Fellowship

[GraceSaved]

Christian fellowship is the mutually beneficial relationship between Christians, who can’t have the identical relationship with those outside the faith.

The privilege that is Christian fellowship is that it exists because God has enabled it by His grace. Those who believe the gospel are united in the Spirit through Christ to the Father, and that unity is the basis of fellowship. This relationship is described in John 17:23 

This relationship must be the basis of Christian fellowship. We can have friendships and relationships with unbelievers, but true Christian fellowship can only occur within the body of Christ. We are united to one another by common beliefs, purposes and goals. We know that we are strangers in this world, and we long for the time when we will be in our true home, heaven.

The importance of true Christian fellowship helps us to focus on Christ and His desires and goals for us.  In true Christian fellowship, Christians sharpen one another's faith and stir one another to exercise that faith in love and good works, all to God’s glory.

[AVBibleBeliever]

1Cor 5:9 ¶ I wrote unto you in an epistle not to company with fornicators:
 10 Yet not altogether with the fornicators of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or with idolaters; for then must ye needs go out of the world.
 11 But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat.
 12 For what have I to do to judge them also that are without? do not ye judge them that are within?
 13 But them that are without God judgeth. Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person.

 

2Thess 3:6 ¶ Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye withdraw yourselves from every brother that walketh disorderly, and not after the tradition which he received of us.
 7 For yourselves know how ye ought to follow us: for we behaved not ourselves disorderly among you;
 8 Neither did we eat any man's bread for nought; but wrought with labour and travail night and day, that we might not be chargeable to any of you:
 9 Not because we have not power, but to make ourselves an ensample unto you to follow us.
 10 For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat.
 11 For we hear that there are some which walk among you disorderly, working not at all, but are busybodies.
 12 Now them that are such we command and exhort by our Lord Jesus Christ, that with quietness they work, and eat their own bread.
 13 But ye, brethren, be not weary in well doing.
 14 And if any man obey not our word by this epistle, note that man, and have no company with him, that he may be ashamed.
 15 Yet count him not as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother.

These verses state we are not to have Christian fellowship with a brother who is in sin, we are to put then away and not even to eat with them.  And we are told to not to have company with a man/woman if they do not OBEY the words Paul wrote in this epistle (need to re-read it and see what else is will put a person out of FELLOWSHIP). 

 

Roms 16:17 ¶ Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them.
 18 For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple.
 19 For your obedience is come abroad unto all men. I am glad therefore on your behalf: but yet I would have you wise unto that which is good, and simple concerning evil.

 

If they cause division or offenses contrary to sound doctrine we are to avoid them.  This is what has led to so may denominations, sects, groups and cliques in the body of Christ.  The same carnal activity Paul encountered in 1 Corinthians.

 

 

2Tim 3:1 ¶ This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.
 2 For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,
 3 Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,
 4 Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;
 5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.

 

And  we are told to "turn away" from such (not of the world but in the church context of 1Tim 3 starts in chapter two).

 

1Tim 6:3 If any man teach otherwise, and consent not to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness;
 4 He is proud, knowing nothing, but doting about questions and strifes of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings,
 5 Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself.

 

And lastly we are to withdrawl ourselves and support from a man who does not agree with the words of the scriptures and the doctrines laid down in the Bible (like Kent Hovind et al).  (You will notice that vs four fits well into 2Tim 3:1-5). How many of you will endure such teaching of the prosperity preachers (John Hagee et al) and fellowship with them via TV or Internet and buy their wares in opposition to the world of God.

 

Conclusion our Fellowship is not to be done for the sake of fellowship. 

 

The OP fails to recognize the pre-cross prayer for the Apostles (no matter how she might think it is one applicable to the body of Christ or not).

 

True Christian Fellowship is to be on the Scripture, its truths and in following those truths.  Such as those things noted above.  How many times have we put people out of fellowship for sin?  How many times have we avoided people in the church and leader who are prideful or boastful.  How about those who are not obedient to their parents?  Or those who break an agreement with a believer?

 

True Christian Fellowship requires that we follow the scriptures if not then our fellowship with God is injured as well.  When a man/woman is in disobedience to God's word and we allow them to remain in fellowship there is no true unity or one mind in Christ.

[Eric Stahl]

Love

 

John 13:31-35

³¹ Therefore, when he was gone out, Jesus said, Now is the Son of man glorified, and God is glorified in him.

³² If God be glorified in him, God shall also glorify him in himself, and shall straightway glorify him.

³³ Little children, yet a little while I am with you. Ye shall seek me: and as I said unto the Jews, Whither I go, ye cannot come; so now I say to you.

³⁴A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.

³⁵ By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.

 

Matthew 25

³¹ When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory:

³² And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats:

³³ And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left.

³⁴ Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:

³⁵ For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:

³⁶ Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.

³⁷ Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?

³⁸ When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?

³⁹ Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?

⁴⁰ And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.

 

 

Think about what that is saying.

 

At our judgment Jesus will personally thank us for every kindness and act of love we show or do for the body of Christ as though we did it to him.

 

Why, because we have done it to him. Remember his spirit is in us.

 

I love you all you are my brothers and sisters.

