WHOM CAN WE FELLOWSHIP

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WHOM CAN WE FELLOWSHIP?

• Fellowship -
• 1- is not a sentimental consideration
• 2- it is not commandeered
• 3- it is a practical matter.
• 1 Cor. 19, God is faithful, through whom
  ye were called into the fellowship of his Son
  Jesus Christ our Lord.
• 4- it either exists or it does not.
• Amos 33, Shall two walk together, except
  they have agreed?
• 2 Cor. 614, Be not unequally yoked with
  unbelievers for what fellowship have
  righteousness and iniquity? or what commun-ion
  hath light with darkness?

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I. DEFINITION OF FELLOWSHIP

• Partnership, membership, companionship,
  comradeship
• Ship state, or condition that obtains
• II. KOINONIA fellowship, association,
  community, communion, joint participation,
  intercourse, impartation.
• (e.g., The New Testament was written in Koine
  Greek common Greek)
• KOINONOS partner, associate, comrade,
  companion

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III. NEW TESTAMENT USUAGE OF THESE GREEK WORDS

• Acts 242, And they continued stedfastly in the
  apostles' teaching and fellowship.
• Rom. 1526, For it hath been the good plea-sure
  of Macedonia and Achaia to make a cer-tain
  contribution for the poor among the saints that
  are at Jerusalem.
• 1 Cor. 19, God is faithful, through whom ye
  were called into the fellowship of his Son Jesus
  Christ our Lord.
• 1 Cor. 1016, The cup of blessing which we
  bless, is it not a communion of the blood of
  Christ?

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Rom. 1213, communicating to the necessi-ties of
the saints.

• Phil. 415, when I departed from Macedonia, no
  church had fellowship with me in the mat-ter of
  giving and receiving but ye only.
• Philemon 6, that the fellowship of thy faith may
  become effectual.
• Heb. 1033, partly, being made a gazing-stock
  both by reproaches and afflictions and partly,
  becoming partakers with them that were so used.
• 1 Tim. 522, Lay hands hastily on no man,
  neither be partaker of other men's sins.

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2 John 10,11, If any one cometh unto you, and
bringeth not this teaching, receive him not into
your house, and give him no greeting 11 for
he that giveth him greeting partaketh in his evil
works.

• IV. 1 JOHN 11-10
• That which was from the beginning, that which we
  have heard, that which we have seen with our
  eyes, that which we beheld, and our hands
  handled, concerning the Word of life 2 (and the
  life was manifested, and we have seen, and bear
  witness, and declare unto you the life, the
  eternal life, which was with the Father, and
  was manifested unto us)

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3 that which we have seen and heard declare we
unto you also, that ye also may have fellowship
with us yea, and our fellowship is with the
Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ 4 and
these things we write, that our joy may be made
full. 5 And this is the message which we have
heard from him and announce unto you, that God is
light, and in him is no darkness at all. 6 If
we say that we have fellowship with him and walk
in the darkness, we lie, and do not the truth 7
but if we walk in the light, as he is in the
light, we have fellowship one with another, and
the .
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blood of Jesus his Son cleanseth us from all sin.
8 If we say that we have no sin, we de-ceive
ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we
confess our sins, he is faithful and right-eous
to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from
all unrighteousness. 10 If we say that we have
not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is
not in us.

• 1- The apostles fellowship with God based on
  direct testimony (v. 1).
• 2- Through the apostles testimony ( of 3
  senses) we can have fellowship with God (v.3)

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3- we write FORM of apostolic testimony (v.
4)

• 4- No fellowship with God if in sins (v. 6).
• 5- Christians brought into fellowship with God
  by Christs blood (Eph. 218, for through him we
  both have our access in one Spirit unto the
  Father).
• 6- Must continue to walk in the light, or break
  that fellowship.

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V. NEW TESTAMENT FELLOWSHIP IS SPIRITUAL
PARTNERSHIP, NOT SOCIAL!

• We are to have fellowship
• 1- in the gospel, Gal. 66, But let him that is
  taught in the word communicate unto him that
  teacheth in all good things.
• 2- with Christ, 1 Cor. 19, God is faithful,
  through whom ye were called into the fellow-ship
  of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord.
• 3- in the blood and body of Christ, 1 Cor.
  1016, The cup of blessing which we bless, is it
  not a communion of the blood of Christ?

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4- in suffering, in consolation, 2 Cor. 17, and
our hope for you is stedfast knowing that, as ye
are partakers of the sufferings, so also are ye
of the comfort.

• 5- in preaching the gospel, Gal. 29, and when
  they perceived the grace that was given unto me,
  James and Cephas and John, they who were reputed
  to be pillars, gave to me and Barnabas the right
  hands of fellowship, that we should go unto the
  Gentiles, and they unto the circumcision,
• 6- in alms-giving, Heb. 1316, But to do good
  and to communicate forget not for with such
  sacrifices God is well pleased.

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7- in worship, Acts 242, And they continued
stedfastly in the apostles' teaching and
fellowship, in the breaking of bread and the
prayers.

• In the N.T. fellowship does NOT mean social
  activities (e.g., Fellowship Halls, Retreats,
  Gymnasiums, Camping, Boy Scouts, plays, drama,
  entertainment, holiday celebrations,
  fun-food-frolic).
• Fellowship does NOT mean coffee and donuts!

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VI. CHRISTIANS CANNOT FELLOWSHIP (be partners
with) THAT WHICH GOD HATES

• 1- 1 TIM. 522, neither be partaker of other
  men's sins keep thyself pure.
• 2- 2 Jn. 9, for he that giveth him greeting
  partaketh in his evil works ( false doctrine).
• 3- 1 Cor. 1020, But I say, that the things
  which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to
  demons, and not to God and I would not that ye
  should have communion with demons.
• 4- 2 Cor. 614-18, Be not unequally yoked with
  unbelievers for what fellowship have

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righteousness and iniquity? or what commun-ion
hath light with darkness? 15 And what concord
hath Christ with Belial? or what por-tion hath a
believer with an unbeliever? 16 And what
agreement hath a temple of God with idols? for we
are a temple of the living God even as God said,
I will dwell in them, and walk in them and I
will be their God, and they shall be my people.
17 Wherefore Come ye out from among them, and be
ye separate, saith the Lord, And touch no unclean
thing And I will receive you, 18 And will be
to you a Father, And ye shall be to me sons and
daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.
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5- Eph. 511,12, and have no fellowship with the
unfruitful works of darkness, but rather even
reprove them 12 for the things which are done
by them in secret it is a shame even to speak of.

• VII. THERE ARE NO ORGANIC TIES BE-TWEEN
  CONGREGATIONS
• A. Therefore one congregation cant
  disfel-lowship another one!
• B. Organic ties between congregations
  con-stitute a denomination.
• C. Nevertheless, as congregations ..

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cooperate (w/o organic ties, by concurrent
cooperation), so also one congregation
re-cognizes that another is, or is not, in
fellow-ship with God, distributively or
collectively.

• This fellowship is expressed
• with greetings (Rom. 1616)
• with warnings (Acts 1522ff)
• or, in commending members (Acts 1827).
• Ungodly conduct and apostate practices cause
  this recognition to be removed (2 John 11)!

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CONCLUSION

• Are you in the fellowship of Jesus Christ?
• Yes, if
• 1- you have obeyed the gospel. Have you? Are
  you a partner with Christ?
• Remember, fellowship is not a matter of
  sentimentality, but of practicality.
• 2- you, as a Christian, are not in fellowship
  with what God hates! Are you? (Rom. 129)
• 3- you participate in spiritual things (of the
  gospel), and not turn fellowship into social
  activities.

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