expressed toward women besides one's wife, calling instead to take a right position by comforting and building up one another rather than cheapening others. Edifying one another is done with words of comfort, peace, hope, and cheer, taking special pains to speak cheerfully and help one another, putting away complaining and faultfinding that discourage others, and refusing to judge or oppress one another or cast a shadow over another's soul. Comforting someone who is in trouble is an act of true friendship.
The verse means strengthening one another rather than criticizing, slandering, or weakening one another, and standing apart from fellow believers displays weakness and sides with the enemy. That strengthening includes speaking supportively about the Lord's work, helping those in difficulty, encouraging people who have done wrong rather than treating failure as unforgivable, helping those working hard in a worthy enterprise, and rejoicing together for victories gained. It forbids moves to tear down, of which there have been too many, and it calls for never by word or act weakening the hands of those doing their best and succeeding, but valuing the humble and contrite worker divested of all pride as moved by a power from above rather than seeking what the world calls perfection.
Living It Together
Believers live out the call to comfort and build one another up when they assemble together, strengthening and encouraging each other through mutual sharing of thoughts, feelings, hopes, and aspirations. Earnest prayers offered in faith in those gatherings bring refreshment and vigor from God, while fellowship gives strength, light, and courage from God and from one another. For those who value spiritual things such meetings for spiritual purpose are precious and engaging.
Association itself is to strengthen and bless one another, and young people can make their time together a blessing by helping one another grow in conduct, disposition, character, and knowledge. Careless, unfaithful association by contrast has a harmful influence. Churches practice this same mutual work by visiting one another and showing friendly, Christlike concern for each other's spiritual welfare. Those who thus serve others are themselves revived, while those visited are encouraged and strengthened. The faithful who stand for the truth in smaller churches are cheered and strengthened by the testimony of fellow believers, and mutual help in doing right includes love, prayer, duty, faithfulness, honesty, uprightness, and setting a good example for younger family members.
The duty bears especially on those carrying heavy burdens in the Lord's work, who are to receive words of confidence and faith and hope rather than criticism or censure, with their work supported to have the influence it should have. Fellow workers help one another carry particular burdens, including by suggesting better ways to work, by counseling together and working in unity, with no branch or part of God's work treated as more important than another, and they never discourage or weaken one another. Faithful servants who have labored earnestly are not to be discouraged by abrupt changes but treated with justice and brotherly love. When a minister is called elsewhere believers encourage and bless one another, with living faith enabling them to support the work where they are, shine their light, and overcome through Christ's blood and their testimony.
Such mutual strengthening belongs to being united in heart and soul under God's control and to the solemn covenant by which Christians promise God to obey His Word, and unity in strengthening one another's faith helps preserve the church. This mutual upbuilding is Christ's counter-plan to Satan's kingdom, whose efficiency lies in blending satanic forces together to spread evil. Christ imbues His human agents, the subjects of His kingdom, with love and unity so that with sanctified heart they build one another up and strengthen and extend what is good. Reciprocating His love they deal in the goods of heaven, circulating His holy love, pity, kindness, and tenderness of heart in all their zeal, with love interwoven as threads of gold in all their actions. So His church bears His superscription and testifies to the world that God sent His Son to be the Saviour of the world.
Believers are to comfort one another and build one another up in faith, love, and hope, continuing a good work they already do together on Bible principles. This mutual encouragement rests on the assurance that Christ died for them so that, whether awake or asleep, they will live together with Him, for God has appointed them not to wrath but to salvation through Jesus. As children of light and of the day they are to stay awake and sober, putting on faith and love and the hope of salvation, while those in darkness face sudden destruction when the day of the Lord comes as a thief. Building up one another requires kindness, forbearance, and tender regard for all for whom Christ died, refusing evil speaking, faultfinding, judging, and tearing down, and instead strengthening the weak, helping those in difficulty, and speaking words of comfort, hope, and cheer. They fulfill this when they assemble in unity of heart to share, pray, visit, and support one another's work, for Christ imbues His people with love so that by upbuilding what is good they stand against Satan's kingdom of blended evil and show that God sent His Son to save the world.
Context and Ground
The call to comfort one another and build one another up rests on the assurance that Christ died for believers so that, whether awake or asleep, they will live together with Him. It belongs to the assurance that God has not appointed believers to wrath but to obtain salvation through Jesus, so their mutual encouragement is part of living in readiness for Christ's return and remaining where His wrath will not fall. As children of light and of the day, not of night or darkness, believers are not to sleep as others do but to watch and be sober. They are to put on the breastplate of faith and love and the hope of salvation as a helmet, with each one putting on for himself the full armor God has furnished. Those in darkness who say peace and safety face sudden destruction as travail when the day of the Lord comes as a thief in the night.
