The Definitive Introduction to Christian Fellowship: Scripture & Commentary

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An Introduction to Fellowship

Of course, the most important evidence is to be found in self-examination. Let the reader ponder their own experience of community, and ask themselves if it has been truly satisfactory. We imagine that for many the resounding answer will be no. It is a sad plight especially when one considers how easily we can communicate with people from all over the world thanks to modern technology. There is much ongoing debate about the means and methods and their overall effects on human community. As yet that debate has failed to provide much practical help for our want of real and lasting connection.

When God announces that Man should not be alone it is for our benefit so that we will appreciate what He is about to do. What he did was create a companion for man, who would be called a woman. See Genesis 2:20-25: “And Adam gave names to all cattle, and to the fowl of the air, and to every beast of the field; but for Adam there was not found an help meet for him. And the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept: and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof; And the rib, which the LORD God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man. And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man. Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh. And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed.”

These acts of creation also saw the formation of the first human community and the most basic component of human society; the family. It is clear that God understands our need for relationships, and that He has a plan to meet those needs. When we understand the fullness of God’s Plan, we will be able to find a meaningful community where we are known and know others in a satisfying way.

Knowing and Being Known; an Invitation to Christian Fellowship

When we speak of knowing and being known we mean something more than casual exchanges about the weather, last night’s game, or that great new restraint that just opened up. These kinds of surface-level conversations have their place, but they are not enough to meet our needs of relationship. We could talk about politics, hobbies, and general goings-on with anyone we happened to meet in a pub: or any other location designed to foster conversations.

We might talk to our neighbors and co-workers about an illness in the family, or how our broken arm is mending. We might even get to the edge of something really impactful, but the nature of these relationships stops us short of fully revealing ourselves.

What we really want is for someone to know us, to see who we really are. We want people to know what is really important to us. We want people who care about what is going on inside of us. We want to be loved and appreciated for who we truly are. Therefore, we want relationships where we can open up and be vulnerable. Because only we when opened up and exposed, receive help and support at the heart level.

But being vulnerable requires tremendous trust, the kind of trust that is difficult to build at a pub, at work, or anywhere that doesn’t have some kind of formal bond. That is, it is only really feasible to expose ourselves when we are bound in community with others through a meaningful understanding of mutual connection. The ties that bind us together form a wall of security around our collective hearts. These ties are covenants such as the vows husbands and wives make to solemnize their union.

The tie that God would bind us together with is called fellowship, and it is a part of His covenant of grace, and a part of every faithful local church’s fundamental existence. Fellowship is the expression of the love of Christ amongst His people. Fellowship is the reality of our relationship with Christ expressed in community with other adopted children of God. Fellowship is best understood through experience. Because fellowship is the single-most profound inter-human relationship that anyone can know, that last claim can be hard to swallow at first, but when we understand how fellowship was formed the claim will ring true.

So come, let us see what wonders God has worked. Let us see what He has done, and what has resulted. Come ye lonely, weary souls, come in welcome.

The Foundation of Fellowship: Christ the Cornerstone

Isaiah 53:67: “All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.”

Editor’s note: Emphasis on “we have turned every one to his own way.

In sin there is no true fellowship; everyone goes their own way. Self-interest and pride form an intractable barrier that allows only so much connection. Even as man’s connection to God is ruined in Genesis 3, so in the same chapter even the one flesh union of husband and wife is cursed. Genesis 4 shows clearly how sin ruins man’s connection with man: even brother to brother. In both cases, the individual seeks first their own way.

In the book Dangerous Calling, author Paul David Tripp says: “The DNA of sin is selfishness. Sin inserts me into the middle of my universe; the one place reserved for God and God alone. Sin reduces my field of concern down to my wants, my needs, and my feelings. Sin really does make it all about me.”

The sinner’s favorite word is my, and it applies to all others. This reduces other people into objects. A soul cannot fully relate to a mere object. They can derive certain satisfactions, but never real companionship as the two are inherently unequal. Now, consider that both sides of the relationship hold this view and all sinful relationships are reduced to gravitational contests wherein both sides try to force the other into orbit around their own mass of self.

We war against each other for dominance, and by dominance security, and by security comfort. That is, the depraved soul is constantly trying at all times to regain what was lost through sin, by sinful means. Sin begets sin and so damages and destroys relationship after relationship all in vain. The damage done becomes an excuse for more sin and more damage.

Common purpose is the bond of earthly relation. This is hampered by sin and also by the frustration of human communication as introduced by God in Genesis 11:7-9 to foil man’s evil ambitions and self-reliance: “Go to, let us go down, and there confound their language, that they may not understand one another’s speech. So the LORD scattered them abroad from thence upon the face of all the earth: and they left off to build the city. Therefore is the name of it called Babel; because the LORD did there confound the language of all the earth: and from thence did the LORD scatter them abroad upon the face of all the earth.”

The difficulty is compounded, and cannot be overcome by men whose combined mass could not undo the curse of sin: bringing only a fresh curse. Let us not lose this lesson, and so lean on our own understanding.

Knowing nothing else, and perhaps despairing that anything more is possible such shams of relationships persist. A lonely life ends in death and the eternal isolation of Hell. Desperation then can further mangle fallen human relationships. It is worth noting that there is no ground here for true forgiveness. A relationship once broken need not be repaired, and might not be repairable. Only self-interest would motivate reconciliation.

A vicious cycle suggests itself in which relationships are broken, haphazardly repaired, and then broken further compounding the damage from each previous break. Damage there must be for everything revolving around the person, all must be taken personally: the force of gravity will see to this. Here now is a hopeless picture of humanity.

It is clear from the most cursory observation that nothing has really changed with the race of Adam since the days of Genesis. None of man’s own solutions have worked. How could they? The gravitational forces involved are simply insufficient to the realignment necessary. The only sufficient mass, the only gravitational pull strong enough must come from a truly transcendent being, that is from God.

See 2 Corinthians 5:14-15, as well as verses 16-20:

• 2 Corinthians 5:14-15: “For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead: And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again.”
• 2 Corinthians 5:16-20: “Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh: yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we him no more. Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God.”

To save us from the wages of sin, God gave a gift of grace. See Romans 6:23: “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”

The gift of grace causes us to see and perceive more clearly shifting our gravitational center to God, and restoring us to a proper relationship with Him. See Romans 5:10: “For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.” There is stability in this right relationship. No longer must we toil and struggle to maintain ourselves against the constant pulling and pushing of others. God holds us fast. See John 6:37,39-40, 10:27-29, 1 Corinthians 1:4-9, and 1 Peter 1:3-5:

• John 6:37: “All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.”
• John 6:39-40: “And this is the Father’s will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day. And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.”
• John 10:27-29: “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand.”
• 1 Corinthians 1:4-9: “I thank my God always on your behalf, for the grace of God which is given you by Jesus Christ; That in every thing ye are enriched by him, in all utterance, and in all knowledge; Even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you: So that ye come behind in no gift; waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall also confirm you unto the end, that ye may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord.”
• 1 Peter 1:3-5: “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.”

There is no force that could defeat this hold. See Romans 8:35-39: “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Notice also God’s hold on a trajectory towards righteousness and glory. So then our identity, our hope, and all else of lasting worth is secured. Thus, being in a relationship with God allows us to hold right relationships with our fellow men. See Matthew 22:36-40: “Master, which is the great commandment in the law? Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.”

See also John 1:12, John 6:53-58, Galatians 3:26, and Galatians 4:5-7:

• John 1:12: “But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:”
• John 6:53-58: “Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you. Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day. For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him. As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father: so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me. This is that bread which came down from heaven: not as your fathers did eat manna, and are dead: he that eateth of this bread shall live for ever.”
• Galatians 3:26: “For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.”
• Galatians 4:5-7: “To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father. Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.”

