Anyone who has been involved with evangelical Christianity
for any length of time is familiar with the word “fellowship.” To be sure, it is a word which every believer
is not only familiar with, but inevitably finds as part of his own vocabulary
sometime shortly after he embraces the Christian faith. The word “fellowship,” along with
“communion,” is the English translation of the Greek word koinonia, which may be defined as “a sharing of interests, mutual
experiences, thoughts, feelings, etc.;” as well as conveying the idea of
“companionship.” The word “fellowship”
is used to describe the spiritual relationship which exists between true
believers, and as well the relationship which exists between the believer and
God.
Although we may be familiar with the terms “fellowship” and
“communion,” and as well may experience such things to various degrees, there at
the same time exists a lack of understanding as to what true fellowship is, and
as well a lack of emphasis on those things upon which it must be based. True fellowship consists in something greater
than the mere friendships, relationships, and social networks which believers establish
with one another. These things may be of
importance, but in themselves do not adequately represent the fellowship spoken
of in Scripture. Indeed, this fellowship
is spiritual in nature, based upon the foundation of a mutual spiritual
experience. It is not based upon common
natural interests or similar social status, and is not limited by ethnicity,
denominational affiliation, or culture.
As already stated, “fellowship” defines the spiritual
relationship existing between the believer and God as well as the relationship
believers share with one another. As “fellowship”
is a sharing of experiences, thoughts, feelings, and interests, it therefore
can only exist when these things are held in common. In other words, true spiritual fellowship can
only exist when believers experience the same things, value the same things and
strive for the same things. I do not
mean that believers must agree about every point of doctrine or observance in
order to have true fellowship one with another.
This type of agreement has rarely, if ever, existed within the church. But I do
mean that certain criteria must be met if true fellowship is to exist. There of necessity must be certain
conditions, certain standards to which believers must conform if fellowship is
to be realized.
To demonstrate my point, consider a scenario involving two
believers with very different standards regarding commitment to Jesus
Christ. The first believer has in truth
denied himself taken up his cross and followed Christ with all of his heart,
while the second believer knows no such thing, but rather sees such dedication
as optional. Is it possible that these two could be “in
fellowship” with one another? They certainly do not share the same commitment,
or the same experience, nor do they value the same things. In this scenario the lack of a mutual
spirituality prevents any possibility of sharing like thoughts, feelings, or
interests- for what the first considers sacred and precious, the second is
oblivious to and demeaning toward. No
true fellowship can exist between them, for with regard to spiritual things,
they speak, as it were, a different language.
Now the conditions and standards which determine true
fellowship are clearly laid out in Scripture. When these conditions are met, spiritual
fellowship results as a matter of course.
Thankfully, the Scripture does not burden us with innumerable conditions
regarding fellowship. It does however, insist upon two. The first of these
pertains to proper theology regarding the Lord Jesus Christ, specifically, the
truth revealed to, and handed down by his apostles regarding his Divine Person
and eternal union with the Father. As John in his own words states:
From this verse, we see that the apostles and their
associates not only believed the truth regarding the Son of God, but also
experienced an intimacy, a communion, with both the Father and the resurrected
Christ. It is this fellowship with God,
this spiritual union, upon which true brotherly fellowship is founded. John makes it clear to his readers that to be
in fellowship with the apostles and their associates, is also to be in
communion with the Father and the Son.
But he also states that this fellowship is predicated upon embracing and
adhering to that which the apostles have both seen and heard first hand. This
eyewitness account regarding the Lord Jesus is the foundation of the “apostles’
doctrine” upon which the church is established.
Any deviation from their account renders fellowship with them, and
Christ as well, impossible.
Peter also emphasizes the authority of the apostles’
eyewitness account:
And
this voice which came from heaven we heard, when we were with him in the holy
mount. 2 Peter 1:16-18
In John’s second epistle, we are introduced to the term “the
doctrine of Christ,” which John uses to define the whole of that which the apostles have seen and heard regarding the Person of Christ. This is the most important doctrine regarding
Christianity, and thus the doctrine
essential to true fellowship. Consider
the importance that John places upon this doctrine.
