5.10 - FELLOWSHIP

FELLOWSHIP

I appreciate fully, friends, the opportunity of speaking to you who are here tonight, and to others who may have their radios tuned to this station. I realize that there are several preachers present who have appointments, and it may be necessary for them to leave before I have finished. You will understand, therefore, why they go. When the first gospel sermon was preached in the name of the risen Lord on that memorable Pentecost, we are told that those who received the word were baptized, and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls. It is also stated that these continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine, in fellowship, in breaking of bread, and in prayers. I am calling special attention to the word "Fellowship" as here used, in which the disciples of the first church continued steadfastly. In connection with that, I am reading from 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." May I say to you tonight that the conversion and hope of the world depend upon the fellowship of Christian people. There can be but two reasons why it is not maintained. Either we do not know what the term means or we fail to appreciate its importance. I am quite certain that in the prayer of our Lord, while in the shadow of the cross, he was emphasizing the great importance of fellowship. He prayed, first, for himself that he might be glorified with that glory which he had from the beginning. After that, he prayed for those that the Lord had given him, and finally he said: "Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; 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." It is evident that his plea for oneness was to convince the world that the Father had sent him. The most fruitful field of infidelity is the lack of fellowship among professed followers of Christ. Fellowship implies oneness, unity, and coherence among the members of any organization. I wish you would fancy, for just a moment, the influence that would be felt if all people in our good land who claim to recognize the Lord were bound together in such ties and upon such a basis as the Bible has recorded. There always has been a mistaken idea as to what constitutes unity among professed Christians. In the denominations of this country there is what is called the "Federation of the Churches of Christ." In that great federation each denomination maintains its individuality. They are still different in origin, doctrine, and practice. As churches there is no fellowship among them. The true "federation" is a misnomer because there is no sovereign power over the bodies that form it. I assume that all will agree that no organization can succeed unless there be fellowship among the members. I now ask what does this term mean? Next to the Bible, I have always thought that the dictionary is one of the best books in the world. In it, the word "fellowship" implies the state of an associate, comradeship, a company of equals, mutual relation among members of the same church. It means partnership, joint participation. It implies agreement. Amos asked: "Can two walk together, except they be agreed?" And now, may I ask, are the denominations agreed? Are the church of Christ and any other religious body agreed? If not, how can there be fellowship between them? The world has a mistaken idea of unity and fellowship. To illustrate, we drive our automobiles along muddy roads. There is a union between the mud and the auto. That is not the kind of unity that Christ was talking about in John 17:1-26. Water will stick to a grindstone and sorghum will cling to the can for a while. This is not the unity sought. We call such things "adhesion," which is the blending together of elements different in make-up. Such is far from what Christ had in mind. Unity means the combination of elements of the same composition. It follows, therefore, that if men are united and have fellowship in the church of the Lord, they must be converted precisely as the Bible directs, and they must be of the "same mind and the same judgment." From these statements of fact, it ought to be clear to all why it is that as a people we cannot fellowship those who have not obeyed the gospel of God’s Son. It would be wholly inconsistent with all of my preaching for me to recognize as an associate or comrade in the work of the Lord any man who has not "obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered." Neither can I fellowship or be a joint partaker with any man who preaches or practices that which I believe the Bible does not authorize. I cannot bid such an one Godspeed. When a man of that kind comes into my audience, I try to meet him and to greet him and to see that he is comfortably seated. I have too much respect for him to ask him to lead a prayer when I know full well that he does not believe what I am going to say. I do not want him to feel that he must ask God’s blessings upon me, when, as a matter of fact, I know his wish is that I could never preach another sermon. Furthermore, I teach that faith, repentance, and baptism upon a proper confession are conditions of salvation. If I then call upon someone who has not so done, I admit my inconsistency and my downright hypocrisy. I next inquire who are that company with whom we may have fellowship or partnership? John says: "Truly our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ." In addition Paul says: "The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit, be with you all." Hence, in that great company, there are God the Father, Christ the Son, and the Holy Spirit, the revealer of God’s truth to man. Also, "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."

