Overview
Biblical relationships bring balance because they are marked by two things, mutual respect and mutual giving and receiving, and that back and forth keeps us from getting isolated off in our own little world. In this teaching Rev. Rico Magnelli traces isolation through the word: Eve alone with the tempter in Genesis 3, Elijah under the juniper tree convinced he was the only one left, Peter withdrawing from the Gentiles at Antioch out of fear, and Paul walking alone to Assos and refusing to be persuaded by Agabus and by his own companions. Isolation costs us objectivity and leads to selfishness, depression, fear and hypocrisy. Acts 2:42, Malachi 3:16 and Hebrews 10:24 show the alternative.
Transcript
Two Marks of a Biblical Relationship: Mutual Respect and Mutual Giving and Receiving
Please turn to Acts chapter 2. Biblical relationships help to bring balance in our lives, and we’re going to see how this works. Now, biblical relationships are marked by two basic components, mutual respect and mutual giving and receiving. We need interaction among the brethren.
Isolation results in no input from others, and often what happens is we begin to imagine things. We begin to speculate. We begin to calculate and cobble together our own little world, which may not be true to reality.
So perhaps one of our brothers, our sisters, maybe our spouse, a friend who helps us, brings us back to sobriety. See, alone time is good, and it’s necessary to simply relax, perhaps decompress, have reflective thoughts, collect our thoughts and pray, for example. But too much isolation is not healthy.
Acts 2:42: The First Century Church Continued Steadfastly in Fellowship
Seeking out others is healthy for our overall well-being, and we can see how the first century church began. They didn’t begin in isolation. Look, Acts 2, verse 42, and they, they is plural, and they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and in fellowship.
They continued. They persevered in it. There probably was obstacles. There’s going to be obstacles in your life, but we seek each other out because it is really essential to our well-being spiritually. The word fellowship, sometimes people think it means a meeting. It can mean that, but it just means what is shared in common, and what’s being shared in common in this context is the apostles’ doctrine, and the apostles’ doctrine was teaching about the crucifixion and the resurrection.
And look at the result, and in breaking of bread and prayers, and fear or respect came upon every soul. That’s the right environment. When truth is taught regarding the crucifixion and the resurrection, we gain respect one for another, and in that mutual respect, that’s when the giving and receiving happens.
The back and forth, the dialogue on the truth, not on negatives, on truth, and this helps to keep us balanced, so we don’t get isolated off in our minds, in our own little world.
Walking Worthy of Your Vocation in Ephesians 4 Means Walking Balanced
Look at Ephesians chapter 4, please. God designed the body, as we’ve learned, to function, to perform purposes and services, helping one another interdependently.
Here, Ephesians chapter 4, we’ll see it again. I therefore, the prisoner, verse 1, of the Lord, beseech you that you walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called. And the word worthy could be understood as in the sense of a balance.
You walk balanced according to that calling. Well, what is this balanced walk going to include? Verse 2, with all lowliness and meekness, with long-suffering, forbearing myself. No, it says forbearing one another, mutually and reciprocally in love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the spirit and the bond of peace.
It does take effort to seek each other out. Now, we are certainly all in geographically different locations, so I am not saying let’s all move together into one city. No, that’s not what I’m saying.
But what I’m saying is, in our own sphere of influence, we seek out that sharing in common one with another. Because we can provide strength and we can be strengthened. We can endeavor to keep the unity of spirit and the bond of peace.
Eve Was Isolated When the Tempter Came in Genesis 3
Because or else what happens is we become isolated off. Look at Genesis. Let’s go back to the beginning and see this.
Now, we don’t know how long Adam and Eve were there. Certainly, Adam was first, and Adam was around a while, naming the animals and doing some things, and then Eve comes along. We don’t know how long they were there. The word doesn’t actually tell us, so we don’t know.
But one thing we do know is when Genesis 3 happens and the tempter comes to her, the serpent, if you will, there’s no indication that Adam is there. Every indication is she is isolated off. She’s alone. This is very interesting. Look here.