 

Eric E Stahl

[AVBibleBeliever]

Eric,

 

Are you saying Paul's writings on the issue of true Christan Fellowship are in a contradiciton to John and Matthew about love?

 

A true act of love sometimes is found in such actions as putting someone out of fellowship.

 

Are we to love the one over our love for the many?  would not our love then be with dissimulation?  Roms 12:9 [Let] love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good.
 

 

Today the sinner or the disobedient is not put out of fellowship.  But rather it is the one who points to the one who is in sin or disobedience to God's word that is often put out of fellowship or ignored, and is labeled as unloving.

[wretched]

On a side note AV: I am not sure what your avatar is but my avatar wants to eat it.

[AVBibleBeliever]

On a side note AV: I am not sure what your avatar is but my avatar wants to eat it.

I am not sure what it is either.  But it is a dog of some sort.

[ThePilgrim]

I think it is the world record holder in the worlds ugliest dog contest.  If it is not it should have been a close runner-up.

 

God bless,

Larry

[Bro K]

 "In true Christian fellowship, Christians" gets their fishing poles and goes down to the river. Everything goes along pretty well; till the 'holier than thou' attempts to walk on the water.

[ThePilgrim]

The fool is scaring away all the fish.  The holier than thou can sure make it hard to be fishers of men.  I use to give my son what for for skipping rocks near where I was fishing.

 

God bless,

Larry

[GraceSaved]

1Cor 5:9 ¶ I wrote unto you in an epistle not to company with fornicators:
 10 Yet not altogether with the fornicators of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or with idolaters; for then must ye needs go out of the world.
 11 But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat.
 12 For what have I to do to judge them also that are without? do not ye judge them that are within?
 13 But them that are without God judgeth. Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person.

 

2Thess 3:6 ¶ Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye withdraw yourselves from every brother that walketh disorderly, and not after the tradition which he received of us.
 7 For yourselves know how ye ought to follow us: for we behaved not ourselves disorderly among you;
 8 Neither did we eat any man's bread for nought; but wrought with labour and travail night and day, that we might not be chargeable to any of you:
 9 Not because we have not power, but to make ourselves an ensample unto you to follow us.
 10 For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat.
 11 For we hear that there are some which walk among you disorderly, working not at all, but are busybodies.
 12 Now them that are such we command and exhort by our Lord Jesus Christ, that with quietness they work, and eat their own bread.
 13 But ye, brethren, be not weary in well doing.
 14 And if any man obey not our word by this epistle, note that man, and have no company with him, that he may be ashamed.
 15 Yet count him not as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother.

These verses state we are not to have Christian fellowship with a brother who is in sin, we are to put then away and not even to eat with them.  And we are told to not to have company with a man/woman if they do not OBEY the words Paul wrote in this epistle (need to re-read it and see what else is will put a person out of FELLOWSHIP). 

 

Roms 16:17 ¶ Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them.
 18 For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple.
 19 For your obedience is come abroad unto all men. I am glad therefore on your behalf: but yet I would have you wise unto that which is good, and simple concerning evil.

 

If they cause division or offenses contrary to sound doctrine we are to avoid them.  This is what has led to so may denominations, sects, groups and cliques in the body of Christ.  The same carnal activity Paul encountered in 1 Corinthians.

 

 

2Tim 3:1 ¶ This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.
 2 For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,
 3 Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,
 4 Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;
 5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.

 

And  we are told to "turn away" from such (not of the world but in the church context of 1Tim 3 starts in chapter two).

 

1Tim 6:3 If any man teach otherwise, and consent not to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness;
 4 He is proud, knowing nothing, but doting about questions and strifes of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings,
 5 Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself.

 

And lastly we are to withdrawl ourselves and support from a man who does not agree with the words of the scriptures and the doctrines laid down in the Bible (like Kent Hovind et al).  (You will notice that vs four fits well into 2Tim 3:1-5). How many of you will endure such teaching of the prosperity preachers (John Hagee et al) and fellowship with them via TV or Internet and buy their wares in opposition to the world of God.

 

Conclusion our Fellowship is not to be done for the sake of fellowship. 

 

The OP fails to recognize the pre-cross prayer for the Apostles (no matter how she might think it is one applicable to the body of Christ or not).

 

True Christian Fellowship is to be on the Scripture, its truths and in following those truths.  Such as those things noted above.  How many times have we put people out of fellowship for sin?  How many times have we avoided people in the church and leader who are prideful or boastful.  How about those who are not obedient to their parents?  Or those who break an agreement with a believer?

 

True Christian Fellowship requires that we follow the scriptures if not then our fellowship with God is injured as well.  When a man/woman is in disobedience to God's word and we allow them to remain in fellowship there is no true unity or one mind in Christ.

 

Love

 

John 13:31-35

³¹ Therefore, when he was gone out, Jesus said, Now is the Son of man glorified, and God is glorified in him.

³² If God be glorified in him, God shall also glorify him in himself, and shall straightway glorify him.

³³ Little children, yet a little while I am with you. Ye shall seek me: and as I said unto the Jews, Whither I go, ye cannot come; so now I say to you.

