The Importance of Mutual Support in Christian Relationships
Mutual support is a foundational aspect of Christian relationships, rooted in the understanding that believers are interconnected and called to encourage one another in faith and life. The Apostle Paul expresses this desire for reciprocal encouragement, stating, "that is, that you and I may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith" (Romans 1:12 BSB) [1]. This concept extends beyond mere emotional comfort to practical assistance and spiritual solidarity.
The New Testament frequently emphasizes the importance of Christians providing "help" to one another, which can encompass various forms of aid, such as caring for the poor and needy [2]. This mutual dependence is seen as essential for the well-being of individuals within the community. Adam Clarke notes that "all are dependent upon all; all upon each, and each upon all," suggesting that mutual love makes this interdependence both pleasant and profitable [6].
One significant aspect of mutual support is brotherly love, which Matthew Henry describes as a "special and spiritual affection which ought to exist among the saints" [11]. This love is not merely a general affection for all humanity but a specific bond among believers, forming "the law of Christ's kingdom, the lesson of his school, the livery of his family" [5]. This love is expressed through "like-mindedness, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind" [5].
The imagery of the body of Christ is frequently used to illustrate this interconnectedness. Paul explains that the church is Christ's body, and individual Christians are "members in particular," each related to the body as a whole and to other Christians as fellow-members [9]. This organic metaphor highlights that each part contributes to the health and function of the entire body, implying a necessary reliance on one another.
Mutual support also manifests in practical ways, such as providing warmth and companionship. The book of Ecclesiastes observes, "Again, if two lie together, then they have heat... but how can one be warm alone?" (Ecclesiastes 4:11) [10]. John Gill interprets this not only literally but also spiritually, suggesting that Christian conversation can rekindle warmth in those who have grown cold in their love or indifferent to spiritual exercises [10]. Jamieson, Fausset & Brown extend this to the "warm sympathy derived from social ties," especially Christian ones [7].
In marriage, mutual support takes on specific dimensions, particularly concerning intimacy. Married Christians are called to be considerate of their spouses' sexual needs, recognizing that "sexual intimacy is a mutual right for both spouses in a marriage and must not be withheld" [8]. This involves yielding authority over one's body to one's spouse, though this authority is not to be abused [8].
Historically, expressions of mutual support included practices like the "kiss of charity," which served as both a friendly salutation and a symbol of love and Christian fellowship [3]. This practice underscores the physical and communal expressions of affection and solidarity among believers.
The concept of reconciliation also involves mutual change. While reconciliation with God primarily involves a change in the sinner's disposition towards God, reconciliation between individuals implies a mutual change from enmity to friendship [4]. This highlights the reciprocal nature of restoring relationships within the Christian community.
Sources
- Romans “Romans 1:12 (BSB) — that is, that you and I may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith.”
- Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Helps — (1 Cor. 12:28) may refer to help (i.e., by interpretation) given to him who speaks with tongues, or more probably simply help which Christians can render to one another, such as caring for the poor and needy, etc.”
- Smith's Bible Dictionary “Smith's Bible Dictionary: Kiss — Kissing the lips by way of affectionate salutation was customary among near relatives of both sexes, in both patriarchal and later times. (Genesis 29:11; Song of Solomon 8:1) Between individuals of the same sex, and in a limited degree between those of different sexes, the kiss on the cheek as a mark of respect or an act of salutation has at all times been customary in the East, and can hardly be said to be extinct even in Europe. In the Christian Church the kiss of charity was practiced not only as a friendly salutation, but as an act symbolical of love and Ch”
- Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Reconcilation — A change from enmity to friendship. It is mutual, i.e., it is a change wrought in both parties who have been at enmity. (1.) In Col. 1:21, 22, the word there used refers to a change wrought in the personal character of the sinner who ceases to be an enemy to God by wicked works, and yields up to him his full confidence and love. In 2 Cor. 5:20 the apostle beseeches the Corinthians to be "reconciled to God", i.e., to lay aside their enmity. (2.) Rom. 5:10 refers not to any change in our disposition toward God, but to God himself, as the party reconcile”
- Philippians (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on Philippians 2:1: The apostle proceeds in this chapter where he left off in the last, with further exhortations to Christian duties. He presses them largely to like-mindedness and lowly-mindedness, in conformity to the example of the Lord Jesus, the great pattern of humility and love. Here we may observe, I. The great gospel precept passed upon us; that is, to love one another. This is the law of Christ's kingdom, the lesson of his school, the livery of his family. This he represents (Phi 2:2) by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. We are ”
- 1 John (Methodist/Wesleyan) “Adam Clarke on 1 John 3:11: For this is the message - See Jo1 1:5. From the beginning God hath taught men that they should love one another. How essentially necessary this is to the comfort and well-being of man in this state of trial and difficulty, every sensible man must see. All are dependent upon all; all upon each, and each upon all. Mutual love makes this dependence pleasant and doubly profitable. Nothing can be more pleasing to an ingenuous and generous mind than to communicate acts of kindness.”
- Ecclesiastes (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Ecclesiastes 4:11: (See on Kg1 1:1). The image is taken from man and wife, but applies universally to the warm sympathy derived from social ties. So Christian ties (Luk 24:32; Act 28:15).”
- 1 Corinthians (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on 1 Corinthians 7:3: 7:3-4 Because of the temptation to sexual immorality, married Christians must always be considerate of the sexual needs of their spouses. Sexual intimacy is a mutual right for both spouses in a marriage and must not be withheld. Marriage includes yielding the authority over one’s body to one’s spouse, though such authority is clearly not to be abused.”
- 1 Corinthians (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on 1 Corinthians 12:27: I. Here the apostle sums up the argument, and applies this similitude to the church of Christ, concerning which observe, 1. The relation wherein Christians stand to Christ and one another. The church, or whole collective body of Christians, in all ages, is his body. Every Christian is a member of his body, and every other Christian stands related to him as a fellow-member (Co1 12:27): Now you are the body of Christ, and members in particular, or particular members. Each is a member of the body, not the whole body; each stands related to the body as a part ”
- Ecclesiastes (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Ecclesiastes 4:11: Again, if two lie together, then they have heat,.... The Targum adds, in the winter; when it is a cold season, they warm one another by lying together. The Targum interprets it of a man and his wife; it is true of others; see Kg1 1:1; but how can one be warm alone? not soon, nor easily, in time of cold weather. This is true in a spiritual sense of persons in a Christian communion and religious society; when they are grown cold in their love, lukewarm in their affections, and backward and indifferent to spiritual exercises, yet by Christian conversation may be ”
- Hebrews (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on Hebrews 13:1: The design of Christ in giving himself for us is that he may purchase to himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works. Now the apostle calls the believing Hebrews to the performance of many excellent duties, in which it becomes Christians to excel. I. To brotherly love (Heb 13:1), by which he does not only mean a general affection to all men, as our brethren by nature, all made of the same blood, nor that more limited affection which is due to those who are of the same immediate parents, but that special and spiritual affection which ought to exist among the ”