It says in verse 5, Genesis 3, for God doth know, the devil says, that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened and you shall be as gods, knowing good and evil. He was saying, hey, listen, I know God told you don’t eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, but what I’m saying to you is he’s actually not telling you what’s really going to happen. What’s really going to happen is you’re going to become like God.
How interesting. See, when people get isolated off, they buy into that. They start considering that, and that’s not a healthy place to be.
Now, when Eve tells Adam about this, probably what Adam should have done is said, no, we’re not doing that. That ain’t going to work. But he disobeyed, didn’t he? Verse 6, it says, and when the woman saw that the tree was good for food and that it was pleasant to the eyes and the tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof and did eat and gave also unto her husband with her and he did eat.
Isolation Leads to Loss of Objectivity and to Selfishness
And we know what happened after that. Calamity for the human race. See, isolation leads to loss of objectivity. We become very subjective. It becomes about you. It becomes about me and leads to selfishness.
That’s exactly what you see here. He is tempting her, the devil’s tempting her to be selfish about this. Hey, this is going to be, you’re going to be like God.
A Driving Analogy: Moving Between the Big Picture and the Detail
See, the way that life works is a real balanced walk is kind of a fluid movement between objectivity and subjectivity. Objectivity meaning the big picture and subjectivity meaning the detail focus. Let me give you an analogy, which is something that we all have done.
We drive vehicles. When you’re driving a vehicle, you do this probably without thinking about it. You’re driving behind the wheel and then you look at the dashboard. You look at your speedometer. That’s being subjective. You’re focusing in on that detail, but you don’t stay there because it wouldn’t be good for you.
Then you look up and you see the distance and what’s happening. You see the expanse and often you move back and forth between the two, the big picture and the focus, the big picture and the focus. That is more of a balanced perspective.
When we get locked into being subjective, we lose all that objectivity. Oftentimes, it leads us to selfish decisions, which are not in our best interest. Look at First Kings, please.
Isolation Dissolves the Bands of the Body of Christ
First Kings. We’re seeing what the opposite of a balanced walk is and what it leads to. Isolation is a way of working against our sharing together.
Recently, the global community dealt with an epidemic. Many people say that the epidemic was about controlling people, but spiritually, it wasn’t about controlling people because the adversary he already controls. You know what it was about? It was about isolation. It was about isolating Christians. That’s right.
Because if you isolate Christians, you begin to dissolve the bands of the body practically of Christ. You can’t destroy the body of Christ, but you begin to dissolve those bands of the body being interdependent and us being able to give and receive one to another. That’s right.
Elijah Under the Juniper Tree: Isolation, Depression and Desperation
Many of us are familiar with the record of Elijah and First Kings. Elijah did some very mighty work on God’s behalf and he reached a point where he was done. See, isolation can lead you to depression. It can lead you to desperation. That’s right.
Look, Elijah is now running for his life in verse four of First Kings 19, but he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness and came down and sat down under a juniper tree and he requested for himself that he might die. Was that God’s will? Absolutely not. And said, it is enough now, O Lord, take away my life for I am not better than my fathers.
Sounds real noble, but that’s not what God wanted. See, isolation can push us into desperate thoughts. It can push us into depression when what we really need is to be around others that will help us and love us and speak the truth to us.
Look at verse 10. And he said, Elijah, I have been very jealous for the Lord God of hosts, for the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine altars and slain thy prophets with the sword and I, even I, only am left and they seek my life to take it away.
I Only Am Left: God’s Answer of Seven Thousand in Israel
Was that true? They did seek his life, but he says, I’m the only one left. We know that’s not true. How many times have we felt that we are the only one, that we are isolated off when God tells us that he will never leave us or forsake us.
If he’s never going to leave us or forsake us, then he’s never going to leave you or forsake you, period. But sometimes we need to hear that from other brothers and sisters. Sometimes we need to be reminded of these things because we all can be tempted.
