Foundations Of Fellowship – Part 2

Introduction

Since I sit in the front, I don’t get to see other people’s faces too much when I worship. But every now and then I like to peek to my right and peek to my left, even though my mom said never turn around while you’re in worship. But I still like to turn to the left and turn to the right to actually see people’s faces. And when I did that, I realized somebody is here who hasn’t been here in a while. And since I don’t want to mention this person’s name, it’s your job to find out who it is. Alright, good to see that person. Great to see all of you tonight. Welcome. We’re going to continue our discussion of foundations for fellowship. As we began this morning, and if you were not here, let me tell you very briefly what we talked about, a common Greek word, a rich Greek word.

The word koinonia, used some 19 times in the New Testament, is translated fellowship, contribution, participation, sharing, and associated words that are translated common partakers and partners. And several of those words, including koinonia, is used in 2 Corinthians 6, 14 through 18. One sister informed me that I had a lot of material this morning that was hard to take in too many passages, whatever. If you would write these things down and then look at them later, but this passage in particular would be very helpful in this matter of how the term fellowship and its associated words are used. And then we began this morning by looking at four facts that I want to repeat, and then we’ll move on to point number two. We must not confuse membership in the Lord’s church with joining a group of believers.

It’s God’s will that members of his church band together to perform religious acts of worship and work in his name. So we must not confuse the Lord recognizing us as among the saved with our participation in a local church where we join ourselves with others that we believe to be in Christ, that we believe to be his people. Because the Lord expects us to be in that arrangement with others of a like mind and like faith. And more on that as we go along tonight. The third fact is that local church fellowship is not an informal collection or gathering of people. For example, everybody that’s present on a particular Sunday, but it’s specifically those who have identified themselves and have been recognized as members of a local church.

And that fellowship can only be extended to those who from all outward appearances, because there are things we don’t know, perhaps, but from all outward appearances are loyal to Jesus Christ and who are striving sincerely and genuinely to do the Father’s will. And so we talked about those facts this morning. Now I want to talk about some fellowship factors, if you will. And one of the reasons why fellowship questions are not always easily answered we just said this morning, why doesn’t God just spell it out? Well, he did. We have to apply certain characteristics and understanding of Scripture to make the right determinations, but one of the things that can make it difficult at times is that there’s a lot of factors that enter into our fellowship as a local church.

1. Knowledge and Growth of Each Individual

And one of those factors is the knowledge and growth of each individual. Within a local church, you have varying degrees of spiritual growth and maturity. All Christians are to be growing and adding to their faith various attributes that we read about in 2 Peter chapter 1. And then he says that these qualities are yours and are increasing. And so you’re going to have everybody along this hill. You’re going to have some people who are more proficient in their practice of life, the way they live, in the area of godliness, in the area of brotherly kindness. Some are going to practice moral excellence more consistently than others. And they are going to have more faith, be people of prayer more than others. But these qualities we must possess, or we are unfruitful in the true knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

And so these qualities need to be ours and increasing. And in that same book, in conclusion, Peter says, grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord. And so what that means is that teaching is so critical. And I want you to look at a passage with me in Hebrews 5 and verse 12, where the Hebrew writer is addressing Christians. We don’t know where they were. We know that they understand aspects of Judaism, primarily Jewish Christians, the original recipients of this Hebrew letter. And he says at this time, they should have been more mature than they aren’t. They should have been able to teach. But they have need for someone to teach you, he says, the elementary principles of the oracles of God. And you come to need milk and not solid food.

They have not progressed as much as the Hebrew writer would have liked them to at this point. He talks about those who partake only in milk, and that person, of course, is obeyed. But then he says in verse 14, solid food is for the mature. Who, because of practice, have their senses trained to discern good and evil. And so what that means is that there’s people in a local church who have their senses more keenly aware of good and evil than others. You know, you’ll look at some people in the local fellowship who make certain decisions and we’ll say, well, that’s not very wise. Or maybe that’s not even something I can do in all good conscience. You’ll talk about certain principles of the New Testament and we’ll warn that this behavior is very close to transgression.

