THE NORTHERN KENTUCKY SEARCHER
"Search the scriptures: for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me. " (John 5:39)

VOLUME 6, NUMBER 41,  OCTOBER 15, 2006

 SPIRITUAL FELLOWSHIP

            If brethren feel that they need to leave a congregation to enhance their spiritual growth – so be it.  However, when brethren leave a faithful congregation they must ensure that where they are now worshipping is also a sound and faithful congregation that is comprised of faithful brethren.  They must scripturally examine where they are worshipping and ensure that God has placed a spiritual lamp stand (Rev. 2:7) in their presence.  They must ensure that they are worshipping with a body of people that they can fellowship with and thus be acceptable before God (1 Pet. 2:5).  Fellowship is defined as “communion, sharing in common, partnership, partaker.”

            We see the wisdom of God in designing the autonomy of the local body of the Lord’s church.  However, one must also remember that the Lord’s church is universal in nature and His authority and His will stretches over those local bodies and across the world (Psalm 147:5).  If a person robs a bank, he cannot be acceptable before God until he turns himself in and endures the punishment given to him by those in authority.  One may leave the country and escape the local authorities but, like Adam, Eve, Korah, and Jonah, he cannot escape the Almighty God. Christians may run away from a congregation in an attempt to avoid scriptural discipline that needs to be administered.  They do so because they refuse to humble themselves and repent of their sins, but they cannot run away from the Almighty God.  Those who do such things are not right before God until they make it right with those they have sinned before and/or against and with their Maker.

            Can I fellowship with such a person or those who would fellowship with him?  The Scriptures that follow point out who a faithful brother can fellowship with and who he cannot.  There are so many more verses that I could have presented but I believe that these will suffice.

            Psalm 119:63, “I am a companion of all who fear You, and of those who keep Your precepts.”  David indicates that his strongest ties to man are based on his and others’ faithfulness to God.

            Amos 3:3, “Can two walk together, except they agree?”  Will we always agree on every single thing?  Romans 14 indicates that there are matters of judgment.  However, we must agree on doctrinal issues in order to walk together before the Lord.

            Acts  2:42 , “And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine, and fellowship and the breaking of bread, and in prayers.” Their fellowship was based on obeying the doctrine of the apostles who were inspired by the Holy Spirit.  These include 2 Thess. 3:6, “But we command you brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you withdraw from every brother who walks disorderly and not according to the tradition received by us.”) and 1Timothy 6:5, (“…useless wranglings of men of corrupt minds and destitute of the truth, who suppose that godliness is a means of gain.  From such withdraw yourselves.”).  One cannot truly fellowship with a person who refuses to abide by the doctrine of the apostles.

            Romans 1:12, “That is, that I may be comforted together with you by the mutual faith both of you and me.”  Paul told the church at Rome (and us today) that only those that share a like precious faith can sympathize and bring comfort to one another.  The world does not understand our despair over things of a spiritual nature.  Only grounded, faithful brethren can truly comfort one another during the trials of this life.  Unfaithful brethren do not have a true love for God and thus do not have a true love for their fellow Christians.

            1 Cor. 1:10, “I beseech you brethren that you speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.”  Is it scriptural for us to be of the same mind no matter what we teach and how we live?  Certainly not.  The basis for being of the same mind must be the word of God.  Men who are divisive only desire to be joined together in the same mind as those who are equally divisive or to those who will follow what they want to do.  This man’s goal is to fulfill his wishes and not the will of God.  I recently told a now unfaithful brother that he could help a marked false teacher by just studying with him and not socializing with him.  He chuckled and said, “But that is not what I want to do.”  There was nothing in that situation to chuckle about.  There was nothing funny about it.  Brethren who are faithful cannot willingly fellowship with such unfaithful men who refuse to have a mind that is centered on God’s will and not their own.

            Gal. 2:9, “And when James, Cephas, and John who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given unto me, they gave to me and Barnabas the right hands of fellowship.”  When were Paul and Barnabas given the right hands of fellowship?  When the others saw that God was with them.  God is not with the unrepentant, divisive man.  God is with the faithful, zealous Christian.  James, Peter, and John would not have extended their hands of fellowship to Paul and Barnabas if they were unrepentant and unfaithful men.”

            Phil. 1:3-5, “I thank my God…for your fellowship in the gospel.”  The Holy Spirit through the Apostle Paul teaches us that spiritual fellowship with one another is based on the gospel.  Those who desire to remain in the gospel (by obeying it) cannot fellowship with those who clearly have chosen not to do so.

            I Jn. 1:3, “That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that you may also have fellowship with us.  If we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another.”  The Apostle John instructed his readers (and us today) that in order to have fellowship with him they must follow what he was teaching them. “If” is a very small word but a very powerful one in this passage.  The Bible says that “God is light and in Him is no darkness.”  If we are walking with God in the light than we are not walking with unfaithful, deceitful, divisive, evil men.

            This excellent article was written by Eric Saylor, and Lord willing, the conclusion of it will be presented in next week’s Northern Kentucky Searcher.