Eve was no slouch. She was perfect in every way. She had no history to deal with. Neither did Adam. And yet look how she got to see. Elijah was no slouch. Elijah was a great, great prophet. Yet he gets to the point where he’s ready to give up his life and he thinks he’s the only one left.
Look at verse 18. God says, yet I have left me 7,000 in Israel, all the knees which have not bowed unto Baal and every mouth which hath not kissed him. And that’s the same truth today. I don’t know if it’s 7,000. It’s a lot more than 7,000.
Sometimes we feel so isolated because it’s a part of the deception to get us to capitulate, to give in, to surrender when you are seated at the right hand of the throne of God. Right.
Peter Withdraws at Antioch: Isolation Breeds Fear and Hypocrisy
Look at Galatians. Please, chapter 2. Peter comes to Antioch and he gets intimidated by certain brethren, Judean Christians that came from Jerusalem that were preaching and teaching the circumcision, meaning that the work of Christ wasn’t enough. You still need to be circumcised like Moses taught in the law.
And Paul addresses this with him. Watch this. Peter is going to withdraw himself and isolate himself.
Galatians chapter 2, verse 11. But when Peter was come to Antioch, I withstood him to the face because he was to be blamed. For before that certain came from James, that’s the Judean Christians that were trying to preach legalism. He did eat with the Gentiles, people that were not Christian or not of Israel either. But when they were come, he withdrew and separated himself fearing them, which were of the circumcision. He isolated himself off.
And what do we see? Fear. What else are we going to see? Verse 13. And the other Jews dissembled likewise with him. So he’s taking a whole group with him insomuch that Barnabas also was carried away with their dissimulation. The word dissimulation is hypocrisy. If we allow ourselves to get isolated off, we fall prey to fear and hypocrisy.
This is different than what we read in Acts chapter 2, where they continued in the apostle’s doctrine and in fellowship.
Justified by the Faith of Jesus Christ, Not by the Works of the Law
Verse 14. But when I saw that they walked not uprightly according to the truth of the gospel, I said unto Peter before them all, if thou being a Jew livest after the manner of Gentiles and not as do the Jews, why compellest thou the Gentiles to live as do the Jews? Perfect sense.
You’re telling them to do this, but you’re not doing it. We who are Jews by nature and not sinners of the Gentiles, knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, that’s his accomplished work. Even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ and not by the works of the law, for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.
So no amount of works, no amount of legalistic standards is going to justify anybody, which means basically that God pronounces you innocent. Isolation can promote fear, hypocrisy, being a respecter of persons, where you isolate off into a little group because you’re comfortable with this group, when really that’s not the best thing. It promotes works for acceptance.
That’s what isolation can do. And Peter is no slouch. Barnabas is no slouch. Peter was a great man, a great man for God. Same with Barnabas. So if it can happen to Eve, if it can happen to Elijah, if it can happen to Peter, maybe we need to pay a little attention and not allow ourselves to get isolated off.
Now, again, I’m not promoting that everybody move into one big house. It’s not what I’m saying. But you’ve got to work, and I have to work towards that sharing together around the work of Christ.
The Message Bible on Galatians 2: Not Set Right With God by Rule Keeping
Look at Acts 20. If you’re still not convinced, how about Paul? While you’re turning there, I want to read you the Message Bible of Galatians 2, 15 and 16, while you’re turning to Acts chapter 20. This is the Message Bible, Galatians 2, 15 and 16.
We Jews know that we have no advantage of birth over the non-Jewish sinners. We know very well that we are not set right with God by rule keeping, but only through the personal faith or through personal faith in Jesus Christ. How do we know? We tried it. And we have the best system of rules the world has ever seen. Convinced that no human being can please God by self-improvement, we believe in Jesus as the Messiah so that we might be set right before God by trusting in the Messiah, not by trying to be good. Oh, my goodness. It’s one of the best translations of those verses I’ve ever read.
Paul Walks Alone to Assos and Goes Bound in the Spirit
Acts chapter 20. Paul, after great success in Ephesus, decides that he’s going to go to Jerusalem. God doesn’t want him to go to Jerusalem because there’s trouble there. In Acts chapter 20, he’s on his way. He’s in what we would call Turkey today.
