Matthew 22:36
“Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” 37 Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it:
“the second is like it” - homoia autē = of the same kind, the same essence—it carries equal importance in practice.
Love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”
Who exactly is my neighbor?
The real question isn’t, “Who is my neighbor?”
The real question is, “Am I neighboring?”
“I believe in the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints.”
Imago Dei: The theological belief that every human being is made in the image and likeness of God and because of this, all people possess inherent value, dignity, and purpose.
We reflect God most fully not on our own, but together.
“Because God is three persons in relationship, the only way we can realize the Imago Dei in humanity is to form a community of persons in loving relationship. The church then is the community of God, not only because it has been created by the triune God but because the church shares in the triune community itself.” — Kevin Vanhoozer
1. You were designed to need people.
2. You were created to belong.
That’s not weakness—that’s wiring.
God wired us to need others.
When we don't live connected to others, we don't just feel disconnected; We become disfigured versions of what we're meant to be.
“I believe in the holy catholic Church.”
“catholic” - katholikos - “universal” or “according to the whole.”
When we say we believe in the holy catholic Church, what we’re saying is this: “I believe in one global family of believers, across all time, all cultures, all languages, and all nations—set apart by God, marked by grace, united in Christ, and empowered by the Spirit to live for His glory.”
Holy—Set apart, Called, Distinct.
Catholic—meaning universal.
We belong to a global, eternal, blood-bought family—made up of every believer in every country, across every generation, past, present, and future.
Revelation 7:9-10
I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb… crying out in a loud voice: ‘Salvation belongs to our God!’”
“the communion of saints.”
Communion - koinonia—fellowship, partnership, or shared life.
You don’t commute in and out of communion—You abide in it.
saints—holy one—anyone who belongs to Jesus.
The word literally means “holy one”—someone who’s been set apart.
To be a saint is to be marked—not by perfection, but by belonging.
I believe in the shared life of God’s people. I believe in real, messy, joyful, mutual, prayer-soaked, mission-driven relationships with other believers. I believe I can’t follow Jesus fully without walking alongside His people consistently.
And this isn’t a “take it or leave it” idea—it’s Jesus’ idea.
There are parts of your calling that can’t even be activated without community.
If you’re not pursuing community—you’re not just missing out—You’re walking in disobedience.
Who knows the real you?
Who have you let into your process?
Who do you confess sin to?
Who’s praying for you—not just generally, but by name?
You were made for deep, rich, honest, restorative connection.
John 13:35:
By this everyone will know that you are my disciples—if you love one another.
This is our witness.
And yes—It’s going to get messy sometimes.
Colossians 3:12–13
Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. *Forgive as the Lord forgave you.”
Extend the same grace that Jesus keeps extending to you.
How to Step into the Communion of Saints
1. Have a Plan — Because Real Community Doesn’t Happen by Accident
2. Open Up — Because Hiding Isn’t Holy
Proverbs 24:6
By wise guidance you can wage your war, and in an abundance of counselors there is victory.
3. Keep It Up
Questions can make hermits out of us, driving us into hiding. Yet the cave has no answers. Christ distributes courage through community; He dissipates doubts through fellowship… He never deposits all knowledge in one person but distributes pieces of the jigsaw puzzle to many. When we interlock your understanding with mine… Christ speaks.”— Max Lucado
Ephesians 2:21–22
In Him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. And in Him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by His Spirit.
How are you living out the “one anothers” right now?
What steps are you taking to deepen your relationships?
Because we were created in the image of a relational God, we were never meant to follow Jesus alone—we were saved into a spiritual family, called to the communion of saints, and invited to build something beautiful together through deep, honest, Spirit-filled community.
You weren’t just saved to believe—you were saved to belong.