Whosoever
transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he
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
speed: For
he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds. 2 John 9-11
The “doctrine of Christ” is that truth regarding who He is- “true
God from true God,” the eternal Son of God and the Eternal Word, having always
existed with God as God; who became man, being born of a virgin, thus uniting
within himself both the human and Divine natures, while in no way, or at any
time, being less than truly man and truly God. This was, is, and shall ever be the faith of
the saints. This doctrine is the “rock”
upon which the church is built. It is a
doctrine of such importance that one cannot “have God” without holding it
fast. He that denies this doctrine, who
in anyway compromises the truth regarding the Divinity of the Lord Jesus, is an
enemy of God, and should be neither welcomed into the believer’s home, nor even
wished well!
Before I move to the second
condition concerning fellowship, I should state that the doctrinal agreement
necessary to facilitate true fellowship is in truth broader than mere agreement
regarding the doctrine of Christ. For
indeed fellowship cannot exist where there is error regarding other essential
doctrines such as regeneration, justification, salvation, the doctrines regarding
the Holy Spirit, etc. But I have limited
my commentary regarding what must be agreed upon doctrinally to one area,
namely the apostles’ doctrine regarding the Person of Jesus Christ (and although
not directly stated but inferred, the doctrine of the tri-unity of the three
Divine Persons of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit) for three reasons. Firstly, as stated, the above mentioned
doctrine is the most important truth
regarding the Christian faith, regarding which there can be no variance, and thus is the
essential. Secondly, space would not
allow a commentary on other essential doctrines. Thirdly, many of the doctrinal
differences which prevent fellowship among believers can be addressed and
resolved by conforming to the second condition for fellowship which is to
follow.
As shown, the first condition for
fellowship pertains to orthodoxy regarding theology. The second pertains to orthodoxy regarding conduct. Christians may assume that fellowship is a
given provided that they agree with one another regarding theology. Yet theological agreement is no guarantee
that believers will experience fellowship with one another. Two believers may agree doctrinally, but may
be in complete disunity when it comes to how they actually live. In truth, breeches of fellowship are more
often the result of bad conduct than bad theology. For how we conduct ourselves with regard to
sin, and how we live our lives in the sight of God, will ultimately determine
whether or not we have fellowship with him and with each other.
As well, the divisions which
plague the church theologically are often fuelled by the bad conduct of men who are contentious, contrary, proud, and unreasonable-
who make minor points of difference major issues, and make personal preferences
into dogma. For if men conducted
themselves rightly, if they were
given to prayer and communion with God, they would become more reasonable,
being led by the Holy Spirit, and would see more clearly as to what is and is not essential to
fellowship. But those who live wrongly end up majoring in minors,
rejoicing when others adopt their particular convictions and frowning when they
do not.
Also, if men lived rightly, the
theology and teaching of the church would reflect their godly conduct rather
than being skewed by the effects of their sinful behaviour. For when men live in sin, they develop a
theology which justifies and approves of them irrespective of their moral
state. This explains the many versions
of the gospel which are with us today, which are offered as a means whereby the
impenitent may be justified, the selfish approved, and the ungodly
accommodated. Indeed, the great truths
concerning the love of God, grace, and justification are presented today in
such a way as to never require a
departure from sin. But if men in truth “denied themselves,” and “took up their
cross,” and followed Christ without compromise, they would not be willing to
present or embrace a “gospel” which did not demand the same. And if men were no longer content to continue
in sin, they would no longer develop theologies which allow for perpetuity in
corruption.
Now that proper conduct is
essential to true fellowship is evident:
This
then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God
is light, and in him is no darkness at all. If
we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do
not the truth: 1 John 5, 6
In this verse John declares that
the message which the apostles had received was one of purity- “God is light, and in him is no darkness.” Light
speaks of God’s moral purity and excellence, of his holiness, and of his
exaltation above sin and corruption.