In verse 13, And we went before to ship and sailed unto Assos, there intending to take in Paul, for so he had appointed, minding himself to go afoot. Now, what this verse is saying is that the believers that were traveling with Paul were going to take a ship from where they were in Assos around the peninsula there. Paul decided to go by himself and walk.
By ship, it’s about a 50-mile trip. Walking, it’s about a 21-mile trip, which would probably take at least seven hours if you’re walking, and that’s on a flat road. Why did he decide to go by himself? It doesn’t say.
We do know what’s going to happen. Look at verse 22. So he decides he’s going to go to Jerusalem, and in verse 22, he says, And now behold, I go bound in the Spirit.
That means the Spirit is not allowing him to go. God is saying, don’t go. Have you ever had that happen to you, where God’s tugging on your heart not to do something or perhaps even to do something? But here, he’s bound in the Spirit. He’s not allowed. He’s not free to go. Look.
Unto Jerusalem, not knowing the things that shall befall me there, save that the Holy Ghost, the Holy Spirit, witnesseth in every city, saying that bonds and afflictions abide me. In other words, you got trouble coming. Verse 24, But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy and the ministry which I have received of the Lord Jesus to testify the gospel of the grace of God.
Well, it sounds terrific, but that’s not what God wanted. He’s saying I’m done, just like Elijah. We’re done when God says we’re done. And he will work in us until the day of Jesus Christ or we fall asleep. Either way.
So Paul wants to go. Paul is living in his own world agenda. He’s got his own agenda. The Spirit’s already told him and people are telling him that you got trouble coming, don’t go.
Agabus Warns Paul and Paul Would Not Be Persuaded
Well, we already know the conclusion. He does go. Look at Acts 21, verse 10.
And as we tarried there many days, there came down from Judea, this is where he wants to go, Paul, a certain prophet named Agabus. And then when he was come unto us, he took Paul’s girdle, which was a strip of cloth that went around the midriff of the loose flowing clothing, and bound his own hands and feet and said, Thus saith the Holy Spirit, so shall the Jews at Jerusalem bind the man that owneth this girdle and shall deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.
And when we heard these things, these are Paul’s companions, these are the people that he should be interacting with, should be listening to. The back and forth, the mutual respect. Look at this.
And they at that place besought him not to go up to Jerusalem. Then Paul answered, What mean ye to weep and to break mine heart? For I’m ready not to be bound only, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus. And when he would not be persuaded, we ceased, saying, The will of the Lord be done.
In other words, they stopped saying not to go to Jerusalem. They stopped saying that because he wouldn’t listen. This is what isolation does. We get into our own little world.
Paul would not listen to God at work in him and in others to lead him away from what was a very avoidable challenge. Because Paul hadn’t even written Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, and so many other things. But Paul thought it was the end for him. Well, it wasn’t.
See, biblical relationships, when we have mutual respect based on the work of Christ, allows us to give and receive. It’s not just giving, it’s also receiving. Because God might have something to tell us, perhaps we’re not listening, or he’s already told us and we need to hear from somebody else where it registers.
Malachi 3:16: God Pays Attention When We Speak One With Another
Let’s close in Hebrews chapter 10, please. Isolation can lead to an imbalanced life where we become too subjective, dare I say it, even selfish, and we lose objectivity. We can get depressed and desperate and magnify our own issues. Fear and hypocrisy can creep in where we become respecter of persons and we perform works in order to be accepted when we’re already accepted in Christ Jesus. Isolation can shut God out of our lives if we let it. God works in us and others to lead us in a better way.
I was teaching this, Robin and I, in one of our northern states, and she brought up this verse in Malachi 3:16, and it fit so perfectly when she shared it, I wanted to add it here. And I’m going to read Malachi 3:16, you don’t have to turn there, in the English standard version.
