Then Jesus gave the following illustration: “Can one blind person lead another? Won’t they both fall into a ditch? Students are not greater than their teacher. But the student who is fully trained will become like the teacher. “And why worry about a speck in your friend’s eye when you have a log in your own? How can you think of saying, ‘Friend, let me help you get rid of that speck in your eye,’ when you can’t see past the log in your own eye? Hypocrite! First get rid of the log in your own eye; then you will see well enough to deal with the speck in your friend’s eye. “A good tree can’t produce bad fruit, and a bad tree can’t produce good fruit. Luke 6:39-43 NLT
Authentic community is built on grace
God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. Ephesians 2:8-9 NLT
Dear brothers and sisters, if another believer is overcome by some sin, you who are godly should gently and humbly help that person back onto the right path. And be careful not to fall into the same temptation yourself. Galatians 6:1 NLT
Authentic community is anchored in truth
For we cannot oppose the truth, but must always stand for the truth. 2 Corinthians 13:8 NLT
Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth… John 14:6 NLT
Authentic community is maintained with confession
Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. James 5:16 NLT
My sin causes me to:
Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. Colossians 3:13 NLT
Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. Philippians 2:3 NLT
Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Philippians 2:3 NLT
Pay careful attention to your own work, for then you will get the satisfaction of a job well done, and you won’t need to compare yourself to anyone else. Galatians 6:4 NLT
Not that I was ever in need, for I have learned how to be content with whatever I have. Philippians 4:11 NLT
Finally, all of you should be of one mind. Sympathize with each other. Love each other as brothers and sisters. 1 Peter 3:8 NLT
You have had enough in the past of the evil things that godless people enjoy—their immorality and lust, their feasting and drunkenness and wild parties, and their terrible worship of idols. 1 Peter 4:3 NLT
God’s will is for you to be holy, so stay away from all sexual sin. Then each of you will control his own body and live in holiness and honor – not in lustful passion like the pagans who do not know God and his ways. 1 Thessalonians 4:3-6 NLT
Share each other’s burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ. Galatians 6:2 NLT
Authentic community is covered in love
And this is his commandment: We must believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and love one another, just as he commanded us. 1 John 3:23 NLT