Notice what John says: If we say
that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the
truth. Here we have a condition for fellowship: If we
are to have fellowship with God, we cannot walk
in darkness, for to even profess
such fellowship while walking in darkness is to lie and to do not the
truth. This verse therefore defines true Christianity, for Christianity is
indeed itself a profession of fellowship with God. Thus, the true
Christian is he who is in reality in fellowship with God. But he who professes Christianity and yet
walks in darkness cannot be considered true-
for he does not the truth- but merely professes a fellowship with God which he
has not.
But not only does “walking in
darkness” make communion with God an impossibility, it also makes true
fellowship among believers impossible as well- for true fellowship is only
possible when believers “walk in the light as He (God) is in the light.” As it is written:
In this verse we are given an
absolute regarding fellowship: If we “walk in the light,” we have fellowship with one another. We are assured
of fellowship if this condition is met. This statement is certain, and thus
eliminates any possibility of two believers being unable to partake of
fellowship with one another when each walks rightly. Indeed, believers should take heed to that
which may rightly be inferred from
this verse. For if two believers cannot
partake of true fellowship one with another, the following must be true: Either the first believer is in the light and the
second is not, or the second is in the light, and the first is not. For it is not
possible that both are “walking in the light,” else they would enjoy fellowship
with one another. Now there exists one
other possibility here: Neither is “walking
in the light,” but rather after his own falsehood, his own religious “spirit”
as it were, thereby becoming increasingly contentious, “pleasing not God, and
contrary to all men.”
Now the terms walk in darkness, and walk in
the light, perhaps need some defining. “To walk” implies continuance in a
certain course. It is the rule of conduct, not the exception. A sincere believer may err, he may sin and do
wrong- but this is not the rule by
which he lives, it is the exception. Thus, he may step into darkness, but he will not continue therein. Similarly, the sinner may have a moment of
religious excitement, a moment in which his mind is enlightened, in which he
feels something for God and in which he feels “good will toward men.” But this is a fleeting moment, a spasm, for
it is not the rule by which he lives, but a mere aberration from his usual
selfishness. Thus, he steps
into “the light” as it were, but quickly returns to, and continues in disobedience.
Sadly, the conduct of many professing
believers is very much like the “walk” of the sinner which I have just
described, and not that of the saint.
For when believers live self-centered lives, when they retain the right
to continue in sin, and when they live week after week, month after month, and
year after year, without fully submitting and surrendering themselves to
Christ, how could it be said that they “walk in the light?” In truth they do
not, but rather walk in darkness. They
may indeed enjoy friendship and companionship with others like themselves- for
the church has no shortage of these -
but they do not partake of intimate communion with God, nor do they enter into
fellowship with those who do.
With such clear conditions regarding
fellowship established, we should perceive the seriousness of our responsibility. Certainly, the church was intended to be a
gathering of believers who in truth commune with God, and as well commune with
one another on a spiritual plane,
having experienced similar workings of the Spirit in the inner man. When such communion with God and one another
exists, the church is strong and effective.
When it is absent, the church dies, and decays into a religious
institution, where true spiritual experience exists only in creeds and in statements
of faith. Thus, every believer has a
great responsibility, for individually each contributes to the health of the
church or to its demise by either “walking in the light” or by continuing in
darkness.
Having therefore a foundation for fellowship laid for us
in the Scripture, let us consider how we will build upon it. For we are invited into fellowship with the
Father and the Son- we should walk therefore worthy of that invitation. Thus, let every believer who professes to
follow Christ actually follow. And let every believer who is zealous to
proclaim the joys of serving Christ actually
serve him. For he who professes one
thing yet does another walks in darkness.
But he who will walk in the light
will dwell with God, and will be a strength and confirmation to those who as
well walk this way.
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