Drawing Lines of Fellowship
A. FELLOWSHIP: koinonia, "fellowship, contribution, communion, communication".
B. LITERALLY, "JOINT PARTICIPATION" & " CLOSE ASSOCIATION."
C. THE BIBLE HAS SOME DEFINITE THINGS TO SAY ABOUT FELLOWSHIP.
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.
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 ).
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."
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 )
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 ).
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.
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 ).
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 ).