When we receive the grace of Christ through faith a great many realities instantly apply to our lives. We partake in a true spiritual sense of the broken body and the outpoured blood which alone have accomplished redemption for all those who believe. We regularly affirm our dependence and utter reliance upon the divine sacrifice each time we eat the bread and take the cup of communion. This strong affirmation of the sole sufficiency of Christ’s atoning work is the central tenet of every true Christian’s life. He or she shares that foundational affirmation, that same reliance with every other true Christian and with no one else. We are joined in a common belief in the persona and work of Jesus the Christ the only Son of the Father.

As we have trusted in Christ alone for our salvation, we receive an inputted righteousness giving us restored communion with the thrice holy Trinity. We are forever connected to the life of Christ, and the Love of the Father, through the fellowship and ministry of the Holy Spirit. See John chapters 14, 15, Ephesians 1:13-14, and 2 Corinthians 13:14:

• Ephesians 1:13-14: “In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.”
• 2 Corinthians 13:14: “The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen. The second epistle to the Corinthians was written from Philippi, a city of Macedonia, by Titus and Lucas.”

So every believer has the same life which is from Christ, and the same loving Father in Heaven, as well as the indwelling Holy Spirit. These awesome realities are shared with all believers. See John 15:5, Ephesians 4:6, and 2 Corinthians 1:21-22:

• John 15:5: “I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.”
• Ephesians 4:6: “One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.”
• 2 Corinthians 1:21-22: “Now he which stablisheth us with you in Christ, and hath anointed us, is God; Who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts.”

When we are saved, we instantly receive adoption into the family of God, becoming co-heir of the eternal Kingdom with Christ. See Romans 8:17 and Galatians 4:5-7:

• Romans 8:17: “And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.”
• Galatians 4:5-7: “To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father. Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.”

We have the privileges of children in the household of a loving Father. All believers are brothers and sisters in Christ; a family that shall never cease to be.

The potential of human community has been freed in Christ from the curse of sin. There was more than a restoration accomplished in the death and resurrection, there is a new creation. See 1 Corinthians 15:20, 1 Peter 1:3:

• 1 Corinthians 15:20: “But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept.”
• 1 Peter 1:3: “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,”

In this, we are adopted by God as sons and daughters in Christ. See John 1:12 and Ephesians 1:5:

• John 1:12: “But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:”
• Ephesians 1:5: “Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,”

The Holy Spirit is given as the seal of reality and of the hope of the promises. See 2 Corinthians 1:20-22: “For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us. Now he which stablisheth us with you in Christ, and hath anointed us, is God; Who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts.”

So beloved, we know we have one mediator in Christ, one Father in Heaven, and one Spirit within us. See 1 Timothy 2:5 and Ephesians 1:13:

• 1 Timothy 2:5: “For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;”
• Ephesians 1:13: “In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,”

Beloved, we share these things in common with each other and with all true believers, and these things are greater than all others. This we must recognize as a matter of course, but also as a matter of obedience.

The Holy Spirit through Paul (and others) calls Christians to recognize each other as brothers and sisters in Christ. See Romans 16:16, 1 Corinthians 16:20, 2 Corinthians 13:12, 1 Thessalonians 5:26, and 1 Peter 5:14:

• Romans 16:16: “Salute one another with an holy kiss. The churches of Christ salute you.”
• 1 Corinthians 16:20: “All the brethren greet you. Greet ye one another with an holy kiss.”
• 2 Corinthians 13:12: “Greet one another with an holy kiss.”
• 1 Thessalonians 5:26: “Greet all the brethren with an holy kiss.”
• 1 Peter 5:14: “Greet ye one another with a kiss of charity. Peace be with you all that are in Christ Jesus. Amen.”

Welcoming each other even as Christ has welcomed them. This recognition is the beginning of fellowship; and also, an affirmation and encouragement. The holy kiss mentioned in Romans 16:16, 1 and 2 Corinthians, 1 Thessalonians, and 1 Peter (see above), was a greeting reserved for the closest relations.

Here now you saints of the Lord, is the beginning of true fellowship, which is greater than anything in the world. See John 17:21-23: “That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one: I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me.”

In the book A Puritan’s Gold Treasury, author Thomas Brooks said: “Ah, were their souls fully assured that God had loved them freely, and received them graciously, and justified them perfectly, and pardoned them absolutely, and would glorify them everlastingly, they could not but love where God loves, and own where God owns, and embrace where God embraces, and be one with every one that is one with Jesus.”

As we share Christ in common, we share much else in common. Firstly, we have Christ alone as our Lord. We follow the same Lord, and so in the principle matters we walk in the same way. We have Christ alone as our Savior. Therefore, we have the same Gospel hope. To this, we have received the same Holy Spirit as the seal, and the Helper. We shall arrive at the same Home, to see our Father and worship the only true and living God forever amen. All this we are told in the same Book of Books. We have a common purpose. These ties which bind us together are strong, and they hold us fast as members of one body under Christ. See 1 Corinthians 12:12-13:

• 1 Corinthians 12:12-13: “For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ. For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.”

What is created is much more profound than an activity, or a ministry; something greater than the sums of its parts. Fellowship is not a mere sanctified synonym for friendship. Knowing, and beginning to understand how fellowship is formed we can define the term accurately.

Fellowship Defined

Fellowship is the expression of Christ’s unconditional love for His people, through His people. It is the reality of spiritual relations lived out in community. Fellowship is not a single action but is the context in which activity occurs, and through which ministry is accomplished. To put it most simply, fellowship is life together in Christ.

The fellowship is at once a covenant community, an eternal family, the body of Christ, and His bride. These concepts are universally true, but their expression is immediately visible. Your local church of five-thousand, or five-hundred, or fifty, or even of five is part and partial of these amazing truths!

All of this makes fellowship a good deal larger than what often passes for fellowship amongst us. It becomes so big we are overwhelmed by it. So, It is good to consider the dimension of this context in which we have been divinely placed for our good and God’s glory.

The Heights of True Fellowship: Relationships Approaching Glory

John 1:3: “All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.”

Christian fellowship is elevated towards Heaven to a height that no earthly community can hope to attain. This is seen in Jesus’ high priestly prayer of John 17, in which He seeks oneness among believers as the oneness He knows with the Father. Such perfection as this may be beyond earthly experience due to remaining sin. See 1 John 1:8: “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.”

However, something truly sublime ought to be sought for, and hoped for. If the fellowship is God ordained, Christ accomplished, and Spirit empowered to say we have reached its greatest potential, it is to deny the perfection of God. Beloved we are called further up, and further in. Who then are we to stop short and say it is enough?

Fellowship may attain the loftiest peaks of the Christian’s journey, enhancing those sublime moments to approach the very doorstep of Heaven. Indeed, fellowship here is the foretaste of the heavenly community.

The Depth of True Fellowship: The Heart Connection

In the world, we have friends with whom we can talk about many things. We can talk about sports, family, politics, the weather, and many other things. But could we talk about sin? Could we unload our hurts? Would we hear the Gospel from them? You see we share interests and aspects of our backgrounds and experiences; but only with other Christians do we share Christ.

Christ is all, and in all; He so dramatically alters our lives that it is as though we had no life before Him: indeed, we did not. To share life in Christ is to share more in common than is otherwise possible. If you were to meet a person today whose life was identical in every single detail save that they did not know Christ you have more in common with a Christian who differed in every single detail of life except knowing Christ.

Ah, but there is more to this sharing of Christ. See John 15:12: “This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.”