It is almost impossible sometimes to present the truth on any matter so that all may understand, unless at the same time we contrast it with error. All denominations have the idea that Christian fellowship is one thing and that church fellowship is an entirely different thing. This egregious error comes from the false belief that it is one thing to be a Christian and quite another thing to be a church member. Such a thought is wholly out of harmony with every statement in the Bible bearing upon such matters. Denominations can unite for a big meeting. All of the preachers can work together for a spell and possibly convert a large number. Those thus converted are recognized by all as Christians, children of God, and ready for heaven. The fellowship is fine thus far. When Sunday comes and all of the converts "join the church of their choice," the fellowship ends, and ever thereafter they cannot work together as churches. Some Christians (?) will not even let other Christians (?) converted at the same time and under the same preaching, eat the Lord’s Supper with them. As a church they have no dealings with one another. Such teaching is absolutely repulsive to the word of God. There is not a syllable of truth in the idea that a man can be a Christian and yet not a member of the church. In the Bible all Christians were church members. In the Bible all church members were Christians. All of God’s children were in God’s family. God has no children outside of His family. Such a thought ought to be discarded as unworthy of an intelligent man. In Romans 12:4-5, Paul said: "For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office; so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another." Then again, 1 Corinthians 12:18-29 : "But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him. And if they were all one member, where were the body? But now are they many members, yet but one body." In Colossians 1:18 we are told that "he is the head of the body, the church." Hence, we have one head, one spirit, and one body. It follows that every Christian on earth is a member of that one body by virtue of the fact that he has been "born of water and of the Spirit" into it. If, therefore, I can have Christian fellowship with a man, surely I can have church fellowship with him on the ground that all Christians are church members and all church members are Christians. Any idea to the contrary evidences ignorance on the part of him who expresses it. Paul wrote a letter "unto the church of God which is at Corinth, to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord." In that letter he said: "Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment." We object: "But we cannot all be that way." Suffice it to say that Paul thought we could. If all of us will "walk by faith" and understand that faith comes by hearing God’s Word, there can be no divisions among us. If all who claim to love the Lord would walk by faith, all denominations would be abandoned before the rising of tomorrow’s sun. The Bible knows nothing about denominations. You must turn to the World Almanac and similar books to learn anything about them. Why does any sober, sane, sensible man want to be a member of some religious organization not one time mentioned in all of God’s Word? I will gladly fellowship any man on matters of faith, but in the realms of opinion, I must refrain. I now ask just how does fellowship express itself? If a company of businessmen organize and have any hope of success, there are some simple matters that must be understood and accepted by each partner in the company. First, each member must have the same purpose and the same end in view. Second, it must be understood that each member obligates himself to do his part of whatever work is necessary. Third, it is expected that everyone will bear his part of the expense. Fourth, it is implied and understood that the conduct of every member will be such as will sell the business to the expected customers. Last of all, every member must be willing to share in whatever profits or losses may come. All of this is easy to understand and every person will endorse these statements. Now for the application. The church of the Lord is the greatest business company on earth, and all Christians are partners in it. Of course, we want it to succeed. As a member of the firm, let each one ask himself: "What was my real motive in obtaining fellowship in this company? Was my purpose the same as that of every other worthy member? Was mine for social advantage, political prestige, or that I might cover up some sin? Now, in the second place, when I became a member of this great spiritual company, did I understand that I was obligated to do my part of the work necessary for its success? Did I have the attitude of old Governor Pilate, who said, ’See ye to it; I have washed my hands, I have nothing whatsoever to do with it’? Did I intend to be a parasite and try to live a spiritual life upon the deeds of the other members?" God forbid. In the next place I ask: "Did I expect to bear my part of the expense so necessary to carry on our business?" God requires this of every member according to his ability. I cannot fail in this with impunity. So long as I am physically and mentally able, I do not expect to be a burden to the church. And because I am a preacher I do not want to be on the charity list. I expect no businessman to give me a better deal than he does anyone else. I want to labor that I may have somewhat to give to the cause I love. I know that it takes money to erect and equip our buildings. It costs money to have nice pews, carpets on the aisles, good song books and electric lights. It also takes money to have the right kind of preachers in our midst. Any member of our company who is not willing to have fellowship in the expenses, according to what he has, is unfit as a partner. Again let me ask: "When I became a member of God’s great company, was it my definite purpose to conduct myself so that I would be helpful and not harmful to every other member? Have I been true to that aim? Is my conduct such that it will commend the church to the world about me? Do I have the right to ignore the reproof of other members when they think my deeds are hurting their business? Do sinners look upon me as a hypocrite or a whited sepulcher?" Let us think seriously on things of this kind. And finally, yet me ask, Are there any present tonight who are not as yet members of this great company? Would you not like to become such and to share with us the joy and the fellowship in working for the extension of the kingdom of our Lord upon this earth? I bid you come and give to me your hand, to God your heart, and to the world your best influence and your greatest encouragement