• Fellowship With God And His People
(Part Two)
• In this study, we will see what the boundaries and limitations of fellowship
are.
• Introduction
• Some people will ignore the limitations for the purpose of maintaining
unity.
• They will dis-regard the truth by their compromises.
• We will see who we are not to fellowship.
• We will see who we are to fellowship.
• We will see why we are to fellowship.
• And we will see how we are to fellowship.
• Fellowship
• The book of 1 Peter in chapters three and four detail a lot of how we
partake or share in His sufferings.
• Philippians 1:3-6 (NKJV) I thank my God upon every remembrance of you,
{4} always in every prayer of mine making request for you all with joy, {5} for
your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now, {6} being confident
of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it
until the day of Jesus Christ;
• V5. The church at Philippi supported Paul in his evangelistic efforts.
• So, even though Paul was doing the preaching, they were having a part
in the spread of the Gospel.
• 1 John 1:6-7 (NKJV) If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk
in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. {7} 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.
• Fellowship
• Now let us look at some principles that apply to fellowship without the
actual word being used. However, the same concept applies.
• John 17:20-21 (NKJV) "I do not pray for these alone, but also for
those who will believe in Me through their word; {21} "that they all may
be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in
Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me.
• Being one with Christ makes us one with God. God in us. Christ lives in
us. We dwell in the Spirit. We have communion with the saints. We are a part of
the body of believers, which is the church, which is the body of Christ.
• Romans 12:5 (NKJV) so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually
members of one another.
• Fellowship
• Though we are individuals that have different likes and dislikes, and
we have different abilities, we are all still a part of each other.
• We need to live in such a way that we contribute to the greater welfare
of the church and not only for our own comfort and glory.
• Fellowship
• Galatians 3:27-29 (NKJV) For as many of you as were baptized into Christ
have put on Christ. {28} There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave
nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.
{29} And if you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according
to the promise.
• There are many descriptions for Christians and the church of which they
are a part of.
• And though there are many titles by which they could scripturally go by,
most choose to wear a title that bears their allegiance and signifies ownership.
• The name of Christian.
• Fellowship
• Ephesians 2:19-22 (NKJV) Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and
foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of
God, {20} having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus
Christ Himself being the chief corner stone, {21} in whom the whole building,
being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, {22} in whom you
also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.
• The church is to grow.
• We are built together.
• We are part of the church.
• We all have to work for the good of each other.
• Jesus started it all out by becoming the chief cornerstone.
• Fellowship
• 3 John 1:8 (NKJV) We therefore ought to receive such, that we may become
fellow workers for the truth.
• All of our collective actions should be joined in one accord so that the
truth be promoted and upheld above all other things.
• All of our actions should respect the truth.
• All of our actions should support the truth.
• When we find others willing to do this, then we can have fellowship with
them.
• Fellowship
• Fellowship does not necessarily mean we are united in activity, but in
purpose.
• This is how the individual congregations, which are autonomous, can decide
who to fellowship and support or join.
• Though there are many good works that we would like to participate in,
we must still hold to the truth and respect our limitations and boundaries.
• Galatians 6:1-2 (NKJV) Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass,
you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering
yourself lest you also be tempted. {2} Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill
the law of Christ.
• Humility is a very essential part of fellowship.
• We are not always supposed to be partners making equal decisions.
• We must recognize who has the ultimate authority and submit to it.
• We must also understand that we are here to help the church grow, we are
here to be helped by the church to grow ourselves, but we are not here to have
the church serve us.
• We and the church are to serve Christ.
• Ephesians 3:5-7 (NKJV) which in other ages was not made known to the sons
of men, as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to His holy apostles and prophets:
{6} that the Gentiles should be fellow heirs, of the same body, and partakers
of His promise in Christ through the gospel, {7} of which I became a minister
according to the gift of the grace of God given to me by the effective working
of His power.
• All are equal in the sight of God.
• We should no more be looking for personal glory, than we should be committing
sin.
• The promise can only be given to those who are the children of God.
• Philippians 1:27 (NKJV) Only let your conduct be worthy of the gospel
of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of your
affairs, that you stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for
the faith of the gospel,
• Need we say much at all about conduct?
• By our actions, our true selves will be exposed.
• We must conduct ourselves worthy of the gospel of Christ.
• This means that we learn, practice and teach the doctrine that God through
Jesus Christ has revealed through the Holy Spirit.
• Read 2 John 9.
• Conclusion (Part Two)
• Outside of the obvious, there are many boundaries that every individual
must determine for themselves.
• In matters of doctrine, the truth of God in His Word gives us the answers
and guidelines.
• In matters of opinion we must be careful not to look down on others and
judge them.
• We are to help each other to reach heaven.
• We must consider and think on these things.
• We must pray for ourselves and our brethren that we may stand upright
before our God.
By Carey Scott
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