Christian fellowship is as deep as the love of Christ for us. It descends to the lowest valleys of life, there to help brothers and sisters in their distress and weakness, and to fight against depravity. It lowers itself in humility even as Christ did for us. See Philippians 2:1-11: “If there be therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies, Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others. Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”

If we are to bear one another’s burdens we must get under them no matter how low we must stoop. See Galatians 6:2: “Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.” Implicit in this verse, and in all the verses which deal with such matters is the requirement that we also be humble enough to allow others to bear our burdens. If we refuse this, we disallow their full obedience.

There can be no true fellowship with one who will not confess their sins, though they require others to confess. With one who will be served but who will not serve others there can be no true fellowship. Fellowship only exists as a two-way relationship. Beloved, to some this will be difficult and daunting; but if we walk in this way, we shall find that it is good. Yes, even in confessing sins to one another there is goodness.

Diedrich Bonhoeffer once said: “A man who confesses his sins in the presence of a brother knows that he is no longer alone with himself; he experiences the presence of God in the reality of the other person. As long as I am by myself in the confession of my sins, everything remains in the clear, but in the presence of a brother, the sin has to be brought into the light.”

We see then that true fellowship descends into the deepest and darkest valley of our pilgrimage. Yes, it even extends into the valley of the shadow of death; though the darkness denies us the sight of it. Ah, and here beloved we must understand that fellowship is more than a feeling, it is a truth. Therefore, it does persist even when we have no sensation of it.

The issue with going so deep is that we often get in over our heads. We know how to share, and how to commiserate, but neither of those do much for us on the deepest level. Perhaps that is why we tend to shy away from the depth of true fellowship. However, God has equipped us to go deep, and minister.

In the book Transforming Grace, author Jerry Bridges says: “Don’t just share your struggles, and above all, don’t just commiserate with one another. Remember, we are to be ministers of grace to each other. We are to seek to be avenues of the Holy Spirit to help the other person appropriate the grace of God. Praying with and for one another, sharing applicable portions of Scripture, and helping each other submit to God’s providential dealings with us, must characterize our times together.”

We are joined by the Gospel, and that same Gospel is precisely the help we need at the deepest levels of our being. We get fooled into thinking we must have something innovative and insightful to say, but really it is the same tried and true message that we all need to hear again and again. Believe we have Christ! No one outside of the great fellowship of the Church has Christ. And man needs only Christ to be saved.

In Christ is grace; grace that can wash away the entire stain of sin. Grace that lifts up the downcast, and strengthens the bruised reed. Grace that cuts the ties that bind us to that impossible burden of works righteousness, and sets us free to live as children of God. The world does not know this amazing grace.

Do you see now, how it is that Christian community reaches down to the heart of hearts?

The Breadth of True Fellowship: Who is Included?

Here at last we have a dimension whose scope we might begin to fathom, for fellowship extends only to saints in Christ. While there is a number here, it is one which cannot be counted. It is the full number. See John 6:39: “And this is the Father’s will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day.”

Too often humans have tried to extend the fellowship of Christ beyond the boundaries established in Christ. This is impossible; the blessings like the other gifts of the Holy Spirit cannot be bought or sold. See Acts 8:18-23: “And when Simon saw that through laying on of the apostles’ hands the Holy Ghost was given, he offered them money, Saying, Give me also this power, that on whomsoever I lay hands, he may receive the Holy Ghost. But Peter said unto him, Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money. Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter: for thy heart is not right in the sight of God. Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee. For I perceive that thou art in the gall of bitterness, and in the bond of iniquity.”

There is nothing then to be gained by these attempts, and everything to be lost. For if we make fellowship to extend beyond Christ, then fellowship must be without Christ. Those without Christ will only direct us away from Christ. For this reason, we are expressly commanded to exclude such people from fellowship. See 2 John 1:7-11: “For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist. Look to yourselves, that we lose not those things which we have wrought, but that we receive a full reward. 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.”

On the other hand, we have also excluded those who should be fully included based on all sorts of criteria that have absolutely no bearing on the situation. This sort of wanton discrimination began depressingly early in the history of the Church and was directly addressed by Paul in the book of Galatians. See Galatians 3:27-29: “For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.”

Uniformity creates a severe appearance of community in lockstep. It is pleasing to us because it does not challenge any of our convictions, and details every little aspect of life to create a full appearance of right living reinforced by the rest of comrades. Yet uniformity is not true unity, only the appearance without the substance. As such, uniformity destroys true Christian unity by narrowing the fellowship beyond identification with the historical person and work of Christ. We have more to say about this particular danger later on, but for now, it is enough to see that unity enables, and includes diversity.

So, the breadth of fellowship fully encompasses all who are in Christ. That is a definite number, but it is so nigh to infinity that do not suppose any of us could ever hope to calculate it. We could not number the stars in the night sky, or count the grains of sand on the seashore, and so it is with the children of the promise. See Genesis 22:17: “That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies;”

O Beloved, you are related by a bond thicker than any other to persons of every nation, tribe, tongue, and age. Your kinsmen are of every sort. They were there at every great historical moment. They are spread across the globe even now. Your family is never too far away. O, and so many wait across Jordan to welcome us to our family Home. God has woven us into such a grand and enduring tapestry!

Together we display the glory of His perfection and the wonders of His grace. To our Father alone be all honor and praise forever!

The Length of True Fellowship: Forever Friendships

How long is eternity? That is the proper question to ask here. Death puts an end to the friendships and families of the unsaved, but to the saved, death is only an interruption. There may be other lesser interruptions to fellowship or changes in the intensity of fellowship due to life circumstances such as relocations, however. In light of eternity, these are hardly worth considering; but in this world of trouble such afflictions may well seem great.

Beloved, it is fair to say that fellowship has an end if we look at the immediate situation, but let us strive as we are able by grace through faith to grasp the reality, and so be encouraged as we ought to invest ourselves into true fellowship. The investment shall not fail to pay off. Though we must grieve for a moment, our tears shall soon be dried. See Matthew 5:4: “Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.”

There is never a final goodbye between believers, only a goodnight until the break of a new day.

The Full Necessity of Fellowship: Why Life Together is Mandatory

See 1 John 3:1-3: “Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.”

Perhaps all this talk of heights and depths and breadth and length is all well and good, but is it needed? What is accomplished by this network of brothers and sisters coming together regularly and investing in one another? We might simply say here that fellowship is necessary as it true. It is reality by God’s grace in Christ, for that reality to go unrealized is a partial denial of the truth. Where real fellowship is neglected the Gospel message is incomplete.

That is enough to make fellowship non-negotiable, but God did not create this grand reality of eternal family without a purpose. Remember, it is not good for man or woman, to be alone. In a world that hates all those who follow Christ (John 15:18, 17:14), it is all worse to be isolated. We need community, and God has provided it.

• John 15:18: “If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you.”
• John 17:14: “I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.”

All the benefits of good earthly community may be expected from Christian fellowship enhanced. However, these will be the very least of the goods bestowed. Beloved, we would not have you think we are against fun of the lesser benefits. These are good gifts from God to be had and enjoyed in-season. Fun shall inevitably be found in true fellowship. And where it is found let it be met with gladness and fully enjoyed, but there are better things available here.

The greater benefits are enumerable, and eternal as fellowship when rightly understood is the context in which spiritual growth happens. Now as the life of the Christian is superior than what passed for life before redemption, even as life is superior to death, so too the benefits of Christian fellowship are superior to those of earthly community.

It must be emphasized that these benefits are necessary to the true Christian life just as every member of the body requires every other member in order to carry out the functions of life. See 1 Corinthians 12:21-27: “And the eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee: nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you. Nay, much more those members of the body, which seem to be more feeble, are necessary: And those members of the body, which we think to be less honourable, upon these we bestow more abundant honour; and our uncomely parts have more abundant comeliness. For our comely parts have no need: but God hath tempered the body together, having given more abundant honour to that part which lacked: That there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another. And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it. Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.”

