Comunidade
A comunidade cristã é essencial para o crescimento da fé. A Bíblia ensina que fomos criados para viver em comunhão — edificando-nos, encorajando-nos e servindo uns aos outros.
Viver em unidade
Os que creram eram um coração e uma alma. A comunidade primitiva partilhava tudo e vivia em harmonia e alegria.
The group of followers all felt the same way about everything. None of them claimed that their possessions were their own, and they shared everything they had with each other.
They spent their time learning from the apostles, and they were like family to each other. They also broke bread and prayed together.
Day after day they met together in the temple. They broke bread together in different homes and shared their food happily and freely, while praising God. Everyone liked them, and each day the Lord added to their group others who were being saved.
The apostles often met together and prayed with a single purpose in mind. The women and Mary the mother of Jesus would meet with them, and so would his brothers.
While Peter was being kept in jail, the church never stopped praying to God for him.
Whenever two or three of you come together in my name, I am there with you.
Edificação mútua
Vivam em harmonia uns com os outros. Não haja divisões entre vós. A comunidade cresce quando cada membro contribui.
My dear friends, as a follower of our Lord Jesus Christ, I beg you to get along with each other. Don’t take sides. Always try to agree in what you think.
Some of us are Jews, and others are Gentiles. Some of us are slaves, and others are free. But God’s Spirit baptized each of us and made us part of the body of Christ. Now we each drink from that same Spirit.
A body is made up of many parts, and each of them has its own use. That’s how it is with us. There are many of us, but we each are part of the body of Christ, as well as part of one another.
Be friendly with everyone. Don’t be proud and feel that you know more than others. Make friends with ordinary people.
Welcome all the Lord’s followers, even those whose faith is weak. Don’t criticize them for having beliefs that are different from yours.
God is the one who makes us patient and cheerful. I pray that he will help you live at peace with each other, as you follow Christ.
My friends, I beg you to watch out for anyone who causes trouble and divides the church by refusing to do what all of you were taught. Stay away from them!
Amor e compromisso
Não deixemos de congregar. O vínculo perfeito é o amor — ele une a comunidade e produz frutos que duram.
We should keep on encouraging each other to be thoughtful and to do helpful things. Some people have given up the habit of meeting for worship, but we must not do that. We should keep on encouraging each other, especially since you know that the day of the Lord’s coming is getting closer.
Love is more important than anything else. It is what ties everything completely together.
Try your best to let God’s Spirit keep your hearts united. Do this by living at peace.
It is truly wonderful
when the people of God
live together in peace.
Finally, all of you should agree and have concern and love for each other. You should also be kind and humble.
Dear friends, since God loved us this much, we must love each other.
But if we live in the light, as God does, we share in life with each other. And the blood of his Son Jesus washes all our sins away.
Faith in Christ Jesus is what makes each of you equal with each other, whether you are a Jew or a Greek, a slave or a free person, a man or a woman. So if you belong to Christ, you are now part of Abraham’s family, and you will be given what God has promised.
Take care of any widow who is really in need.
I tell you for certain that anyone who welcomes my messengers also welcomes me, and anyone who welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me.