Fellowship With God And His People

(Part One)

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• Psalms 94:20 (NKJV) Shall the throne of iniquity, which

devises evil by law, Have fellowship with You?• If you sin and do not repent, then you do have

fellowship with evil and or any other description of iniquity.

• 1 Corinthians 10:20 (NKJV) Rather, that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice they sacrifice to demons and not to God, and I do not want you to have fellowship with demons.

• You shall have no part with demon worship. Neither should you have any part with false worship in whatever form it takes.

Fellowship

• 2 Corinthians 6:14 (NKJV) Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness?

• As we can easily understand the comparisons of light to darkness, we should understand the difference or comparisons of good and bad.

• When we join ourselves in company with those who are evil or bad, then we are associated with their titles and descriptions.

• It is like going into a saloon and not drinking alcoholic drinks. • If someone sees you going in or coming out, what do you

think that they will assume.

Fellowship

• Ephesians 5:11 (NKJV) And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them.

• This command is violated more often than not. • Because we have worked with and labored

with some for long periods of time, we have built up a friendly relationship.

• But if all of a sudden they start to teach and practice sin, we must expose them.

Fellowship

• We should not start an argument that clouds the truth for the sake of our physical friendship.

• Many brethren have this problem when one turns out to believe or teach false doctrine, however small or minute we might perceive it to be.

• Who are we to decide who we are to fellowship.• God gives us plenty of instructions of what to avoid. • By implication we learn that we are even to avoid

them that practice or teach these things.

Fellowship

• Galatians 2:9 (NKJV) and when James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that had been given to me, they gave me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship, that we should go to the Gentiles and they to the circumcised.

• Compare this with the teaching of 2 John 10-11.• 1 John 1:3 (NKJV) that which we have seen and heard

we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ.

Fellowship

• Fellowship with God and Christ and the Holy Spirit, are equal. • When you fellowship those who have a good spiritual

relationship with God, you are one and the same. • Any relationship that we have with any party of the God-

head, automatically gives us the same relationship with the other parts of the God-head.

• They are one and the same. • If I have a relationship with God and you have a relationship

with God, then we automatically have a relationship with each other.

• 1 Corinthians 3:9 (NKJV) For we are God's fellow workers; you are God's field, you are God's building.

Fellowship

• Definition of the word "fellowship".• 2842. koinonia, koy-nohn-ee'-ah; from G2844;

partnership, i.e. (lit.) participation, or (social) intercourse, or (pecuniary) benefaction:--(to) communicate (-ation), communion, (contri-), distribution, fellowship.

• Let's see how this word is used in scripture. • When we learn how it is used in scripture, then we can

know how we are to use it in our lives and conversations.

• This is needed because many have given the wrong application to the word fellowship.

Fellowship

• 1 Corinthians 1:9 (NKJV) God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

• "were called" is used a lot in scripture. "church" comes from a word (ekklesia) which means the called out.

• We were called out of darkness. • We were called to partake of the heavenly calling.• God calls men everywhere to repent. • We as Christians were called out of the world into His

realm for a purpose.

Fellowship

• Acts 2:42 (NKJV) And they continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers.

• The early church had relationships that indicate cooperative collective actions.

• 2 Corinthians 8:4 (NKJV) imploring us with much urgency that we would receive the gift and the fellowship of the ministering to the saints.

• This gift is the contribution for the needy saints of Jerusalem, which Paul was gathering up to send to them.

Fellowship

• Ephesians 3:9 (NKJV) and to make all see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the ages has been hidden in God who created all things through Jesus Christ;

• The fellowship is the relationship. • The mystery is that which had been unknown or

known only in part. • This outlines that the will of God has been for all men,

everywhere, and at any time or dispensation. • No matter what dispensation a person lived in, they

were still subject to God's eternal purpose.

Fellowship

• Philippians 2:1 (NKJV) Therefore if there is any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and mercy,

• Philippians 3:10 (NKJV) that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death,

Conclusion

• 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.