Sunday, April 11, 2010 pm
CAN’T WE ALL JUST GET ALONG? (3)
What is Fellowship?
The word
“fellowship” is loosely thrown around today in the religious world.
For many the basis of fellowship is agreement on a few key issues
while simply “agreeing to disagree” on the details of these issues or
other subjects deemed as less important.
And in such things, even the Lord’s church is not exempt.
Furthermore, even within local congregations the term is also
taken out of its scriptural context and used as justification for the
church supporting various social activities and changing her work.
Today we want to
address what the Bible has to say about fellowship and make application
to our current study dealing with getting along with one another.
a.
Defined –
“communion, fellowship, sharing in
common.” (Vine’s)
“Fellowship, association,
community, communion, joint participation, contact.” (Thayer)
All of these words describe a relationship that we have in which we
share with one another. And
that is what fellowship is about.
Consider
2 Corinthians 6:14-16, “Do
not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what
fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what
communion has light with
darkness? And what accord has
Christ with Belial? Or what part
has a believer with an unbeliever?
And what agreement has
the temple of God with idols?...” In the Greek Text, these are all
different words, yet they describe what true fellowship is about.
b.
Its use in
scripture – the Greek word, κοινωνία, is found some 20 times in the New
Testament.
i.
First in
Acts 2:42 where it very
likely has reference to the contribution of the saints in which they
shared with one another what they possessed.
(Cf. 2 Cor. 8:4, Rom. 15:26)
ii.
1
Corinthians 10:16, “The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood
of Christ? The break which
we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ?”
iii.
Philippians 1:5, where
Paul said “for your fellowship in
the gospel from the first day until now.”
iv.
Philippians 2:1-2,”Therefore
if there is any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any
fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and mercy, fulfill y joy by
being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one
mind…”
v.
Hebrews 13:16 – “But do not forget to do good and to
share, for with such
sacrifices God is well pleased.”
vi.
1
John 1:3-7,
“that which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you
also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the
Father and with His Son Jesus Christ. And these things we write to you
that your* joy may be full. This is the message which we have heard from
Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at
all. If we say that we have
fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice
the truth. But if we walk in
the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another,
and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.”
vii.
NOTE: In each of these
passages and every OTHER passage using this word, the fellowship deals
with a spiritual relationship.
c.
Fellowship is the sharing
that Christians have with God and Christ or with one another based upon
their unity in Christ (depending on the text).
When Christians are what they ought to be in relationship to God
it will bring them closer together with one another.
When this TRUE FELLOWSHIP exists, we will seek to have a godly
relationship with one another based upon God’s instructions.
d.
Know
that God HAS given us instructions that if followed by all will
produce TRUE fellowship.
a.
NOTICE
that we have emphasized TRUE Biblical fellowship.
This is because there is plenty of fellowship in the world, but
much of it is NOT according to God’s standard.
The fellowship we are interested in is TRUE fellowship with God
which will produce fellowship with one another and fellowship with one
another which produces fellowship with God.
b.
What
TRUE fellowship it is NOT:
i.
Good intentions – it is
not enough for one to be well meaning to extend fellowship to them.
Where error or sin is being practiced we should in NO way imply
approval.
Matthew 7:21-23, Jesus
said it was NOT enough to call Him Lord.
Obedience was demanded.
Much of the denominational fellowship in the world is based upon
this!
There are brethren today who are seeking to redefine what a false
teacher is based upon their sincerity rather than the objective truth.
We CANNOT do this and be pleasing to God.
When one is in error he NEEDS to be corrected – PERIOD!
The problem is that it ignores the plain teaching of God’s word and
places higher importance on feelings than true obedience.
Prov. 16:25 says, “There
is a way that seems right to a man but its end is the way of death.”
ii.
Personal relationships -
there are many who extend fellowship based upon family/friend ties.
When one says, “Anyone who is your friend is my friend as well”
needs to proceed with caution.
This might be acceptable in the business or personal world (but
even there we should use caution), but when it comes to jeopardizing
your relationship with God, you better think seriously about it.
Consider
Ephesians 5:3-11.
One reason many churches have
problems with discipline (withdrawing from a sinning brother) is because
of these relationships.
Brethren will persist in keeping company with one withdrawn from
to the detriment of the efforts to win back his soul.
AND they are in direct violation of
1 Corinthians 5:4-5, 11.
Many churches divide because lines of fellowship are drawn based upon
personal ties instead of God’s word.
iii.
Unity in diversity – where
doctrinal or moral issues exist, we CANNOT simply agree to disagree and
pretend like everything is all right.
So many today have sought to plug such things under Romans 14
where they do not belong! (More in a much later lesson).
Such disregards TRUE Biblical unity as defined in our last lesson (cf. 1
Cor. 1:10, 13; John 17:20-21).
