• 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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