And so those who are more mature are going to want to stand away from that line of transgression. But often those who are immature in the faith, they’re often right up next to the line, sometimes crossing a bit, but right up next to the line because they don’t see the dangers involved. So having our senses trained to discern that’s evil. That’s good. I need to go this direction. That is honed over time. Some become more acutely aware over time of behavior that they might have done in the past, but it puts us in harm’s way. It makes transgression easier to commit. And so we move ourselves further away to protect ourselves spiritually because sin is never a good thing in our lives. One of the things Barry wanted to tell the young people, we talked about this afterwards.

You know, you always think of things afterwards you’d want to say about the one who goes on sinning willfully. And we talked about that’s not a single transgression. That’s not a stumble or misstep. That is someone who is rebelling, like he talked about on Monday, who’s who’s rejecting God’s righteousness for their lives. Someone who is in absolute rebellion. There’s no other way to save them. There remains no more sacrifice for sins when someone goes on sinning willfully. But he wanted to make this point to you. Every sin we commit, however, can potentially be our undoing. Every transgression can be the stepping stone to the pattern of sinning willfully and be that sin that becomes our snare, from which we will not relent. We will not change.

2. Faith Versus Liberty

And so the commission of even a single sin becomes significant in that regard if it causes us to go on sinning willfully, ultimately in that behavior. But you know, every congregation I know of, ever been a part of, there were members who could do things that I couldn’t do. That doesn’t mean that I’m more mature necessarily. That just means that my decisions about what is safe and good for me is not what they considered safe and good for them. And so we have to give room for individuals to grow. More on that in a moment. And in this regard, people that have different ideas about what constitutes transgression and what doesn’t, there’s this matter of faith versus liberty. Not every issue must be agreed upon by every member.

Like in the New Testament, the eating of meats sacrificed to idols. Now, Paul makes it clear, we don’t have Paul to do this for us today. I wish there were some matters where Paul said, now this is what you should do, this is what you shouldn’t do, and that’s the end of the matter, you’d rather be done with that. Because that’s really what he does with the eating of meat sacrificed idols, because there were some who felt like if I eat these meats, if I go to the marketplace and buy this meat that had been sacrificed to an idol, I’m what? I’m a partaker in idolatry. And we know disciples of Jesus Christ shouldn’t be engaged in idolatry. And so my association with this meat, the seller of the meat, if I buy this thing, I’m a partaker in idolatry.

And Paul is saying, eating that meat doesn’t make you an idolatrous person. He makes that very clear. But here’s this fellow who says, well, I just can’t do it. It bothers my conscience. I feel like I shouldn’t be doing this because of its association with idolatry. Now, Paul said it’s not idolatry forever settling that matter. But this guy says, I can’t do that. And he would also say about that, brother, you shouldn’t do that. Because you will violate your conscience. And so I want you to take you to Romans 14 in this regard. The nature of revelation about any given subject will determine the necessity of agreement. The nature of revelation about any given subject determines the necessity of agreement. Let me tell you what I mean.

In Galatians 5, the homosexual, the adulterer, the drunkard, the one who is guilty of strife and other things. It says, those who do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. So, homosexuality, okay. That’s not an area where we can agree to disagree. Because it plainly says, clearly says, in more than one place, 1 Corinthians 6, Romans 1, that the practice of homosexuality causes one not to be in fellowship with God. We can’t agree to disagree about that, and yet that’s what many churches are doing today. We can’t agree to disagree that lasciviousness, well, you can have one view of that. Whatever is lascivious is a sin against God. Now, the problem we’ll have in regard to a general term like that is what constitutes lasciviousness.

