Our Need of Each Other

God has so arranged this world in which we live that there is not a self-existing, independent thing in the universe; but everything is perpetuated by the cooperation and assistance of another. Where this is true in the natural world, it is also true in the church of Jesus Christ. God has so blended the divine and the human that it is utterly impossible to serve Him without, at the same time, serving our fellow man. He has so arranged the Lord's Prayer that we must have a kind, brotherly feeling toward all mankind before we can make the first petition, viz., "Our Father."

Jesus said, "Therefore, if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee, leave thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift" (Matt. 5: 23). Hence, by this, we can plainly see that he who serves God, must in a measure serve his brother also. The spirit of independence, division, and love of authority has done the church greater harm than all of the infidels that ever lived. Let us notice some of the ways in which we need each other as Christians.

First. We need each other's influence. Truly, this would be a colder and more cruel world to live in, were there no other Christians in it but yourself. It is true they may not belong to your church, and they may differ from you on several minor points of doctrine; however, you greatly need them in holding up the Christ of God to the world; and also to assist you in stemming the tide of sin and wickedness.

A second way in which you need the assistance of others is that you need their prayers. There is no man living, no matter how holy or blessed he may be, who does not need the prayers of God's people. There never was but one man in the world who did not need prayer, and that was the Son of God. In nearly all of Paul's epistles he exhorts the church to pray for him. This modern way which people have of separating themselves from the church and the saints, and going out on this self-existing, independent, come-out line, is a sure way to apostasy, damnation, and hell.

Third: The next way that we stand in need of each other is that we need each other's reproof. There is no man who can see his faults and mistakes as others do; therefore, it is absolutely necessary that we have some one to reprove us. The Psalmist said, "Let the righteous smite me; it shall be a kindness: let him reprove me; it shall be an excellent oil which shall not break my head" (Psa. 141: 5).

A fourth way in which we need each other is, we need their peculiarities. We do not find it any great difficulty to love those who are lovable and congenial. But the difficulty arises in loving the unlovable, the obstinate and the obtrusive. Still it takes just this kind of people to bring our flaws and imperfections to the surface, therefore, they are greater blessings to us than those who are more to our likings.

A fifth way in which we need each other is, we need each other's sympathy. It is true, we do not feel the need of it when success is attending our way and the sun of prosperity is shining bright, but as one has said-

"But naught was seen

More beautiful, or excellent, or fair,

Than face of faithful friend, fairest when seen

In darkest day: and many sounds were sweet,

Most ravishing, and pleasant to the ear;

But sweeter none than voice of faithful friend,

Sweet always, sweetest, heard in loudest storm."