THE ESSENCE OF TRUE CHRITIAN FELLOWSHIP
Is there a biblical basis or a
fundamental principle for Christian Fellowship, which if adhered to will enable
true Christians everywhere to fellowship together in one accord, and be
perfectly joined together in the same mind and thought?
This was the apostle Paul’s plea
when he wrote, “I appeal to you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus
Christ, that all of you agree with one another so that there may be no
divisions among you, and that you may be perfectly united in mind and thought” (1Corinthians
1:10).
Fellowship in the true sense of the
word is, sharing together, having communion based upon common purpose, belief,
conviction, work, hope, faith, suffering and need.
Any community of believers who do
not have everything in common, are not having true Christian fellowship. True
Christian fellowship, is fellowship with the Father and His Son Jesus Christ,
who is not a God of confusion but a God of peace.
In fact, the apostle James stated
that, “If one harbors bitter envy and self-ambition in their heart, do not
boast about it or deny the truth. Such wisdom does not come down from heaven
but is earthly, unspiritual, of the devil. For where envy and selfish ambition
exist, there you find disorder and every evil practice” (James
3:14-16).
According to James the apostle, the
atmosphere which ought to prevail amongst believers is one which should be;
first of all, pure; peace loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and
good fruit; impartial and sincere, peace makers who sow in peace and raise a
harvest of righteousness.
To have true Christian fellowship
it is imperative that we do not walk in darkness (sin) but rather in the light
as we have been duly instructed saying; “God is light; and in Him there is no
darkness at all. If we claim to have fellowship with Him yet walk in the
darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth. But if we walk in the light, as He
is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, His
Son, purifies us from all sin” (1John.1:5-7).
Please, note carefully that, the
blood of Jesus His Son that purifies us from all sin in order that we can have
fellowship with one another and with the Father and the Son is current, in the present
tense, signifying that it is something which transpires during the fellowship
service without which no one has access to the Father.
The apostle Paul made this
abundantly clear when he wrote: “Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter
the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He consecrated
for us, through the veil, that is, His flesh, and having a High Priest over the
house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith,
having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with
pure water” (Hebrews 10:19-22).
As one can clearly see, the
boldness, the confidence, the assurance that one has to enter the holiest, the
inner court in the presence of the Father in order to have fellowship with Him
and with one another is threefold:
1. The blood of Jesus
Without the blood of Jesus which is
presently and currently represented by the cup of blessings which we bless
which consist of wine, no one has the boldness, the confidence and the
assurance to present themselves to the Father, as we have been duly instructed
saying; “Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood
of Jesus.”
2. The body of Jesus
Without the body of Jesus, which is
presently and currently represented by the unleavened bread the way to the
Father is not accessible. For we have been duly instructed saying; “Therefore,
brethren, having boldness to enter the holiest by a new and living way which He
consecrated for us through the veil, that is His flesh”
3. A High Priest
Without having a High Priest
interceding on our behalf, we have absolutely no access to the Father and so
the admonition is; “and having a High Priest over the house of God, let us draw
near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled
from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.”
Not only is Jesus Christ our High
Priest who intercedes on our behalf but we have also been duly instructed
saying; “For there is
one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus, who gave
Himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time” (I
Timothy 2:5-6).
Both the words of Jesus Christ and
that of the apostle Paul endorsed the protocol on how one has access to the
Father. For example, Jesus stated quite emphatically; “I am the way, the truth,
and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me” (John
14:6).
The way to the Father is through
His flesh represented by the unleavened bread, the truth is Jesus Christ, the
Word of God in the capacity of the High Priest interceding on our behalf and
the life is through His blood represented by the cup of blessings which we
bless.
And then the apostle Paul
summarizes it this way: “Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry. I speak as
to wise men; judge for yourselves what I say. The cup of blessing which we
bless, is it not the communion (fellowship) of the blood of Christ? The bread
which we break, is it not the communion (fellowship) of the body of Christ? For
we, though many, are one bread and one body; for we all partake of that one
bread” (1Corinthians
10:14-17).
This way to the Father is the
hallmark of the true church, the body of Christ and it distinguishes it from
all others. For example; the apostle Paul chastised the Corinthian church by
saying; “Now in giving these instructions I do not praise you, since you come
together not for the better but for the worse.’
“For first of all, when you come
together as a church, I hear that there are divisions among you, and in part I
believe it. For there must also be factions among you, that those who are
approved may be recognized among you. Therefore, when you come together in one
place, it is not to eat the Lord's Supper.’
“For in eating, each one takes his
own supper ahead of others; and one is hungry and another is drunk. What! Do
you not have houses to eat and drink in? Or do you despise the church of God
and shame those who have nothing? What shall I say to you? Shall I praise you
in this? I do not praise you” (1Corinthians 11:17-22).
Please note carefully that, the apostle Paul’s
criticism and chastisement of the church in Corinth was not because of
partaking of the Lord’s supper whenever they met together as a church but it
was in the manner in which it was taken and so in conclusion he said to them;
“Therefore, my brethren, when you come together to eat, wait for one another. But
if anyone is hungry, let him eat at home, lest you come together for judgment.
And the rest I will set in order when I come” (1Corinthians
11:33-34).
This eating when we come together
as a church is not any ordinary meal but rather, the partaking of the Lord’s
supper which is ordained to partake of at specific appointed times and under
specific conditions.
For example; we have been duly
admonished saying; “I wrote to you in my epistle not to keep company with
sexually immoral people. Yet I certainly did not mean with the sexually immoral
people of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or idolaters,
since then you would need to go out of the world.’
“But now I have written to you not
to keep company with anyone named a brother, who is sexually immoral, or
covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or an extortioner ---
not even to eat with such a person. For what have I to do with judging those
also who are outside? Do you not judge those who are inside? But those who are
outside God judges. Therefore "put away from yourselves the evil
person" (1Corinthians 5:9-13).
It is also very important to note
that, God has ordained specific times to offer to Him His food for His offerings
and did not leave us ignorant as to when one has to offer this offering. For
this is what the Lord instructed Moses saying; “Command the children of Israel,
and say to them, 'My offering, My food for My offerings made by fire as a sweet
aroma to Me, you shall be careful to offer to Me at their appointed time” (Numbers
28:2).
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