But these general classifications, well, we’re going to have a little bit more difficulty in regard to specific practices as to whether those things constitute that or not. But I know this, and I can say this. Well, what do you all believe about dancing? I believe all dancing that is lascivious should be refrained from by Christians. That’s what I believe. All lasciviousness is condemned. If the dancing is lascivious, it’s condemned. That’s what Galatians 5 clearly says. Now, the question what behavior is blasphemious and what is it? And again, people want to get right up to the line and get as close as they can sometimes. Very dangerous, immature to do that. Well, what about Romans 14? Certainly there’s a matter of disagreement here, and it’s not just eating meat sacrificed to idols, it’s regarding days.

And in verse 5 in particular, one man regards one day above another. Another regards every day alike. Let each man be fully convinced in his own mind. I think this is an important verse. In the Romans 14 context. Whatever Paul is talking about, whatever decision you make about days and observing them or not observing them, whatever decision you make, what does he say? Each one of you be fully convinced in your own mind. I think he’s referring to Jewish days that became more national holidays than religious practice. And he says, each of you be fully convinced.

There’s another Jew that says, you know, I have this national feeling that I need to partake because it’s what Jews do. And so he says, each one of you be fully convinced. That doesn’t apply to everything, does it? Adultery. Well, just be fully convinced in your own mind. Okay. I think it’s okay. That’s not what he’s talking about. He’s talking about issues like eating of meat sacrificed to idols. And he’s talking about the regarding of days. He’s not talking about things that are clearly legislated in the New Testament. And so here’s this fellow who says, Well, I can’t partake. Now, my brother who does that, I wish he wouldn’t do that because it bothers me. And that’s one of the reasons why he says, look, if you’re doing something that another brother can’t do, don’t cause him to stumble.

Don’t throw it in his face. Don’t say, Oh, I’m over here eating meat sacrifice to idols, nanny boo-boo. You know, he keeps not, he’s don’t throw it in their face. Just you do what you do. Don’t cause him to stumble. And then him, it says in verse 23, the faith which you have as your own conviction before God. Happy is he who does not condemn himself in what he approves. But he who doubts is condemned if he eats. Well, okay, there’s other people that think this is okay. I really don’t think it’s okay, but I’m going to do it. No. You’re violating your conscience. Now, I would like to know everything that’s a Romans 14 issue. Something we don’t, the things I’ve just talked about, the observance of Jewish holy days as a matter of national custom, eating meat sacrifice.

I don’t think they do that in Tom Ball. When I buy meats at HEB or Kroger, I don’t think they sacrifice them to idols. So I don’t have this same kind of scenario. But is there anything about our culture and practices that we go, hmm? I’m not so sure about this. You know, I’ve talked before about playing dominoes, playing 42. There was a time when Christians in a lot of churches were like, oh, no, you can’t play 42 because it was associated with gambling. And then people, and other card games, for example. Don’t play cards. It’s associated with gambling. But then a lot of people were playing 42 and playing cards without gambling. And so it lost some of the stigma that was attached to it.

Restaurants that serve alcohol is another place where Christians, at first, oh no, you can’t go into an establishment where alcohol is served, but a lot of people do it now. There’s still some that have conscience against that. And each person needs to decide that and be fully convinced in his own time. But we all know this. If you go to the bar and you drink and you become drunk, and for sure you violated the will of God. And we may even talk about that first drink, but that’s another sermon that I’ve preached many times before. So there’s matters of the conscience. And so, what are all of the matters of the conscience in Romans 14? Tony, you got a list. No. I can’t give you a comprehensive list of everything that might be a Romans 14 issue.

3. Actions of a Group Versus Individual Belief and Practice

But the less clarity, the less that the statements of the New Testament are forthright about a certain kind of practice, the more questions that are going to be entertained in people’s mind. Especially when you’re dealing with general principles, we must differentiate then between matters of biblical clarity, revealed truth, and the matters of judgment and conscience. Now there’s another factor. Okay, this sounds pretty difficult. Again, what’s this going to require? Diligence, work, a heart of humility and honesty that we talked about this morning. Then there’s this matter. The actions of a group versus individual belief and practice. I can have fellowship with someone who believes it’s okay to do a certain thing. Well, I may not believe it’s okay. As long as they don’t force me to do it.