Ephesians 4:11-15 speaks directly to the diversity of gifts within our fellowships, and how that diversity is ordained by God for our good: “And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:”

Beloved, it is like this: if we have an issue with our physical bodies, say in our hand, we go to a doctor. Now, that doctor might send us to another doctor who deals specifically with issues of the musculature, or another who deals with nerves, and all three will likely have the assistance of nurses, radiologists, and administrators. This is how it is in churches when we have an issue; there are different people who provide different expertise and assistance. So the full benefit of fellowship is found in the full fellowship.

Added to these individual benefits are communal benefits. True fellowship works to erase divisions from the local church, as we are focused on what is central and shared more than what is not. That is, true fellowship reinforces right perspectives. All of this then aids the great commission. Firstly, it removes the implicit denial of the very Gospel that we are meant to proclaim.

Thomas Manton once said: “Divisions in the church always breed atheism in the world.”

Fellowship implicitly supports the mission of the Gospel as it testifies to the truth of its claims and promises. The great commission is given in fellowship and is to be carried out in fellowship. Truly, it is only possible to accomplish that great commission in fellowship.

So, any obstacle to fellowship is an obstacle to the witness of the local church. Where fellowship is hindered much good is lost, and much more is at risk. Therefore, we ought to know what these obstacles are so we can be on guard against them.

The Place of True Fellowship: Making Space to Live Together

Having examined the dimension of fellowship one might wonder what place could possibly contain such a wondrous robust reality. Of course, only Heaven might know its fullness, but here on earth we have the foretaste, and that must be housed somewhere and somewhen.

The practice of assigning fellowship to a time and a place within the context of the church is hopeless. The subject simply cannot be compacted to fit the allotted space, so it must be cut up till a small enough piece is made to fit the space allotted. So, the space determines the definition, and not the definition of the space. This is backward thinking, which needs to be turned right around.

Fellowship rightly considered, extends into everything the church does. Fellowship is not so much something a church does as it is the context in which the church does everything else. There may be a designated time in which building and maintaining fellowship is the sole focus, but these are never to be the only times of fellowship. In order to clarify the point, let us see how fellowship exists during other regular activities of the church.

Prayer is an expression of fellowship. This is true even of private prayer as we pray to the same Father, in the same name of Christ, and with the help of the same Spirit. In prayer, we express our common aim. In prayer, we bear one another’s burdens. So then in prayer fellowship is profoundly realized. Prayer meetings are a wonderful form of fellowship that must not be neglected.

The song service is an exercise in fellowship. See Colossians 3:16: “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.” The act of singing most profoundly accomplishes the purpose of fellowship as set forth in Hebrews 10:24-25 when rightly understood and practiced: “And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.”

Here everyone is commanded to contribute to the affirmation of truth, each one ministering to the others and being ministered to by them.

The preaching involves fellowship. In the preaching all present receive the same Word from Scripture, eating of the bread of life and drinking the living water as a feast. Each one is active in taking in the word, and that activity has an effect on the others around. Where congregations affirm the truth of the sermons with appropriate expressions the effect and the feeling of the fellowship is made more evident and more powerful.

There is an excellent illustration of this in Nehemiah 8; 1-12 where all the people come together with single-minded intent on hearing God’s words, and then together respond to God’s words first with brokenness, and then as exhorted with rejoicing and celebration.

The preaching encourages and nourishes fellowship. This is so no matter the passage or topic covered in the sermon. So long as Scripture is preached, fellowship is doubly enhanced – first, in that the congregation has received the same truth. Secondly, the congregation in that same received truth has seen commonalities. All good preaching shall point to Christ, and it is Christ that we are joined together.

It is for this reason that Paul commands greeting after having exposited the Gospel message to the churches. It is immediately after such Gospel instruction that souls are best able to appreciate, express, and enjoy true fellowship. And indeed, the fellowship has already been enjoyed and has only achieved a direct expression.

We are beginning to see here a direction in fellowship. That is in fellowship we are meant to be going somewhere. It is now time to look towards that goal.

The Object of True Fellowship

Hebrews 10:24:25: “And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.”

Fellowship has a definite aim. It is a means to the end of sanctification. Christ then is in the fellowship, and working through the fellowship to His good purpose by the ministry of the Holy Spirit. The implication of John 15:5 in our discussion is that when branches gather the life of the True Vine is abundantly present, and where that life is present fruit is produced. See John 15:5: “I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.”

Now then beloved, we ought to love fellowship for the love of Christ. Where Christ is not found well might we be found weeping for, as it says in John 20:13: “they have taken away my Lord, and I know not where they have laid him.”

Christ is best of all, the source of true life without whom we can do nothing. See Romans 8:32: “He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?” Therefore, whatever is of Christ, that is whatever causes us to abide in Him, must always be preferable to that which is without Christ. Now if we abide in Christ, we will bear fruit in evidence.

Therefore, the true measure of fellowship is edification, which is of lasting value. This right measure, pointing us to the right objective will enable us to rightly appreciate fellowship not only as good but necessary to the Christian life and ministry. It is commanded for our good that we assemble ourselves together. The command is enough to deny any thoughts of total autonomy.

John Wesley once said: “The Bible knows nothing of solitary religion.”

Apart from fellowship, the faith becomes blurred and ill-defined. Progress is nigh impossible to measure, and direction is very hard to check. Taken together, the difficulties of being entirely alone on the pilgrimage show us that entirely alone there is no pilgrimage at all. Now this is plain by the command which is here discarded for one cannot follow Christ in disobedience, and if one is obedient, he has fellowship with the saints. See 1 John 1:7: “But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.”

The Price of True Fellowship

John 15:13: “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.”

Fellowship is inconvenient. See Hebrews 10:25 and Acts 2:46:

• Hebrews 10:25: “Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.”
• Acts 2:46: “And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart,”

Explicitly and implicitly, fellowship is a matter of physical proximity. This is to be expected as humans are physically oriented beings. God formed flesh before imparting the soul, so that man has never existed incorporeally. See Genesis 2:7: “And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.”

In dealing with man, God has used other men or physical manifestation leading to ultimate revelation in the embodiment of the Son. See John 1:14: “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.”

Some may argue that technological advances have overcome the need for physical proximity, but 3 John 13-14, as well as the passages cited above, and others, argue against this idea: “I had many things to write, but I will not with ink and pen write unto thee: But I trust I shall shortly see thee, and we shall speak face to face. Peace be to thee. Our friends salute thee. Greet the friends by name.”

Technology may assist, but it can never replace physical gathering. At best, communication technology hinders two-way communication which is essential in true fellowship. At worst, technology creates a one-way communication, which is no fellowship at all: it also promotes a selfish distortion of the entire Church.

It is far too easy to escape the more difficult and uncomfortable aspects of fellowship behind a screen.

The hassle of getting up, getting dressed, and arriving at a building are minor inconveniences in comparison to the price of investing time and energy into other people. These costs are not consistent. At times one might receive more than they give, at other times they might be asked to give more than they receive. Equity is not guaranteed. To this must be added the costs of living and working in community with flawed people. Hurt people will inevitability hurt people: if unintentionally.

People will always let you down, and that will always be difficult to bear. The closer you let someone get the more severely they can wound you. All this to say in fellowship we still live with people afflicted with sin. See 1 John 1:8: “He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light.”

Getting to gatherings is only the beginning of our responsibilities. There are numerous one-another commands throughout the New Testament which together form the binding agreement of fellowship. The sacrifices of carrying out these commands are very real and very practical. We see the reality of fellowship shaping the economy of believers from the very beginning of the church. See Acts 2:44 and Galatians 6:10:

• Acts 2:44: “And all that believed were together, and had all things common;”
• Galatians 6:10: “As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.”

