Drawing Lines of Fellowship

TEXTJohn 8:32;  Acts 2:42

INTRODUCTION:

A.      FELLOWSHIP: koinonia, "fellowship, contribution, communion, communication".

B.      LITERALLY, "JOINT PARTICIPATION" & " CLOSE ASSOCIATION."

C.      THE BIBLE HAS SOME DEFINITE THINGS TO SAY ABOUT FELLOWSHIP.

I.      FELLOWSHIP ILLUSTRATED IN THE UNITY OF THE BODY.

A.      1 Cor. 12:12-31.  PAUL'S COMPARISON( vs. 12, 20, 27 ).

          1.       Division destroys fellowship( vs. 25 ).

          2.       Diligence and loyalty to the standard( Eph.4:1-3;  1:22-23 ).

B.      1 Cor. 12:22.  EVERYONE HAS A PART TO PLAY.

II.     WHAT IS THE BASIS OF OUR FELLOWSHIP?

A.      ON FELLOWSHIP WITH GOD( 1 John 1:3-4 ).

B.      FELLOWSHIP WITH GOD BASED ON WALKING IN THE LIGHT( vs. 6-7 ).

C.      IF ONE OF US IS IN DARKNESS, THE BASIS OF FELLOWSHIP IS GONE

          ( 2 John 9 ).

III.    WHAT DOES IT INVOLVE, HOW MIGHT WE DO IT?

A.      "JOINT PARTICIPATION."  ACTUALLY JOINING IN.

B.      ENDORSEMENT.

          1.       Verbal commendation.  Actually saying something is good.

          2.       Saying or doing something that implies endorsement, i. e., announcing

                   meetings, asking preacher to speak, accepting as members, etc.

C.      CONSENT.

          1.       Verbal consent without approval.

          2.       Lack of action or speech against.  "Silence is consent."

IV.   IN WHAT ARE WE TO HAVE FELLOWSHIP?

A.      IN WORSHIP( Acts 2:42 ).                      E.      IN JOY( Rom. 12:15 ).

B.      IN THOUGHT( 1 Cor. 1:10 ).                   F.      IN SALVATION( Jude 3 ).

C.      IN WORK( Eph. 4:15-16 ).                       G.      IN HOPE( Eph. 4:4 ).

D.      IN SUFFERING( Gal. 6:2 )

IV.   THINGS IN WHICH WE MUST NOT HAVE FELLOWSHIP.

A.      SATAN AND HIS WORKS( James 4:7-8 ).

B.      UNBELIEVERS( 1 Cor. 15:33;  Eph. 5:6-7;  1 Cor. 5:9-10 ).

C.      THE UNFRUITFUL WORKS OF DARKNESS( Eph. 5:11 ).

D.      ERROR( 2 John 9-11;  Rom. 16:17-18;  1 Tim. 1:18-20;  2 Tim. 2:14-18 ).

V.    SOMETIMES CHRISTIANS DISAGREEWHEN DO WE DRAW

        THE LINE ON THOSE WITH WHOM WE DISAGREE?

          SOME HAVE ADVANCED THE IDEA THAT THE ONLY CRITERIA FOR

          "DRAWING LINES OF FELLOWSHIP" IS IF THE DOCTRINE VIOLATED

          IS CLEARLY TAUGHT AND IF FELLOWSHIP INVOLVES ME.

A.      WHEN ASSOCIATION CONSTITUTES "BIDDING GODSPEED" OR

          CONSENT( 2 John 9-11 ).

          1.       We are told to "hold the pattern"( 2 Tim. 1:13-14 ).

          2.       What's the use of this warning( Acts 20:29-30 ).  Consent with these???

B.      WHEN FELLOWSHIP INVOLVES ME IN THEIR SIN( Eph. 5:7-11 ).

C.      WHEN IT TOLERATES THE INFLUENCE OF EVIL, MINDLESS OF THE

          WELFARE OF OTHERS( 1 Cor. 5:6-8;  Matt. 18:6-7;  Rom. 16:17-18 ).

D.      WHEN THE PURITY OF THE CHURCH IS EFFECTED

          ( Eph. 5:25-27;  2 Cor. 11:2;  Phil. 2:14-16 ).  We have a duty!!

E.      WHEN FLAGRANT ERROR IS INVOLVED( 1 Tim.1:18-20;  2 Tim.2:14-18 ).

F.      WHEN THEY REFUSE HONEST STUDY OF DIFFERENCES.

          1.       Captious questions( Matt. 22:24-28;  Matt. 12:14 ).

          2.       Blinding prejudice( Matt. 10:14;  Matt. 7:6;  2 Thess. 2:10-12 ).

          3.       Deliberate wresting of passages( 2 Pet. 3:15-17 ).

                             Ken Cheatham's handling of Matt. 1:19.

VI.   WHAT IF WE CONTINUE FELLOWSHIP?( 2 John 9-11 ).

A.      WHAT SHOULD WE DO FIRST?( Gal. 6:1;  2 Tim. 2:24-26;  Acts 18:24-26 ).

B.      WHAT IF ALL ATTEMPTS FAIL?( 2 Thes. 3:6, 14-15;  1 Cor. 5;  Eph. 5:11 ).

C.      2 Thes.3:15. OUR ATTITUDE?( Eph. 5:1;  Ezek. 33:10-11 ).

D.      THERE IS NO ROOM FOR COMPROMISE( Psa. 23:23 ).

CONCLUSION:

A.      NOT MY DESIRE TO HURT FEELINGS OR MAKE ENEMIES( Gal. 4:16 ).

B.      WILL NOT BE A "REED SHAKEN WITH THE WIND"( Matt. 11:7 ).

C.      IT IS TIME TO BEHAVE RESPONSIBLY IN THESE MATTERS ( 1 Cor. 16:13-14 ).

D.      WHO HAS FELLOWSHIP WITH GOD?( 1 John 1:3-4, 6-7;  2:3-5 ).