The encouragement commanded is to continue a good practice believers already follow, strengthening one another in faith, love, and hope of salvation. The command applies to believers who are together, such as together in school, to encourage and build each other up on Bible principles. God does not want them where His wrath will fall but wants them where beauty and loveliness of character reflects His divine image.
What Edifying Requires
To obey the call to comfort and build one another up is to take its words inside and live them by drawing near to God, fearing to sin against Him by dealing unjustly with brethren, fearing to offend His children, refusing to wound or bruise His heritage, showing the tenderest interest for all for whom Christ died in hope of His mercy toward sinners, and refusing to mishandle a brother's reputation when personal ideas are not exalted and honored as desired, because God loves them as He loves us and takes as much pleasure in them as in us. Building one another up requires cultivating kindness, forbearance, and love that represents Christ in character, and it forbids evil speaking, accusing, faultfinding, and misrepresenting brethren because personal ideas are not treated as of highest value. Conduct shows what a person's influence and principles are worth, for if self is the center self is seen in all that is done, while if Christ is the center His likeness is borne in edifying others. The verse forbids watching for the defects, haltings, and errors of those around as if sitting on the judgment seat judging, and instead means watching for souls as those that must give an account by watching for the prosperity of souls. That watching is done by going kindly to one seen in error and telling of the matter, by removing difficulties between brethren, by speaking a word in season and out of season, by always meeting error with truth in contrast to it since there is always a truth with which error can be met, and by living together as brethren and sisters with no difficulties remaining.
The chapter to which the verse belongs is to be read and studied as a warning against remaining under Satan's delusive representations, against calling base lust love, and against lust of the mind and corrupt thoughts expressed toward women besides one's wife, calling instead to take a right position by comforting and building up one another rather than cheapening others. Edifying one another is done with words of comfort, peace, hope, and cheer, taking special pains to speak cheerfully and help one another, putting away complaining and faultfinding that discourage others, and refusing to judge or oppress one another or cast a shadow over another's soul. Comforting someone who is in trouble is an act of true friendship.
The verse means strengthening one another rather than criticizing, slandering, or weakening one another, and standing apart from fellow believers displays weakness and sides with the enemy. That strengthening includes speaking supportively about the Lord's work, helping those in difficulty, encouraging people who have done wrong rather than treating failure as unforgivable, helping those working hard in a worthy enterprise, and rejoicing together for victories gained. It forbids moves to tear down, of which there have been too many, and it calls for never by word or act weakening the hands of those doing their best and succeeding, but valuing the humble and contrite worker divested of all pride as moved by a power from above rather than seeking what the world calls perfection.
Living It Together
Believers live out the call to comfort and build one another up when they assemble together, strengthening and encouraging each other through mutual sharing of thoughts, feelings, hopes, and aspirations. Earnest prayers offered in faith in those gatherings bring refreshment and vigor from God, while fellowship gives strength, light, and courage from God and from one another. For those who value spiritual things such meetings for spiritual purpose are precious and engaging.
Association itself is to strengthen and bless one another, and young people can make their time together a blessing by helping one another grow in conduct, disposition, character, and knowledge. Careless, unfaithful association by contrast has a harmful influence. Churches practice this same mutual work by visiting one another and showing friendly, Christlike concern for each other's spiritual welfare. Those who thus serve others are themselves revived, while those visited are encouraged and strengthened. The faithful who stand for the truth in smaller churches are cheered and strengthened by the testimony of fellow believers, and mutual help in doing right includes love, prayer, duty, faithfulness, honesty, uprightness, and setting a good example for younger family members.
The duty bears especially on those carrying heavy burdens in the Lord's work, who are to receive words of confidence and faith and hope rather than criticism or censure, with their work supported to have the influence it should have. Fellow workers help one another carry particular burdens, including by suggesting better ways to work, by counseling together and working in unity, with no branch or part of God's work treated as more important than another, and they never discourage or weaken one another. Faithful servants who have labored earnestly are not to be discouraged by abrupt changes but treated with justice and brotherly love. When a minister is called elsewhere believers encourage and bless one another, with living faith enabling them to support the work where they are, shine their light, and overcome through Christ's blood and their testimony.
Such mutual strengthening belongs to being united in heart and soul under God's control and to the solemn covenant by which Christians promise God to obey His Word, and unity in strengthening one another's faith helps preserve the church. This mutual upbuilding is Christ's counter-plan to Satan's kingdom, whose efficiency lies in blending satanic forces together to spread evil. Christ imbues His human agents, the subjects of His kingdom, with love and unity so that with sanctified heart they build one another up and strengthen and extend what is good. Reciprocating His love they deal in the goods of heaven, circulating His holy love, pity, kindness, and tenderness of heart in all their zeal, with love interwoven as threads of gold in all their actions. So His church bears His superscription and testifies to the world that God sent His Son to be the Saviour of the world.