³⁴A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.

³⁵ By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.

 

Matthew 25

³¹ When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory:

³² And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats:

³³ And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left.

³⁴ Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:

³⁵ For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:

³⁶ Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.

³⁷ Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?

³⁸ When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?

³⁹ Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?

⁴⁰ And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.

 

 

Think about what that is saying.

 

At our judgment Jesus will personally thank us for every kindness and act of love we show or do for the body of Christ as though we did it to him.

 

Why, because we have done it to him. Remember his spirit is in us.

 

I love you all you are my brothers and sisters.

 

Eric E Stahl

[GraceSaved]

A true act of love sometimes is found in such actions as putting someone out of fellowship.

 

 

Today the sinner or the disobedient is not put out of fellowship.  But rather it is the one who points to the one who is in sin or disobedience to God's word that is often put out of fellowship or ignored, and is labeled as unloving.

I really wasn't going that route in this particular OP.  Maybe you can start another thread on church discipline?  Just a thought.

[AVBibleBeliever]

I really wasn't going that route in this particular OP.  Maybe you can start another thread on church discipline?  Just a thought.

My post is about true Christian fellowship and how many are not applying the word to their fellowshipping today.  they want to let all be ok for the sake of fellowship alone.  Even the outright sinner agrees with the fundamentals of the faith and let them remain in fellowship when they don't agree the word of God set forth doctrines for them to follow in their personal life.

 

Fellowship and lack of fellowship is done according to God's word and not by any mans private interpretations of God's word.  If we allow the sinner who is named a brother to remain in fellowship as if nothing were wrong hinders our true spiritual fellowship and unity.

 

How can we have true fellowship when the word is being disobeyed and ignored within the body of Christ?

 

Part of the problem is we have these fellowship assemblies yet we are not having the deep relationship with each other as we should.  Not knowing what the other is doing and being able to use our gifts accordingly.  The OP talks about only Christians can have these deep relationship with each other but the truth is not many have and many don't want to let the other one in close enough out of fear that one might discover their sin and disobedience .

 

Deep relationship of true fellowship would entail accountability to God's word for everyone involved in the relationship and ultimately the body of Christ. 

 

Grace, please quote the whole quote removing a sentence in between does change context and understanding.  Though it may not make any difference to you it does for others.  by removing it you make it look as if I was not talking about fellowship. Besides a double thread with the same topic maybe against the rules.  I chose not to address it on the first one but I did here..

[HappyChristian]

Actually, GS is talking about just plain fellowship. I fellowship with believrrs who are nit members of the church I am (like here on OB).

The originator of the thread requested that it not devolve into a thread on church discipline - because thst is not the direction GS wishes the thread to go. We (all) need to respect that wish and not go there.

If you wish to discuss fellowship re: church discipline, feel free to start a different thread.

[GraceSaved]

Even the outright sinner agrees with the fundamentals of the faith and let them remain in fellowship when they don't agree the word of God set forth doctrines for them to follow in their personal life.

 

Fellowship and lack of fellowship is done according to God's word and not by any mans private interpretations of God's word.  If we allow the sinner who is named a brother to remain in fellowship as if nothing were wrong hinders our true spiritual fellowship and unity.

 

How can we have true fellowship when the word is being disobeyed and ignored within the body of Christ?

 

Part of the problem is we have these fellowship assemblies yet we are not having the deep relationship with each other as we should.  Not knowing what the other is doing and being able to use our gifts accordingly.  The OP talks about only Christians can have these deep relationship with each other but the truth is not many have and many don't want to let the other one in close enough out of fear that one might discover their sin and disobedience .

 

Deep relationship of true fellowship would entail accountability to God's word for everyone involved in the relationship and ultimately the body of Christ. 

 

Grace, please quote the whole quote removing a sentence in between does change context and understanding.  Though it may not make any difference to you it does for others.  by removing it you make it look as if I was not talking about fellowship. Besides a double thread with the same topic maybe against the rules.  I chose not to address it on the first one but I did here..

"The importance of true Christian fellowship helps us to focus on Christ and His desires and goals for us."

 

My intent in the OP was to express the importance of fellowship and to express that it is something we should be a part of.  It should be a way of life for believers to want to be in each other's company, to help support each other. Fellowshipping is a source of strength, using our gifts, exhorting, praying, practicing ordinances together, caring for one another.   All this, assuming that the fellowship I am referring to is not having fellowship with unfruitful works of darkness.  It's one thing to know the Bible but it another thing to live it.  Fellowship helps us to be accountable to each other.  Another part of fellowship is having concern for one another, confessing our faults one to another while having a spirit of forgiveness and restoration if one has fallen spiritually or morally.

 

Does that help in displaying the message I was trying to convey?

[AVBibleBeliever]

Part of understanding true fellowship is to understand all aspects of fellowship, like who and who not to fellowship with and why, and then to correctly apply all aspects of fellowship.  Half a picture or understanding of fellowship is a dangerous way to leave things.  I simply brought up scripture that tells us who we are not to fellowship with and why seeing only a partial teaching/sharing was done in the OP.  And it was all still in line with fellowship.