Galatians 2:1-5 describes
how Paul went to Jerusalem to present the gospel of Christ among the
Gentiles. Titus REFUSED to
be circumcised just to appease those they disagreed with.
Vs. 5 says, “to whom we did not yield submission even for an hour, that the truth of
the gospel might continue in you.”
Vs. 11-14 describe his
confrontation of Peter in these matters because he was a hypocrite.
Friends, THE TRUTH IS THE TRUTH!
Don’t sell it for anything!
c.
It
starts with respect for God’s word!
i.
BEFORE we
can have TRUE fellowship with one another, we must first seek fellowship
with God.
ii.
Notice
again
1 John 1:5-7.
Fellowship with God depends on “walking in the light as He is in
the light.” That means that
we are in total obedience with God and Jesus (cf. Matt. 7:21).
iii.
Fellowship
with God is based upon obedience to His word. Consider also
1 John 2:3-6 which
continues to emphasize this.
In
Luke 6:46 Jesus challenged
His audience saying, “But why do you call Me, ‘Lord, Lord’ and do not do the things which I
say?”
iv.
We HAVE TO
agree on a standard before we can have fellowship!
1 Pet. 4:11.
v.
Ephesians 6:4-6 describes
the seven “ones” or pillars of unity.
Friends, these are NON-NEGOTIABLE when it comes to fellowship!
We need agreement and it MUST be based upon God’s word!
vi.
Fellowship
based upon any standard other than God’s word will NOT bring true unity!
It divides! (John
17:17)
d.
Fellowship requires unity!
i.
Respect
for God’s standard results in fellowship with Him.
When we have fellowship with Him we seek fellowship with one
another!
ii.
You cannot
have TRUE fellowship without TRUE unity! There has to be common
agreement to have fellowship.
Phil. 2:1-2 says,
“Therefore if there is any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of
love, if any fellowship of
the Spirit, if any affection and mercy, fulfill my joy by being
like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind.”
iii.
Ephesians 4:1-3 also
emphasizes this. We noted it
while discussing unity. But
notice how we are to be “endeavoring
to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace” then we will
have true fellowship with one another.
The “unity of the Spirit” would have reference to agreement with
the TEACHINGS of the Spirit (i.e. the word of God).
iv.
I
acknowledge that this is not always easy to achieve.
Sometimes we have to work at it!
Sometimes our personalities get in the way.
We need to accept that we will not always get our way, but if we
want TRUE fellowship, we will do whatever we have to do, within God’s
boundaries to maintain fellowship.
e.
Severed
fellowship
i.
No study
of fellowship is complete without noticing what severs fellowship.
ii.
I want to
note clearly that God WANTS us to be in fellowship with one another.
And we need to do EVERYTHING we can to develop a proper and
healthy fellowship with each other.
That is what pleases God!
It’s the answer to the Lord’s prayer in
John 17:20-21 and David in
Psalm 133:1.
iii.
But sadly,
not everyone is interested in TRUE fellowship.
They want fellowship but with conditions, both to God and others.
They want their way or they will leave (or worse yet, cause
trouble). Friends, we must
realize that fellowship with God must
always supersede fellowship
with man. There are things
that sever fellowship with God and such ought to be grounds for us
severing fellowship with others as well.
iv.
Sin severs fellowship
– Consider again
Ephesians 5:11, “And
have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather
expose them.”
1 Corinthians 5:6-7 speaks
of the danger of the leaven of immorality in the body.
Purge it out Paul commanded.
2 Thess. 3:6 calls for us
to withdraw from every brother who walks disorderly.
If one persists in living in sin, DON’T accept it!
You cannot take fire in your bosom and not be burned (Prov. 6:27
– yes it is dealing with the adulteress, but principle applies).
v.
Doctrinal error severs fellowship
– if one is not teaching the truth, we should not lend credibility to
them.
2 John 9-11 is pretty
clear about this: “Whoever transgresses and does not abide in the doctrine of Christ does
not have God. He who abides in the doctrine of Christ has both the
Father and the Son. If anyone comes to you and does not bring this
doctrine, do not receive him into your house nor greet him; for he who
greets him shares in his evil deeds.”
1 John 4:1 calls for us to
test the spirits (teachings) whether or not they are from God.
The implication is that if they are not, we reject them.
Galatians 1:8-9 calls for
us to reject even the angel from heaven who teaches something different.
And thus we conclude
a brief study of the Bible and fellowship.
What does this have to do with us getting along with one another?
The answer is EVERYTHING!
We have shown that when we truly seek fellowship with God by
totally submitting to His will, it will draw those of “like precious
faith” together (2 Peter 1:1).
And we will cherish that relationship so much that we will do
EVERYTHING we can within God’s boundaries to keep it and strengthen it.
May that be the goal of each of us as we seek to conform to His
body in whatever capacity we belong.
Think about it.