Later on in Acts, we see various churches contributing financially to the relief of the church in Jerusalem. The entire letter to Philippians is written to thank that church for its financial support of the apostle Paul. Our faith family is family. We should no more tolerate the suffering of a worthy brother or sister in Christ than we would tolerate the same in our earthly families. We must be ready to provide such help as we are able to those we have fellowship with in Christ. The help we provide should always be a hand-up, and not merely a handout. We should be genuinely seeking the best for our fellow believers. That is to say, it is better to give a man a job than to give him a hundred dollars.

Fellowship in the end will require us at various times and in various ways to lay down our lives. We do this for Christ, in obedience to His command John 15:12: remembering He did no less for us. See verse: “Then asked they him, What man is that which said unto thee, Take up thy bed, and walk?”

We do this out of love for our brothers and sisters as well. Remembering that apart from love all is wasted according to 1 Corinthians 13. It is good to be reminded of this for as should be clear now, fellowship is not always fun. Indeed, we might experience the best fellowship and have no fun at all. If fun and enjoyment are the measures true fellowship shall always be found wanting.

But we have learned a better measure and a truer goal, and so we find the scales tilted the other way. For even the cost is redeemed to the greater good; as all of these costs help us to properly value the faith family. Moreover, they cause one to lean more heavily upon Christ. We must also remember that what goes around also comes around. What we give in fellowship we also receive from fellowship. In these ways, the costs are distributed, and bearable.

Sadly, there are always some who have not learned that it is more blessed to give than to receive, and who make a living off of presuming upon the generosity and goodwill of others. That is not a Christian lifestyle. Indeed, Paul had stern words for those who were unwilling to work. See 2 Thessalonians 3:10-12: “For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat. For we hear that there are some which walk among you disorderly, working not at all, but are busybodies. Now them that are such we command and exhort by our Lord Jesus Christ, that with quietness they work, and eat their own bread.”

Of course, the needs of family members go well beyond the fiscal and material. We all need emotional support, accountability, instruction, encouragement, and correction. We cannot throw money at every problem. Indeed, one of the surest ways of dismantling fellowship is to pay someone else to assume the responsibility of caring. It is easy to make the church staff the hub of the wheel of our congregation with everyone connected to them, and the few entirely supporting the needs of the many. We pay these people, and they are trained for the work, and they have nothing else to do; so, let them handle all that messy stuff while we attend to the rest of our lives.

Sounds good, doesn’t it?

Yet, when we neglect our own ministry to our faith family, we lose out. We lose opportunities to see God work, and even to have God work through us. We lose opportunities to build relationships that would bring us much joy. We lose out on the good when we do not do the work. At the same time, the little red hens on our payroll get burned out from doing it all themselves. When the hub fails the whole wheel collapses, and we are left with a much bigger mess than the one we sought to avoid in the first place.

Look at it this way, a minister is simply someone who ministers. Now, we are all called to minister to one another, See Galatians 6:2: “Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.”

A church may only have one pastor, but it has as many ministers as it has members. The true work of a pastor is to equip us for our own ministry. It is really a beautiful thing when it works as God planned it. There are many hands ready for the work and so the work is light.

Perhaps the greatest cost true fellowship entails is our own comfort. When we care for someone, when we love them, we get involved with uncomfortable areas of life. There are trifling annoyances and devastating sins; there are little hangups, and full emotional breakdowns we must be there for. And others will be present to witness our flaws, faults, and failures as well. In close community we are vulnerable.

And we have to be vulnerable in order to have meaningful relationships. Indeed, we have to open ourselves up to the sting of conviction in order to really belong to a gathering of believers. Recall that we gather for the purpose of sanctification, and that process naturally involves corrections, even rebuke, as we are conformed to the image of Christ.

In Galatians, we hear how Paul confronted and reproved Peter, and in Acts we see Priscilla and Aquilla correcting and instructing Apollos. We must be hungry and thirsty for righteousness to the extent that our desire to improve in Christlikeness outweighs any thoughts of image. We should be concerned first with the plank in our own eye, and then with the spec in our brother’s or sister’s.

See Matthew 7:1-5: “Judge not, that ye be not judged. For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again. And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye? Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother’s eye.”

About now some of you may have that tingling sensation that indicates danger. The whole situation, wonderful as it may be, seems ripe for the most destructive kind of exploitation. There is always risk in relationships as we know, and as the relationships multiply the risk increases. We guard our families from bad actors and evil influences; our family also needs protection. As with every need of our beloved, God has provided a way. Let us give our attention to His good provision now.

Protecting our Fellowship: Creating a Safe Place to Live Together

As we have seen, fellowship involves serious vulnerability. That vulnerability is necessary if we are going to build one another up in faith as Christ commands. What if that is not our intent? What if instead of fostering our brother and sister’s faith we were instead out to subvert it? What if we dismiss the plank in our eye, and focus our time and energy on performing spec removal surgery while we are at least half blind?

When a contrary purpose appears inside the fellowship, the vulnerability of that fellowship is ripe for exploitation. We have touched on the danger before, but now it is time to fully explore them, and see how we might protect our faith families from them. See 2 Peter 2:1-3: “But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of. And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not.”

The Word of God is quite clear that infiltration of fellowship is unavoidable. There will be false teachers who will use every kind of deception to mislead, misdirect, and misappropriate the local church. A lot of folks will follow these false teachers into all sorts of misconduct. This will hurt our congregations as they are weakened just as the body infected with cancer is weakened.

The division and confusion will result in misunderstanding a misrepresentation. Worse of all, a number of people claiming to follow Christ will be clearly seen following something else. All of this will set back the church’s mission as resources are lost or diverted, reputation is tarnished, and testimony is compromised.

The souls within the church will be embroiled in conflict, brother will be against brother, and sister against sister. There will be significant emotional and spiritual damage as relationships are broken and doubts are raised. The environment of conflict within a church is ripe for spiritual abuse of every kind from every direction. Beloved, once the fires of strife have been lit, they are not easily extinguished.

Now with all this severe language one might naturally think the danger is in first-order doctrinal disagreement. However, even the most trifling disagreement has the potential to unleash great harm. We often become false teachers inadvertently while trying to defend some minor position that holds significance only because of our pride. Our irrational insistence makes little things appear big, and the bigger they become the smaller Christ appears. See Philippians 4:2-3: “I beseech Euodias, and beseech Syntyche, that they be of the same mind in the Lord. And I intreat thee also, true yokefellow, help those women which laboured with me in the gospel, with Clement also, and with other my fellowlabourers, whose names are in the book of life.”

In order to avoid the pitfall of prideful stubbornness over little matters we must agree from the outset on the primary concern. That is, we must determine that we are here to seek Christ and His Kingdom and that everything else shall be subordinated to this overriding goal. So, in the case of the two women at Philippi, they need to submit their dispute to Christ, or else leave them behind to follow Christ. When we disagree on something let us turn to Scripture, and to prayer, and to wise counsel to seek God’s will in the matter.

Once we have discovered God’s will, no matter how it relates to our will, let us do what God requires gladly knowing it is best.

Now, this agreement is not something to be taken lightly. We cannot assume it is understood by everyone who asks to join us. We cannot presume it is agreed to by every new member. The agreement needs to be explicitly communicated and affirmed. The covenant should be read by, explained, and signed by every new member so that everyone understands what is required and can be held accountable for that commitment.

At this point, some will enthusiastically object that covenant membership is not taught in Scripture. In one sense that is true, there is no passage that plainly shows the apostles registering new believers, and getting their signatures on the covenant. Nor are there explicit instruction on how to go about doing this. However, there are many passages that warrant covenant membership.