You know, I believe instrumental music is not God’s will. I believe that’s not authorized by the New Testament. I don’t know that I have 100% agreement with the church here on that matter. And I don’t think that necessarily has to be the case. But if someone says, you know, I like instrumental music and I want to have it in the assembly, you see, if someone pushes that, I can’t worship here. Because that violates my conscience. If we’re using the treasury in a way that I don’t believe is authorized, I can’t contribute or I would be partaking in that practice that I believe to be unauthorized. You see, what we do corporately versus individual belief and practice. And I think, as I mentioned instrumental music, how about singing songs that are with an instrument individually at the Christmas time of year?

And even the festivities related to Christmas is another matter that comes up. And that might just be the kind of Romans 14 thing that we’re talking about anyway. But what about in my own personal life singing hymns that have instrumental music? I feel it’s inconsistent for me to do that. Other people don’t feel that way. Well, can you have your individual belief and practice before God? I don’t believe we’re going to withdraw from you for that. Even though I have personal conscience that doesn’t allow me to do that. And I may be in the minority. I don’t know. I don’t talk about that all the time. But there’s the difference between that and somebody saying, okay, we’re going to practice instrumental music corporately. There’s a difference between that implicates the consciences of everybody that partakes in something that I believe individually.

4. False Teachers

Now, there’s yet another factor. False teachers. Who’s a false teacher? That’s easy. A false teacher teaches something false. I don’t know that it’s that easy.

And here’s what? I said things in the past that I wouldn’t say now. That were an incorrect conclusion about the scriptures. I may decide one day I’m really wrong about the beloved disciple. It was John after all. And that’s just one example. I’ve said some things about certain passages of scripture I wouldn’t say now. Because my understanding was incomplete. So what if I was wrong back there 15 years ago? Maybe last week, maybe last year. Does that make me a false teacher? There’s a passage in the New Testament that’s all about false teaching and false teachers, 2 Peter chapter 2. And it talks about these men and how dangerous they are, someone who brings a false doctrine. Look at 2 Peter 1 and 2. False prophets also arose among the people, just as there will also be false teachers among you, who will secretly introduce destructive heresies.

Okay, what about this thing that’s being taught that’s false? Is it destructive? A destructive heresy’s even denying the master who bought them, bringing swift destruction upon themselves, and many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of the truth will be maligned. These men that are being described in 2 Peter 2 are bad in character. They have bad motives and a bad message that leads people to do things and believe things that will cause them to be lost. That is a false teacher. Now remember, we’ve already talked about allowing room for growth and understanding and becoming food and solid food as far as mature. The babe in Christ is going to come to some conclusions that are not so precise. As they will as they grow and mature.

And even one who preaches, depending upon how careful we say things. Let me just tell you. Sometimes in a lengthy sermon, 30 minutes is a long time to talk. Or some of us go longer than that, right? When you speak 45 minutes regularly, you are not going to say everything the way you necessarily wanted to say it, unless I’m going like this and reading my notes and making sure that every word. That probably wouldn’t be too compelling as a style, would it? Sometimes I’ll say they, oh man, I really didn’t want to say that way. And perhaps Barry said some things. That you said, what? What was that? There’s a couple things caused me to really sit on the edge of my sake, oh, what?

What did he just say? So, what am I going to do about that? Let me tell you what you should always say. When somebody says something you’re a little uncertain about what they say, you ask them, did you say? Or did you mean this? What did you mean by that? And in some areas they may say something, well, okay, practically, where does that leave somebody? Does it lead them to be lost? To come to incorrect conclusions that they might follow the away of sensuality that brings destruction. And so you have to ask those kinds of questions and get the person to clarify what they went to. Maybe they need to come back and clarify what they meant by a particular thing. Alright, so be careful with this matter of false teachers.