Malachi 3:16, then those who feared the Lord or respected him spoke one with another. The Lord paid attention and heard them, and a book of remembrance was written before him of those who feared or respected the Lord and esteemed his name.
What we see here is God is identifying those that were speaking one with another because they respected the Lord. They must have been encouraging, they must have been dialoguing one with another. And God paid attention to those conversations. I think he pays attention to our conversations.
Hebrews 10:24: Consider One Another to Provoke Unto Love and to Good Works
Hebrews chapter 10, because we certainly respect the Lord and we esteem his name. In Hebrews chapter 10, in verse 24, and let us consider one another. Let’s mutually consider one another. The best way to do it is in person when possible, to provoke unto love and to good works.
We sharpen each other. When we’re around each other, we sharpen each other to the end that we all are producing love and good works. Good works are what we do with God, with his grace.
Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together as the manner of some is, but exhorting one another. There’s encouragement and comfort. And so much more as we see the day approaching. And that day is approaching. And that’s the return of Christ.
Biblical relationships help to bring balance in our lives because we get that back and forth based on mutual respect. Too much isolation is not necessarily a good Christian practice. There are times for it, for sure. But seeking out others is healthy for our overall well-being. Thank you.
Key Takeaways
- Biblical relationships are marked by two basic components, mutual respect and mutual giving and receiving, and that back and forth is what keeps us balanced.
- Acts 2:42 shows the first century church did not begin in isolation: fellowship means what is shared in common, and what they shared was the apostles’ doctrine about the crucifixion and the resurrection.
- Walking worthy of your vocation in Ephesians 4:1 carries the sense of a balance, a walk that includes lowliness, meekness, long-suffering and forbearing one another in love.
- Isolation leads to loss of objectivity and to selfishness, the way Eve was isolated off when the tempter came to her in Genesis 3.
- Elijah, alone under the juniper tree, asked to die and said he only was left, and God answered that he had left seven thousand in Israel who had not bowed to Baal.
- Peter’s withdrawal at Antioch shows what isolation breeds, fear, hypocrisy and being a respecter of persons, and Paul’s refusal to be persuaded by Agabus and his own companions shows a man living on his own agenda.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the two components of a biblical relationship?
Mutual respect and mutual giving and receiving. Rev. Rico Magnelli grounds both in Acts 2:42, where the first century church continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and in fellowship. Fellowship just means what is shared in common, and what was shared in common was the apostles’ teaching about the crucifixion and the resurrection. When that truth is taught, respect comes upon every soul, and in that mutual respect the giving and receiving happens.
Why is isolation spiritually dangerous?
Because isolation results in no input from others, so we begin to imagine things, speculate, and cobble together our own little world, which may not be true to reality. Rev. Rico Magnelli says it leads to loss of objectivity and to selfishness, it can push us into depression and desperation, and it lets fear, hypocrisy and being a respecter of persons creep in, so that we perform works for an acceptance we already have in Christ Jesus.
What does it mean to walk worthy of your vocation in Ephesians 4:1?
Rev. Rico Magnelli takes the word worthy in the sense of a balance: you walk balanced according to that calling. Ephesians 4:2 and 3 spell out what that balanced walk includes, all lowliness and meekness, with long-suffering, forbearing one another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the spirit and the bond of peace. It does take effort to seek each other out within our own sphere of influence.
Scripture References
Acts 2:42; Acts 2:43; Ephesians 4:1; Ephesians 4:2; Ephesians 4:3; Genesis 3:5; Genesis 3:6; 1 Kings 19:4; 1 Kings 19:10; 1 Kings 19:18; Galatians 2:11; Galatians 2:12; Galatians 2:13; Galatians 2:14; Galatians 2:15; Galatians 2:16; Acts 20:13; Acts 20:22; Acts 20:23; Acts 20:24; Acts 21:10; Acts 21:11; Acts 21:12; Acts 21:13; Acts 21:14; Malachi 3:16; Hebrews 10:24; Hebrews 10:25
This text was prepared from the teaching audio. Please verify scripture references against your own Bible.
