Two essential expressions of our Christian faith are how we serve one another within the church, and how we participate in Jesus' mission through the church. Jesus told his disciples that their love for each other was either the most important or among the most important indicators to the world that they are His disciples:
"By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” - John 13:35
This message is drilled home through the letters of John later on.
Paul teaches us that as Christians we have valuable gifts to offer, both in service to each other and to the mission of the church.
"For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching; the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads, with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness."
Romans 12:4–8
"For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit. For the body does not consist of one member but of many. If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body."
1 Corinthians 12:12–15
"By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” - John 13:35
This message is drilled home through the letters of John later on.
Paul teaches us that as Christians we have valuable gifts to offer, both in service to each other and to the mission of the church.
"For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching; the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads, with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness."
Romans 12:4–8
"For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit. For the body does not consist of one member but of many. If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body."
1 Corinthians 12:12–15