Have you ever wondered what the Bible says about Community? It turns out, the Bible has quite a lot to say about this subject, beginning all the way back in the book of Genesis and continuing all the way through God’s Word.
Today, we will take a look at some of the things the Bible has to say about community and what that means for our daily lives as followers of Christ.
In the Beginning
From the very beginning of time itself, community has been important to God and to His creation. The Bible says that after God created the heavens and the earth, the creatures of the sea, the birds of the air, and the animals of the land, He then created a creature that was unlike anything else he had created before…God created man.
Out of all the millions of creatures on the earth, we are the only ones that are created in the image of Almighty God. We are set apart from all of the other creatures of the earth.
“26 Then God said, ‘Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; and let them rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”
Genesis 1: 26
God wanted to have a “meaningful loving relationship with His creation” so he created a being that was capable of having a true relationship with others and a true relationship with Himself. God wanted community.
- “Then the LORD God said, ‘It is not good for the man to be alone; I will make him a helper suitable for him.” Genesis 2: 18
Community is so important for God and for His creation that the very first thing He did after making Adam was to create a partner for him.
The Bible makes it clear that from the very beginning we were created for community!
Community is Essential
Community is important because we were never meant to go through our lives alone. Some of us try so hard to do things on our own strength, but the reality is that we were never designed that way.
We were designed for the community… you could almost say it’s in our DNA.
Picking the Right Community
- Community: “a feeling of fellowship with others, as a result of sharing common attitudes, interests, and goals.
Those of you reading this who have children or grandchildren know well the impact that choosing the right or wrong friends has.
To have success in life, it is important to align ourselves with the right type of people lest we fall into the wrong path in life.
As Christians, it is essential that our friends and our community be of like mind with the Christain faith. Associating with the wrong type of people can bring us down and their bad habits, practices, or attitudes can begin to rub off onto us.
- “Do not be deceived: ‘Bad Company corrupts good morals.'” 1 Corinthians 15: 33
- “24 Do not associate with a man given to anger; or go with a hot-tempered man, 25 or you will learn his ways and find a snare for yourself.” Proverbs 22: 24-25
- “He who walks with wise men will be wise, but the companion of fools will suffer harm” Proverbs 13: 20
The Bible says that if we keep bad company, our own morals and values are at risk of being compromised.
Does this mean that we should never associate with unbelievers? Of course not. As Christians, we are called to shine the Light of Christ with others. However, we should be careful with how much time we spend with those who practice wickedness.
This is why it is so essential that we choose to spend most of our time in the company of a community of believers!
God’s Plan for Church Community
There is no better or stronger community than that of a Church on fire for truth of God’s Word. The Christian church is God’s tool for teaching, encouraging, correcting, and supporting His Children.
When God created the church, He did it with community in mind. He created the church to form a community of believers complete with everything they would need to make it through life and to further God’s kingdom.
- “not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near.” Hebrews 10: 25
A church community is important to God. Hebrews reminds us not to forsake the assembling of ourselves together, that we can encourage one another during our time of need.
“Older men are to be temperate, dignified, sensible sound in faith in love, in perseverance. 3 Older women likewise are to be reverent in their behavior, not malicious gossips nor enslaved to much wine, teaching what is good 4 so that they may encourage the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, 5 to be sensible, pure, workers at home, kind being subject to their own husbands, so that the Word of God will not be dishonored. 6 Likewise urge the young men to be sensible.”
Titus 2: 2-6
The church can encourage us when we struggle, and we can find good examples to look to for inspiration. The older women will help set an example for the younger women, and the older men will set the example for the younger men.
Bearing One Another’s Burdens
When the trials of life hit us, where do we turn? For some of us, we try the best that we can to figure out our problems on our own, and, for the most part, that’s okay, but when we struggle to find the answers we seek, it is always a blessing to have someone to count on.
- “Bear one another’s burdens, and thereby fulfill the law of Christ” Galatians 6: 2
The Bible calls us to bear one another’s burdens. Our lives will be much more satisfying and enjoyable if we surround ourselves with a warm and loving Christian community.
We should do whatever we can to help when we see our Christian brother or sister in need.
“15 If a brother or sister is without clothing and in need of daily food, 16 and one of you says to them, ‘Go in peace, be warmed and be filled,’ and yet you do not give them what is necessary for their body, what use is that?”
James 2: 15-16
One of the primary reasons for community is to care for one another during times of need. This means when one has a burden, we help them carry it, whatever that burden.
We are stronger in a Christian community than we are alone. There is strength in numbers.
Having a strong, like-minded support group to fall back on can make all the difference when the storms of life come rolling in.
Bible Verses About The Power of Community
Here are a few verses from the Word of God that show the power of the Christain community:
- 1 Thessalonians 5: 11 “Therefore encourage one another and build up one another, just as you are also doing” We are to encourage one another in the Lord. Encouragement is one of the many benefits of community!
- Proverbs 17: 9 “He who conceals a transgression seeks love, But he who repeats a matter separates intimate friends.” When your brother or sister confides in you about something, don’t go around and tell everyone. Keep in confidence those things which were told in confidence.
- Proverbs 27: 9 “Oil and perfume make the heart glad, but the sweetness of a man’s friend gives delight by hearty counsel.”
- Psalm 133: 1 “Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!”
- Proverbs 17: 17 “A friend loves at all time, and a brother is born for adversity.”
- John 15: 13 “Greater love has no man than this, than that a man lay down his own life for His friends.”
- Romans 12: 12 “Be devoted to one another in brotherly love; give preference to one another in honor…rejoicing in hope, persevering in tribulation, devoted to prayer, contributing to the needs of the saints, practicing hospitality.” When we are a part of a Christian community we should be devoted to one another in brotherly love. We should rejoice with one another over our victories and we pray for one another that we might press on through our trials. And, of course, we should do our part to contribute to the needs of the community if we have the ability.
Takeaways
Taking a look at God’s word shows us the great importance of community.
So, what have we learned:
- From the beginning, God created us for community.
- God created us in His own image so that we could be in community with Him and fellow believers.
- We were not meant to go through life alone.
- Having the right community can help to improve us and lead us closer to God.
- The wrong community can drag us down.
- A good community can help bear one another’s burdens.
- We are stronger together than alone.
God Bless You
I hope you have been encouraged in the Word of God today and now have a better understanding of what the Bible says about community!
I am so thankful to know that when we have problems or struggles, we can depend on our Christian church community to lift us up and strengthen us when we are weak!
If you are not already a part of a Bible-preaching, Jesus-teaching, soul-reaching church, I encourage you to seek God for a local congregation for you to fellowship and worship with on a regular basis.
May God bless you all in the Mighty Name of Jesus!
