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THE NORTHERN KENTUCKY SEARCHER VOLUME 6, NUMBER 42, OCTOBER 22, 2006 SPIRITUAL
FELLOWSHIP This is the conclusion of Eric Saylor’s fine article on the question of fellowship.
Numbers 25:1-4, “And Israel abode in Shittim, and the people began to commit whoredom with the daughters of Moab. And they called the people unto the sacrifices of their gods and the people did eat and bowed down to their gods and the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel. And the Lord said to Moses, ‘Take all the heads of the people, and hang them up before the Lord against the sun, that the fierce anger of the Lord may be turned away from Israel.” We see the anger of God against Israel as they joined together with those who did not follow Him. God said in the book of Malachi: “I am God. I do not change.” God’s anger still burns today against those who fellowship with evildoers. Ezra 6:21-22, “And the children of Israel, which were come again out of captivity and all such as had separated themselves unto them from the filthiness of the heathen of the land, to seek the Lord God of Israel, did eat. And kept the feast of the unleavened bread seven days with joy.” The Holy Spirit says that those who were truly seeking the Lord and participating in this great physical and spiritual feast were those who separated themselves from the ungodly. Psalm 26:5, “I have hated the congregation of evil doers; and will not sit with the wicked.” David, “a man after God’s own heart”, refused to fellowship with wicked men. 1 Corinthians 15:33, “Be not deceived, evil companionship corrupts good morals.” If Solomon in all of his wisdom could be negatively influenced and fall away from God, then who is not susceptible to those who are tools of the devil? I know that I am. Numbers 16:26, “And he spake unto the congregation, saying, Depart, I pray you, from the tents of these wicked men, and touch nothing of theirs, lest you be consumed in all their sins.” When a Christian decides to associate with those Christians who refuse to submit themselves to God’s Word and only God’s Word and humble themselves to the point of repentance, he places himself in a dangerous setting. This reminds me of the passage: “For our God is a consuming fire.” Proverbs 9:6, “Forsake the foolish, and live; and go in the way of understanding.” The only true way of understanding is with the Lord and those who are unified in the truth of His Word. Romans 16:17, “Now I beseech you brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offenses contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them.” If one is to avoid those who have been scripturally marked (or withdrawn from) then one cannot fellowship with them either and be pleasing to God. Ephesians 5:11, “And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.” Those who are divisive and deceitful produce works of darkness. One cannot fellowship with such people. 2 John 9-11, “Whosoever transgresses and abides not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abides in the doctrine of Christ hath both the Father and the Son. If there come any unto you and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God’s speed. For he that bids him God’s speed is a partaker of his evil deeds.” The Apostle John tells us that those who fellowship with an evil doer is a partaker of that person’s evil deeds. What conclusions can we draw from this study? 1. These verses clearly show that the faithful child of God cannot fellowship with the unfaithful brother. 2. Based on the Scriptural definition of “fellowship” and the verses presented in this article from God’s Word the Christian who fellowships with the unfaithful brother is equally as unfaithful in the eyes of God. Therefore, the faithful Christian cannot also fellowship him. We have recently experienced some difficult days, but we need to remember that, “Heaven Will Surely Be Worth It All!”
Eric Saylor WHAT GOES AROUND COMES AROUND His name was Fleming, and he was a poor Scottish farmer. One day, while trying to make a living for his family, he heard a cry for help coming from a nearby bog. He dropped his tools and ran to the bog. There, mired to his waist in black muck, was a terrified boy, screaming and struggling to free himself. Farmer Fleming saved the lad from what could have been a slow and terrifying death. The next day, a fancy carriage pulled up to the Scotsman’s sparse surroundings. An elegantly dressed nobleman stepped out and introduced himself as the father of the boy Farmer Fleming had saved. “I want to repay you,” said the nobleman. “You saved my son’s life.” “No, I can’t accept payment for what I did,” the Scottish farmer replied waving off the offer. At that moment, the farmer’s own son came to the door of the family hovel. “Is that your son?” the nobleman asked. “Yes,” the farmer replied proudly. “I’ll make you a deal. Let me provide him with the level of education my own son will enjoy. If the lad is anything like his father, he’ll no doubt grow to be a man we both will be proud of.” And that he did. Farmer Fleming’s son attended the very best schools and in time, graduated from St. Mary’s Hospital Medical School in London, and went on to become known throughout the world as the noted Sir Alexander Fleming, the discoverer of Penicillin. Years after, the same nobleman’s son who was saved from the bog was stricken with pneumonia. What saved his life this time? Penicillin. The name of the nobleman? Lord Randolph Churchill. His son’s name? Sir Winston Churchill. Someone once said, “What goes around comes around.”
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