First, there are the matters of submission to and responsibility of pastors/elders. See Acts 20:28, 1 Thessalonians 5:12, Hebrews 13:17, and 1 Peter 5:1-4:

• Acts 20:28: “Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.”
• 1 Thessalonians 5:12: “And we beseech you, brethren, to know them which labour among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you;”
• Hebrews 13:17: “Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you.”
• 1 Peter 5:1-4: “The elders which are among you I exhort, who am also an elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed: Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind; Neither as being lords over God’s heritage, but being ensamples to the flock. And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.”

Clearly, those who submit to a particular authority should formally identify themselves as being under that authority so that the authority is aware of those they are responsible for. Secondly, we see in 1 Corinthians 5:1-13, along with 2 John 10, as well as other passages that teach us that church discipline involves putting people out of fellowship, and there is no practical way of doing this if there is no practical way of being inducted into fellowship:

• 2 John 1:10: “If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed:”

Finally, there are passages like that mentioned above from Philippians 4 and Romans 16 which indicate a definite membership. God is a God of order and is not served by chaos. See 1 Corinthians 14:33: “For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints.”

The great concern, and the heart of it is good, is that a covenant membership will keep people out of the churches. The answer to this concern is twofold; firstly, it is not necessary to be a member of a church to attend that church (more on this in a moment); and second, there are some people we really do want to keep out.

It is a wonderful thing when new believers join our faith family, but an utterly insignificant thing when membership numbers go up. I hope the distinction will be clear. We want people to know Christ, and if they know Christ the covenant of membership should not be a major obstacle. Making membership easy might give us greater numbers, but it is yet to be seen how it actually helps the mission of the Gospel.

Now, the covenant membership is not a closed circle in which we shun outsiders and interact only with fellow members. The local church is a defined group of people, but all those people belong to other groups as well. This should be encouraged as the means of evangelism. Covenant membership is not a demand that one only associates with this group to the exclusion of all others.

Fellowship is not the all-consuming community which plucks us away from every other. Fellowship is the primary community that supports us as we live in lesser community with non-believers reaching them by our words and deeds through relationships. We would say it this way, “I am first a follower of Christ, a member of Faithful Fellowship Church, who lives and works in Someplace USA.”

Well, we have created a place; a safe place to live together in Christ. Life, however, is challenging even when it is well provided for and guarded. These challenges too must be faced and overcome by grace if we are to enjoy all that God intends in our communities of faith. Otherwise, all we have worked for will be lost in the realities of fallen human interactions.

The Faults in our Fellowship: Salvaging the Best of Intentions from Reality

As Christian fellowship is in Christ, as it is a profound realization of the Gospel, as it is essential to the spread of that Gospel; and as Satan hates Christ and His Gospel; it follows that Satan must hate fellowship. Therefore, we must expect that he shall do all he can against true fellowship.

C. H. Spurgeon said: “Satan always hates Christian fellowship; it is his policy to keep Christians apart. Anything which can divide saints from one another he delights in. He attaches far more importance to godly intercourse than we do. Since union is strength, he does his best to promote separation.”

It is quite logical that every predator looks to separate the individual from the rest of the flock as a lone individual is much more vulnerable. Satan is the alpha predator and is out to devour whomever he can. See 1 Peter 5:8: “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:” Ignoring the presence of the demonic predators gives them just the opportunity they want.

Satan gets a lot of help from our remaining sin. Sin is the greatest obstacle to true fellowship, for it interrupts our right fellowship with God, and so with our brothers and sisters. See Psalm 32:4: “For day and night thy hand was heavy upon me: my moisture is turned into the drought of summer. Selah.”

It sets us contrary to the saints as it does to their Lord. Unrepentant sin is a danger to the whole faith family, and for this reason those who persist in such sin must be put outside the fellowship. See Matthew 18:15-20 and 1 Corinthians 5:13:

• Matthew 18:15-20: “Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother. But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established. And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as a heathen man and a publican. Verily I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven. For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.”
• 1 Corinthians 5:13: “But them that are without God judgeth. Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person.”

Exalting any other identifying mark, real or imagined, equal to or above Christ, will disrupt fellowship. To do this denounces the worthiness of Christ, and the effectiveness of His death and resurrection for it makes it all secondary. It explicitly denies Scripture. So, in every way it rejects the true foundation of fellowship and exchanges the lesser for the greater.

The same feat can be accomplished through the elevation of secondary and lesser doctrines to the first order of importance. Paul warns against worthless speculations, cautioning that they will disrupt fellowship in Titus 3:9, 1 Timothy 1:4, 2 Timothy 2:16-23:

• Titus 3:9: “But avoid foolish questions, and genealogies, and contentions, and strivings about the law; for they are unprofitable and vain.”
• 1 Timothy 1:4: “Neither give heed to fables and endless genealogies, which minister questions, rather than godly edifying which is in faith: so do.”
• 2 Timothy 2:16-23: “But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness. And their word will eat as doth a canker: of whom is Hymenaeus and Philetus; Who concerning the truth have erred, saying that the resurrection is past already; and overthrow the faith of some. Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity. But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some to honour, and some to dishonour. If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master’s use, and prepared unto every good work. Flee also youthful lusts: but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart. But foolish and unlearned questions avoid, knowing that they do gender strifes.”

As our unity is found in the Gospel, it follows that anything that distracts and detracts from it will also work against fellowship: even as true fellowship works towards the Gospel.

Both of these disasters can arise from a serious and well-intentioned emphasis on being exact to the point of being exacting. Doctrinal precision is good, witch hunts are not. The difference between these two is love. If we love someone, we gently correct, if we are apathetic towards them, we attack. When one person is attacking and another is defending you do not have fellowship, but a fight. In fellowship, both parties work together to grow in wisdom and knowledge.

Dissolving or undermining physical gathering absolutely destroys any true fellowship. As we have seen, technology cannot provide an adequate substitute for physical gathering. Distorted Biblical practices in the services likewise undermine fellowship. This very often happens in song services where the individual is encouraged to be alone with God, rather than together with God. This is the height of foolishness asking those together to be alone. Rather let us be together when we are together, and alone when we are alone for there is a time and season for both as God ordains.

The tendency to form cliques makes our congregation into a collection of smaller congregations. I am sure many, if not most of us, have seen the issues cliques can cause first-hand. There should be no impermeable barriers within the congregation of true believers as it flies in the face of the teaching of unity. They are specific systems within the body; they intermingle and cooperate in order to sustain life. Dissolving cliques is very difficult. Preventing cliques is also difficult. I believe the only answer is a widespread determination by members to welcome everyone into the circle, and not to hold their group as entity onto itself.

Another great obstacle to fellowship is our past experiences of hurt and harm. Likely all of us have been burned in fellowship before, some badly enough that we still carry the scars. We get understandably reluctant to expose ourselves again. Jesus too was burned by His followers: betrayed by one, denied by another, and abandoned by the rest. Our Lord is well acquainted with the hurt we feel. That helps ease the pain some, but it does not make rejoining fellowship easy.

Much like the who, we are determined not to get fooled again. So we hold ourselves apart, aloof as we watch and wait to see if these people can really be trusted. I suppose we would wait and watch for the rest of our lives because people are always going to let us down.

Looking to people to be better is a recipe for disappointment as we sideline ourselves from the life of the body. Beloved, there is far too much that happens in our human relationships under the awful curse of sin, and the agony when the people of God fall short can be incredibly deep. There is nothing in this or any other writing that could handle such injuries. Anything I write is going to sound too simple and easy for what you might be feeling even now. So before I say what I am going to say let me urge the benefit of one-on-one counseling.

Working with a gifted man or woman of God who can walk through the painful past with you, and help you to see the way forward, is very helpful.

