Lesson 37: Relating to Other Believers

“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” Hebrews 10:24-25.

The first thing Jesus asks of us as believers in today’s world is that we spend time “considering how to stir up one another.” It is easy for us to focus on our own lives, our own troubles, how we personally will get through the next year or month or even week. Because the evil one knows the power of the church when it is working in unison, every believer working toward the single goal Jesus has for each body of believers, he works hard to separate us from each other with every-day concerns for ourselves or our families. These kinds of distractions keep us from being and doing what Jesus wants us, as the church, to be working effectively for His kingdom.

Stirring up each other to love and good works means we first focus on these things ourselves, and then encourage other believers in the church to join us. It means plans have been made ahead of time for what will be accomplished this week or this month, and times and places have been posted so everyone knows what will be happening where. We as believers in Jesus agree to help each other do those good works for Jesus.


The next phrase in our verses above, defining how we relate to each other, is that we are not to “neglect to meet together.” In Acts 2:42 we read that the first followers of Jesus met together each day and ate at least one meal together. The believers of that day were new; they had just received the final instructions from Jesus before He ascended to heaven. Now they taught the things they had learned from Him to each other. The disciples repeated Jesus words, and the rest memorized what they were taught. In today’s world we do not have the same need to memorize all we are taught because we have the written record of Jesus’ words, the Bible. However, it is still important to meet together regularly to learn together and be held accountable for what we are learning and believing.

The last phrase in our verses above is that we continue “encouraging one another.” We are in spiritual warfare, especially now as the days are here when we know Jesus’ coming for His Church is very near. All around us we see people who tell us they believe in Jesus, yet they doubt His imminent coming, and are worn down and discouraged from all the evil things happening around us in this world. Galatians 6:9 tells us we must not “grow weary in doing good.” This means that those of us who believe and are encouraged in His soon coming need to encourage those who do not believe. And those of us who are growing tired and worn out from the hard work we have done need to be in church to hear those words, “one day at a time,” from another caring believer.

Pray: Lord Jesus, help me to become a real part of Your church.