“I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.”
Ephesians 4:1-3 ESV
Paul’s writing to the Ephesians sums up nicely what it means to live in community. Verse 3 above talks about the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. We see this being lived out throughout the Book of Acts. The Holy Spirit brings unity to the believers and in that unity they are able to live in peace. Living in community changes how we look at each other and how we relate to each other and even how we think about our selves. When we think about living in community it reminds us that there is something more than ourselves to think about. Yet for some all they see is themselves with others. They see individuals that make up a community where the individual comes before the community. This is foreign to the Bible, well not so foreign but it is seen as examples of sinfulness.
When we go from it the other way, seeing the community before the individual, the hierarchy of importance changes, not that either is eliminated but our identity and importance, even our belonging changes. Coming at it from a community first stand point assumes that you have a place, that you do belong. When we come at it from an individual first, you are trying to belong and fit in. How we talk to each other changes. How we think about honouring each other changes. How we perceive how are words and actions are received changes. From an individual stand point my actions are my own and they shouldn’t affect others. However, from a community standpoint, each member is affected by each other both good or bad. The word honour relates to this concept as does shame in a collective manner.
We have to be care though. Too far in either direction and we find ourselves entering into abuse. God created us to each be unique but to also be part of His community. Do we recognize our place in community and our responsibility to each other? When we are living in the unity of the Holy Spirit, we are balancing that needs of both the community and the individual.