Beloved, we cannot trust men entirely, but we can trust God without reserve. We can trust God to watch over us and to be there with hands of comfort and healing when we are hurt. We can trust that He will somehow redeem the evil that was done for the greater good. See Genesis 50:20 and Romans 8:28:

• Genesis 50:20: “But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive.”
• Romans 8:28: “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.”

God never ceases to call us to fellowship with other like-minded believers, He doesn’t give sick notes to excuse us, so we must trust His command is right for us and go back in to join ourselves to the body. It is going to take some time, and some effort; but it will be worth both.

We must understand that God has called us to and entered us into unity; not uniformity. We share the essentials of the faith, the core truths that comprise the Gospel and are necessary for salvation, but in lesser issues of belief and practice, we are at liberty to differ under the authority of Scripture. We all must acknowledge the supreme authority of God’s inspired, inerrant, infallible word, but we may differ on whether or not to partake of some wine.

We all have to believe that Jesus the Christ was fully God and fully man in one person, but we do not all have to believe that going to the movies is sin. Uniformity is comfortable as it erases many questions from our lives, and allows us to go on unchallenged in the way that seems right to us. However, apart from those challenges we seldom grow in our understanding.

So there is one threat to fellowship that warrants particular attention, especially in the moment of this writing. It is a threat that disguises itself cleverly; so cleverly it often goes entirely undetected even as it completely upends the whole structure of the church. I pray God will help us to discern rightly as we examine this evil.

The Tyranny of the Weaker Brother

Suppose your congregation has been blessed with a huge supply of bacon, and has decided to hold a special bacon breakfast for the whole church to enjoy. This is wonderful! Everyone loves bacon! What a great time to encourage fellowship and enjoy some good food at the same time. However, one couple is troubled. These poor souls have had a rough time of it growing up in an abusive cult funded by legalism, and are only now beginning to understand the grace of God. They have read in the mosaic law that we should not eat bacon, and the cult they were in used pigs for their ceremonies. They feel eating the bacon, and even being around it, is morally wrong.

Well, everyone else has no qualms whatsoever with the bacon having read and understood Acts 10:13: “And there came a voice to him, Rise, Peter; kill, and eat.” The elders patiently explain that passage to the troubled couple and also assure them that they will not be asked to eat the meat or even to attend the breakfast if it offends them. The couple is not satisfied, to them this pig flesh is a representation of evil, and they cannot understand how their church could allow it in the building. They want it gone, and that is the end of it. What should be done here?

If the church enjoys the bacon these dear souls may be deeply hurt. Wouldn’t it be better than just to get rid of the bacon?

Paul addresses this exact issue in Romans 14. In this chapter, the Apostle Paul carefully draws out a balanced approach with two important observations. Firstly, such concerns are easily overlooked as they simply don’t occur to stronger saints: or to careless ones. Second, as Paul rightly points out in Romans 14:3 and 13: contempt and judgementalism lead us to dismiss such concerns and demand the conscience of these souls be subject to our own rather than to Christ. See verses:

• Romans 14:3: “Let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not; and let not him which eateth not judge him that eateth: for God hath received him.”
• Romans 14:13: “Let us not therefore judge one another any more: but judge this rather, that no man put a stumblingblock or an occasion to fall in his brother’s way.”

Even Paul, an apostle, though convinced all things are clean to eat (see verse 14), still requires consideration of the weaker position: “I know, and am persuaded by the Lord Jesus, that there is nothing unclean of itself: but to him that esteemeth any thing to be unclean, to him it is unclean.” If we fail here, it is said that we destroy a soul for whom Christ died. See verse 15: “But if thy brother be grieved with thy meat, now walkest thou not charitably. Destroy not him with thy meat, for whom Christ died.”

In these verses, Paul deals explicitly with food offered to idols and in a broader sense the Mosaic laws and sabbath days, but the principle applies in any arena of temptation. Beloved, do not discount a possible temptation as having no cause for concern. Recall in the story of David and Bathsheba the first fault appears quite minor, but it leads down a path of spectacular ruination. Dear brothers and sisters, Christ has done this much for each of us, and so we should do no less for each other. See Romans 15:1-2: “We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves. Let every one of us please his neighbour for his good to edification.”

So, then in matters where the Bible allows different views, let us each keep our own conscience and withhold condemnation.

In the end, all must be subject to Christ and allowed whatever freedom is theirs in Christ. So, in our example, we cannot disallow the eating of bacon because Christ has allowed it. We disallow open veneration of a pig as such idolatry is expressly forbidden throughout Scripture. We do not want to offend our brother or sister, but there is only so much we can do for them before we begin to make idols of their consciences.

We might cancel the meal as an official fellowship, and either open the facility for the private use of members who wish to come and have bacon, or simply give the bacon away for families in the congregation to use as they see fit.

Ultimately, we want this couple to grow strong enough to accept bacon in fellowships with the rest of their brethren. We want our entire faith family to be conformed to the Scriptures. We want everyone to enjoy the full range of freedom in Christ.

Our example is a bit silly, and also a bit simplistic. When it comes to bacon the Bible has spoken clearly. There are many other issues that are not so cut and dry as this one. We might go immediately to the classic color of the carpet scenario, or we could consider proper church attire, or whether the church should have a Christmas tree, the list of possible issues contains everything we could have an opinion on.

It is very important to note that opinions, be they ever so strong, are not divine decrees. We may build up the wearing of suits to Sunday services to be a moral conviction, but that does not make jeans and t-shirts a sin. Perhaps for us, it is, but that is our own position. We are not the lawgiver, God alone is. Therefore, whether our position is more closed, or more open when we try to make it a universal law we are overstepping, and no good can come from that.

The strong work overtly, it is easy to see a muscular bully abusing his power to get his way. We naturally look for that kind of abuse. The weak on the other hand are not so readily suspected. The Christian faith is tinder towards the weak, and rightly so. We are called to uplift and protect the abused and neglected. When we do we follow in Christ’s steps. Here is where the danger presents itself. See Matthew 7:15: “Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.”

Beloved, sheep are weak, and the weaker the sheep the less threatening. It follows that the most effective disguise for any wolf is that of the weaker brother. From the guarded position of the victim, all sorts of accusations, rumors, and lies can spread with near impunity. If a wolf is caught in a lie, they simply plead their bruised heart, their lack of understanding, or their weaker conviction. Anyone who opposes them runs the risk of being seen as an uncaring bully. If the presented weakness aligns with the moral inclination of the congregation, a single weak soul can dominate.

If the weaker brother wolf is resisted, they can play the victim on their way out in order to hurt those who did not bow to them. They will go on to another place where they will use this latest defeat as part of their disguise. It is very sad to see someone playing upon the goodwill of God’s people for the sake of their own comfort in having their way.

There are a number of wolves out there parading as injured sheep, but that does not mean that every weaker brother is out to get us. Our Lord tells us in Matthew 7:16 that we can recognize the wolves by their fruits: “Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?”

A brother who is truly weak will seek to recover and be strengthened again. A wolf will not want to grow strong; they want to be weak. A wolf uses the position of weakness to sow discord and division. A truly weak brother or sister will not want to divide the church. Wolves destroy, true sheep do not.

We love everyone, even our enemies. See Matthew 5:43-48: “Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same? And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so? Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.”

We love the weak by helping them to recover, and we love the flock by protecting them. We love the wolves by opposing them, confronting them in their attacks, and correcting them in their errors with patience and kindness. There are a few practical measures that need to be in place to catch the weak and the wolves: lessons I learned too late:

1. Never conduct any visit, or meeting with anyone without two or three witnesses from different families. If you are visiting with a woman, have at least a trusted woman with you: it would be best to have two or three women from different families.
2. Have a prescribed method of resolving conflicts. This method should clearly elevate the Word of God as the Will of God and should emphasize unity under God.
3. Be clear at all times, and with all people that the local church is not about pleasing man, but pleasing God. That sounds pretty obvious, but it is surprising how easily the message can be muddled.
4. Remember that Christ suffered without crying out, and follow His example. It is very likely that you will come under some kind of attack, and while you can defend yourself you cannot counter-attack. If you are defeated at least, you will have a clear conscience before God.