5. Time Needed to Iron Out Differences

And finally, there’s time that’s needed to iron out differences that arise. There’s a passage on this in Revelation 2. Jesus talks about in the church at Thyatira, they are tolerating a woman named Jezebel. Now, this has serious implications, but they’re tolerating this woman. And she is, she teaches and leads people to res to leads people astray. She even calls herself a prophetess. They’re committing acts of immorality. Now, this is a pretty severe case. And what does he say? And I gave her time to repent. That time apparently has passed because it says, and she does not want to repent of her immorality. But there’s a principle there. If Jesus is granting time for someone like this to repent, then we certainly need to grant time and be patient with people with whom we disagree.

6. What Our Fellowship Is About and Fellowship Function

Especially when it’s not regarding immorality like is being practiced here. Alright, so those are some factors that affect fellowship. And I want to go to what Barry brought out. What is our fellowship about? I wanted to revisit this because I think this was excellent. We need to know what our purpose is in our fellowship. And I like his summary of this, and I wanted to put it before your minds again. What are we all about? Loving God, loving one another fervently, and loving the world as God loved the world. Not loving the world according to 1 John 2 and the things that are in the world, but loving the people. Loving the world as God loved the world. Sean O’Lenick made an interesting point at lunch.

How we really struggle at point number two sometimes to have compassion for one another, so that makes it even more difficult to love the world like we need to. And so I want to get back to this loving one another fervently as a part of our purpose and talk about fellowship function. How does fellowship work? Well, certainly the basis of everything is truth, but more than that, it is about encouragement and is it is about edification. Fellowship in the local church means that you have a responsibility to others in the group. I see more and more and more. People who conclude that they don’t have a responsibility to anyone. They can attend if they want to attend, they don’t want to attend, they don’t attend.

They want to be a part, they’ll be a part, if they don’t want to be a part, they don’t be apart. And I want to tell you, we have to consider the rest of the body. The passage we looked at in 1 Corinthians chapter 12 this morning. One member suffers, all the members suffer with it. One member rejoices, all the members rejoice with it. The foot can’t say to the hand, I have no need of you, or vice versa. What do all those passages say? That we’re one. We’re Christ’s body and individually members of it. 1 Corinthians chapter 12. You have a responsibility. I owe you something. That’s the nature of this arrangement. This is why God put us together as a group, and everybody’s not a Christian individually.

And that’s it. I obeyed the Lord, and it’s just about me and him. I worship in my home. I pray before my meals or whatever, and I have faith before God. It’s just me and God. No. He wanted this arrangement. He wanted us to stir one another to love and good deeds. Hebrews 10, verse 24. We have a responsibility to each other. When I come here on Sunday, yes, I come here for me. I need this. I need the teaching that I talked about earlier. But I come here for you.

I need to be here for you because I’m a part of this body. And you’re a part of this body, and we need each other. This is a part of fellowship function. And I think so often these days, people just aren’t thinking about anybody but themselves. Let’s not fall into that kind of thinking. This is about being a body. And sometimes there are some hard things that go with that. We have to ask the questions when we have concerns about a brother or a sister. You know, one of the hardest things that happens is when somebody does something that’s a sin that you witness. And you know what the first thought you’ll have? I wish somebody else would have seen that and not me. Because when you see it, you then become responsible.

A lot of people, well, okay, I’ll just run to Robert, I’ll run to one of the elders, I’ll run to Ken and let them deal with it. Well, that’s not what the Bible says in Matthew 18. I’m to go to my brother. And I’ll tell you, that’s, I have never known that experience. I’ve never walked away from that and said, I really enjoyed that. That was a lot of fun. Can I do that again next week? Because whenever you have to confront someone, that often doesn’t go up very pleasantly. But it has to be done. We have a responsibility to one another. And when somebody does something that rubs us the wrong way, I’ll tell you what’s very easy to do. I’m going to talk to everybody else in the church about it.

