greetings

I would like to put forth a question to the forum and ask anyone who replies to weigh what I ask seriously before GOD first. Its a question that has been on my heart for some time,

"Can two members of the Body of CHRIST really fellowship with one another daily, if they do in fact disagree?"

I have read many times, and have said myself let us agree to disagree but always feel very troubled in this. I think because deep down inside "disagreement" does cause some distance when fellow shipping with one another. I am not saying mutual love for CHRIST can not bring people together, but at the end of the day if I am being honest who am I going to fellowship with? The person who is seeing the same things I am seeing in walking daily with JESUS or the person who is on a different page? (Those last two questions were more just my thoughts)

Learning to truly die to self, to lay down my life for another might be learning to admit I am wrong about a matter, or it might mean loving another enough even when being faced with having stones cast my way, to stand my ground in HIM and speak truth....

Anyway just some things on my heart and mind this morning.
Wonder what FATHER might be showing some other?

God bless
maryjane

Boy MJ if all my Christian brothers and sisters believed the same way about everything it would be kind of boring. I have deep fellowship with various believers I know well but which we have sharp disagreement on some (but not extremely vital) issue.

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Todd

Hi Mary,

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Robert Wurtz II

Robert wwrote:The examples in Christ history are many. Perhaps the best is George Whitfield and John Wesley. They were on different sides of the pole on election. They loved one another.
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Thank you for responding so thoughtfully. I see what your wrote here about Wesley and Whitefield and I understand you said they loved one another. My question is, did they fellowship with one another daily?? I guess I am getting at something deeper, its not about loving another who disagrees with a held belief, its can the two truly have fellowship with one another daily and still disagree?

Sorry if I am not really making clear what I am getting at. I will pray over this some more and try to seek GOD on how to better convey my heart.

God bless
mj

I believe the section of Paul's letter to the Roman believers that we call chapter 14 expresses his views on your question.

Those who were not of faith to eat meat were to "receive" those who were of faith to eat meat without judging. Those with the liberty to eat meat were not to look down upon those who abstained from eating meat. Paul cautioned against the attempt to "dialogue" about the differences because this would lead to dissections of the body of Christ.

Paul encouraged loving consideration towards other believers who hold a conviction about a matter that you do not share in personally. This could only be done in the context of interaction between those who differ in some convictions.

In his own testimony to Philippi, he exhorted the believers who desired to be perfect to follow his example, adding - "and if in some matter you think differently, that too God will manifest - only let us live up to that which we have already attained."

Therefore, I do believe "fellowship" with those with who we have "areas" of disagreement is possible and profitable.

makrothumia

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Alan and Dina Martin

Our fellowship is "in" Christ, not "in" our opinions, likes, and dislikes.

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Jimmy H

HI Mary,

The answer is yes they can if there be love. I think the problem arises when, rather than focus on the subject, the person themselves become the subject. Name calling is not only childish, but a window into the soul.

I once spent a year with a dear brother, every Tuesday for breakfast, and the debate was Romans 7. A very deep subject obviously. We had moments of intense disagreements. He, stood upon the notion that Paul was writing it in his present condition, I strongly disagreed. Yet, we loved each other. Not a single time did we cast a stone at each other. We opened it up for context and would talk about the previous chapters and the following chapters. We had mutual respect for each other. This man had a doctorate and not one time did he use that in his arguments or elevate himself above me even although I was only in my first year at Bible school, truly refreshing.

The one area, in my own experience, where division always seems to come and fellowship, especially in gatherings , can never truly be established is where one brother has been baptised in the Holy Spirit with sign gifts following and the other brother has not............bro Frank

Greetings Frank

The one area, in my own experience, where division always seems to come and fellowship, especially in gatherings , can never truly be established is where one brother has been baptised in the Holy Spirit with sign gifts following and the other brother has not............bro Frank

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Here is a good example, could two brothers in CHRIST really fellowship one to another if they held differing views on this topic. Daily could they meet with one another, pray seek GOD and lay down their lives, be a servant to help one another, without the disagreeing belief getting in the way?? I am not talking about meeting once in a while or loving each other in CHRIST from different areas.. I am asking about deep, committed fellowship, one to another daily and hold to the idea of agree to disagree?

You mentioned meeting with the brother once a week do you think it would have been different if you meant daily? Came together and lived one to another as they did in ACTS?

Let me give another example, if I don't hold to head covering, have no conviction of such a commend would those who do cover really be ok with fellowship with me daily, meeting me daily when I do not cover my head? Would agree to disagree really work for fellow shipping with one another? OR if I felt convicted strongly alcohol drinking was sin and others had freedom to drink wine(with out getting drunk) would we really be able to gather daily, be involved in each others lives daily laying down our lives one to another in CHRIST and still just agree to disagree?

Not sure if I am conveying what is on my heart. Sorry, this has been on my heart for so long and trying to really get down to the deeper issue of what it means to love another as CHRIST did, laying down my life,laying down my rights, for another and when to stand in HIM...


Any way thanks for the response.

God bless
mj

Therefore, I do believe "fellowship" with those with who we have "areas" of disagreement is possible and profitable.

makrothumia

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In your post I wonder could I ask, in order for "daily" fellowship to happen as it did in ACTS if believers are meeting daily wouldn't one have to lay down their beliefs in order for there to be peace and unity?

If I felt it was sin to drink wine but my brother felt in was fine to drink wine... one of us is going to have to lay down that belief so that fellowship can really happen daily right??

(just to let everyone know I am giving random examples to try and convey my thoughts about this, not labeling anything sin)

God Bless
mj

Thank you for your question. In order to preserve peace, one would have to "have faith unto God" and not attempt to discuss his "faith" with another. Matters of difference need not divide until they become matters of discussion. Some areas of faith are best kept private.

Raising the issue of "conscience" is a cause for disruption of peace. If we are secure in our faith toward God in a matter of private conviction, then observed differences need not disrupt that unity of the Spirit that is found in agreement in Christ.

The Greek word "sumphoneo" is translated "agree". It literally means to "sound the same." We see this demonstrated in orchestras. Trumpets and clarinets have a different form of musical expression, but as long as they are both tuned to concert pitch they do not clash with one another, they compliment.

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Alan and Dina Martin