Beloved, the Lord is near to the brokenhearted, and He will not crush a bruised reed or snuff out smoking flax. In an age where people will not endure sound doctrine, it is very difficult to keep the wolves at bay, while still reaching out to help those who are truly in need.

We may all be victims at some point, but we do not have to remain as such. Remember in Christ there is healing, growth, and improvement. Let us pray to improve in wisdom that we might rightly handle our weaker brothers and the wolves who mask themselves as such. Whatever we do let us do it for the right reason. That is a sure sign that we are His sheep and not ravenous wolves. See 1 Corinthians 10:31: “Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.”

Considerations for True Fellowship

Like all else, Christian fellowship must exist within the confines of Scripture. As we have said already, fellowship must be practiced in accordance with and not contrary to the Bible. Fellowship must not be abused as an excuse for promoting unbiblical ideas, attitudes, or actions. Serious consideration is here requirement. As it is written in Romans 14:19: “Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another.”

It is well known that food is a great catalyst for fellowship. We have fellowship without food all the time during our services, so one should not think that fellowship only happens around a fully loaded table. That said, we all have to eat, and if we eat together, we can fill our souls as we fill our bodies. There are a number of ways of accomplishing the redemption of meal times for the furtherance of fellowship.

One idea I am particularly fond of is simply opening up the church’s facilities for families to bring their lunch after Sunday morning services. If your church is located near businesses you could even open the facilities on weekdays for those who want to gather on their lunch breaks.

When it comes to fellowship meals one is absolutely essential, the Lord’s supper. This ordinance remembers the sacrifice of the body and blood of Jesus which not only saves us from sin but also binds us together. We take it together as directed for the reinforcement of our Gospel understanding, commitment, and reliance.

See 1 Corinthians 11:20-34: “When ye come together therefore into one place, this is not to eat the Lord’s supper. For in eating every one taketh before other his own supper: and one is hungry, and another is drunken. What? have ye not houses to eat and to drink in? or despise ye the church of God, and shame them that have not? What shall I say to you? shall I praise you in this? I praise you not. For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, That the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread: And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me. After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me. For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord’s death till he come. Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup. For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body. For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep. For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged. But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world. Wherefore, my brethren, when ye come together to eat, tarry one for another. And if any man hunger, let him eat at home; that ye come not together unto condemnation. And the rest will I set in order when I come.”

We need to appreciate the communal nature of the ordinance. Our pastors and leaders should take care to draw out the togetherness of this ordinance for us.

There is more to fellowship than food. We shouldn’t need food as an incentive to bring us together with our fellow believers. If food is all we come for, then food is all we will get, and we will lose out on the better provision available as did the crowds in John 6. All this to say when it comes to fellowship there is a time for feasting and a time for fasting together.

Praying together is one time when fasting could be very helpful. I wish to urge that the ministry of corporate prayer be prioritized by everyone. We spend a lot of time in our congregation bemoaning the deplorable state of the world without, and precious little time praying about it earnestly. We spend a good amount of time sharing our personal struggles, and a smaller amount taking them to God for one another. If in prayer we carry the great burdens to the foot of our Father to leave them in His care, then when we pray together there are more shoulders on that load.

These are the shoulders of family going towards Home, a joyous gathering that gives comfort simply by being as it is: just as being at our earthly home comforts us.

Prayer is a work and any good work undertaken together will strengthen our relationships with one another. It is easy to shift the mundane tasks that keep our churches going onto a few shoulders, or even to hire out the work. Sometimes that may be necessary, but as often as we can we should seek to have our faith family come together to complete the tasks. Whether the tasks are cleaning and repairing or evangelizing, it is better when we do it together.

You might be wondering how there could be enough time in your busy schedule for all this. Sometimes there simply won’t be. Not every member should be expected to show up every time the doors are open: including pastors, ministers, and other leaders.

We should not run ourselves ragged trying to do it all, but we should be committed to doing what we can regularly. If we are too busy to do more than attend a few regular services a month, we are too busy. In life, we all have to have priorities as we only have so much time. If we do not spend time in fellowship, it is because we do not consider it worthy of taking priority. There are a lot of reasons we might feel this way, but I pray through these words you have found a reason to reconsider.

Further Reading

Quite a few books have been penned on the subject of fellowship. They come in all shapes and sizes. Here are a few that might be particularly helpful:

Life Together: The Classic Exploration of Christian Community by Dietrich Bonhoeffer

An acknowledged classic of the field and often the go-to resource for studies on fellowship. The German pastor wrote from practical experience which lends the work a compelling rooting in real life. As the title implies, the work seeks to be comprehensive, and though it is not overly long, it largely succeeds, at least in this reviewer’s opinion. I would say it is helpful to know something of Bonhoeffer’s biography before embarking on this read as having that background will illuminate some passages in the work.

Spiritual Disciplines Within the Church: Participating Fully in the Body of Christ by Donald S. Whitney

This is a practical handbook for the activities of fellowship. The foremost expert in spiritual disciplines today delivers an insightful exploration of a range of disciplines from the familiar, to the lesser known. At the very least this proves a helpful reference for churchgoers seeking to understand their roles in regular services and special events of the local gathering. It may prove a source of inspiration to grow the life of the local church through new activities and a new understanding of old ones.

Caring for One Another: 8 Ways to Cultivate Meaningful Relationships by Edward T. Welch

This is a very quick read with very direct guidance. It would be a very good resource for small groups to work through especially in the early stages as it lays out the components of meaningful interactions, and points out means of engagement. As the author himself says there is nothing new here, but rather a concise presentation of the old. In a day that prizes innovation this call back to old ideas will be refreshing.

There are many other books that are worthy of consideration, but these three will provide a good foundation from which to launch a further study of this most rewarding topic. Let us not get caught up in the idea of fellowship to the neglect of actual participation in it.

Final Thoughts

There was once a man who saw a little mound someway built up in a field and felt he had experienced the mountains. When asked about the mountains he would say: “O yes, I’ve been to a mountain. It wasn’t much in my estimation.”

Then one day he found himself at the foot of the Rockies. In one instance, his estimation of mountains completely changed. Perhaps you, like I, have been looking at something that could be fellowship, and it isn’t much in our estimation. However, there is something much greater out there, and perhaps today we have caught a small glimpse of it. I pray you have, and that from now on you would accept no substitutes.

Truly fellowship is worth having and holding as a precious treasure. It is established by Christ, it is sustained by Christ, and it has as its ultimate end in Christ. The counterfeits are unacceptable, pale, and distorted parodies of the real thing. Where such travesties persist, the full grace which ought to be ministered to believers is denied. That is where fellowship is not rightly understood.

Beloved, let us set our faces in this and determine amongst ourselves that no substitute definition or errant practice of fellowship shall be known with us.

Let us seek to know what is the height, depth, breadth, and length of that fellowship which is in Christ to the glory of God our Father with the help of Holy Spirit. Amen.

2 Corinthians 13:14: “The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen. The second epistle to the Corinthians was written from Philippi, a city of Macedonia, by Titus and Lucas.”

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Jared Helms

Jared received his Bachelor of Arts from Bryan College in 2012, and his Masters of Divinity from The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in 2017. He has pastored churches in Kentucky and Tennessee. Most importantly, Jared has walked with Christ most of his life. His interests extend from theology to church history, but he is particularly passionate about ecclesiology and homiletics.

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