But I’m not going to talk to them. Because again, that’s uncomfortable. It’s a lot easier to talk to. I hear about this all the time. Members that get upset about something that was said, something was done, they’re immediately running to the elders. The elders are trying to put out the fire. Look. Go to the person you had the problem with. In some cases, when people are always running to the elders, the elders end up, and our guys aren’t like this, but the elders end up catering to the weakest members in the church about everything. Because they’re the one driving complaints about everything. Make people grow up. If you have a problem with a brother or sister, you need to go to them and talk to them.

Bearing with one another. Praying with each other. Working through the conflict, whatever it may be. Have a forbearing spirit. You have a responsibility. And I’m going to tell you, somebody says, well, but I’m not sensing that. I’m going to do what I choose to do, and I’m happy with it, I’m good with it. The decisions we make or don’t make, those things become leaven in a local church. When a lot of people start saying, Well, I don’t need to be a part of the group. I can just be hit and miss and haphazard. And I realize there are things that happen. I’m not talking about things that happen that interfere with what we might like to do. But I’m talking about a pattern of behavior that says, I don’t feel any responsibility in the group.

That becomes leaven. Just like the immorality became leaven in Corinth. And let me tell you about leaven. You’re leavened, whether you like it or not. Your behavior is leaven. Now, if the ingredient that causes bread to rise and do what bread’s supposed to do if you want leaven in it. Okay, leaven in a local church. Paul used that illustration in 1 Corinthians chapter 5. Your leaven. The question is it good or bad? It is it contributing? Is the nature of good participation, the way that you’re living, the way that you’re participating in the local church, is it providing good leaven or bad leaven. And good leaven is going to require these three qualities. Fellowship function requires work and sacrifice and love. Fellowship function begs a renewed effort from us all.

A decision and a desire to dig deeper and to contribute more for the Savior’s cause because it is the greatest cause on earth. God’s people are not always perfect. But what makes them special is that they’ve signed on to do the will of Jesus Christ in every respect. To pursue his truth and abide in his word and to be his people. And that makes us different. There’s a lot of religious people in the world. But the Lord’s people are committed to all that he said. And committed to others who are committed to all that he said. And those who are less than committed, we are here to encourage and stimulate and hopefully see their growth over a period of time. This is going to require patience and forbearance and loving admonition and sometimes, yes, even rebuke for the decisions that they make.

Conclusion

Knowing considering ourselves, lest we also be tempted. Let me talk to you in conclusion tonight. You’ve listened well about the tragedy, the tragedy of broken fellowship. Some interesting verses in Psalm 55 where David says, For it is not an enemy who reproaches me, then I could bear it. Nor is it one who hates me, who has exalted himself against me, then I could hide myself from him. But it is you. A man, my equal, my companion, and my familiar friend. We who had sweet fellowship together walked in the house of God in the throng. I’d like to know who David said that about.

I don’t know. But here, David says, I’ve been betrayed. The tragedy of broken fellowship. Churches that don’t understand these principles. The facts of fellowship, the factors of fellowship, and the function of fellowship. Churches that divide. Churches that bite and devour one another, who don’t know how to settle disagreements, sometimes over matters of some seriousness. But churches that don’t work through these kinds of things. What a tragedy. The tragedy of broken fellowship. That’s why the Lord hates one who sows discord. In Proverbs chapter 6, because he’s all about unity. The Father and the Son and the Spirit are unified. And that’s the basis of his comments in 1 Corinthians 12 to the church at Corinth. God is unified. The gifts are decided to unify, and yet you’re fussing and fighting and feuding about all kinds of things.

You’ve missed the entire purpose. Work it out. Patiently, humbly with each other. Hopefully, these lessons have been helpful to all of us. Is there someone in this audience tonight who needs to respond humbly to the teaching of the will of God so that you can be saved this very hour? That’s what we want. We want everyone here to be ready to meet the Lord. And if you’re subject to the call of the gospel, come now as we stand and sing together.