Biblical Fellowship

Introduction:

A. Common Ideas About Fellowship

We can fellowship those who teach error - as long as we don't teach or practice it ourselves

Fellowship is merely a local church matter

Fellowship Doesn’t Suggest Agreement

B. The Importance of Fellowship

We may refuse to fellowship those we should.

3 John 9–11

We may extend fellowship to those we should not.

2 John 9–11

I. What Is Biblical Fellowship?

A. It is vitally important that we understand what biblical fellowship is.

Questions to consider:

Can we fellowship those that teach doctrinal error?

Can we fellowship those that practice sin?

Is food and fun fellowship?

Is fellowship merely a local church matter?

B. The meaning of fellowship

1. From the Greek: Koinonia

Text: 1 John 1:7

“But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.”

C. Full definitions from the PowerPoint

1. W. E. Vine

koinonia (κοινωνία, 2842), “communion, fellowship, sharing in common” from koinos, “common,” is translated “communion” in 1 Corinthians 10:16; Philemon 6, RV, “fellowship,” for KJV, “communication”; it is most frequently translated “fellowship”;

“that which is the outcome of fellowship, a contribution,” e.g., Romans 15:26; 2 Corinthians 8:4.

koinonos (κοινωνός, 2844) denotes “a partaker” or “partner” akin to koinonia; in 1 Corinthians 10:20 it is used with ginomai, “to become,” “that ye should have communion with,” RV, KJV “fellowship with.”

2. Thayer’s Lexicon

“fellowship, association, community, communion, joint participation, intercourse;

the share which one has in anything, participation;

intercourse, fellowship, intimacy: δεξιὰ κοινωνίας, the right hand as the sign and pledge of fellowship;

a benefaction jointly contributed, a collection, a contribution, as exhibiting an embodiment and proof of fellowship.”

3. TDNT

κοινωνός means “fellow,” “participant.” It implies fellowship or sharing with someone or in something.

4. Strong’s

κοινωνία koinōnia, koy-nohn-ee´-ah; from 2844; partnership, i.e. literal participation, or social intercourse, or pecuniary benefaction: “communicate,” “communication,” “communion,” “contribution,” “distribution,” “fellowship.”

κοινωνός koinōnos, koy-no-nos´; from 2839; a sharer, i.e. associate: “companion,” “fellowship,” “partaker,” “partner.”

5. Dictionary of Biblical Languages

κοινωνία (koinōnia), noun feminine:

Fellowship, close mutual association — 1 John 1:3; 1 Corinthians 1:9.

Share, participation — 2 Corinthians 8:4.

Willing contribution, gift — Romans 15:26.

6. Lexham Theological Wordbook

κοινωνία (koinōnia), noun feminine: fellowship, communion, sharing, participation.

A term that conveys a sense of commonality, solidarity, and shared responsibility among households or individuals.

The most general sense of this term refers to a shared conviction that manifests itself as mutual responsibility and status.

Those who willingly engage in mutual responsibility are described as having “partnership” with the body of Christ — 1 Corinthians 10:16; the gospel — Philippians 1:5; the Spirit — Philippians 2:1; the sufferings of the Messiah — Philippians 3:10; or, negatively, unbelievers — 2 Corinthians 6:14.

D. Translation comparison

Words used to translate the idea of fellowship:

Fellowship

Contribution

Communion

Part

Participation

Sharing

Partnership

Distribution

Communicate

E. Summary of fellowship — koinonia

Biblical fellowship includes:

Communion — Lord’s Supper - 1 Corinthians 10:16

Community — sharing of goods - Acts 2:42

Contribution — for poor saints - Romans 15:26

Cooperation — extending the right hand of fellowship - Galatians 2:9

Summary definition:

Biblical fellowship is spiritual association based on agreement in principle.

F. Fellowship requires agreement.

Text: 2 Corinthians 6:14–17

2 Corinthians 6:14–17 NKJV

14 Do not be unequally yoked (Common Work) together with unbelievers. For what fellowship (Share in Action / Join together - Partnership (ESV, NASB)) has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion (koinonia) has light with darkness? 15 And what accord (Harmony of thought) has Christ with Belial? Or what part (A part together with others) has a believer with an unbeliever? 16 And what agreement (A union of purpose) has the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God. As God has said: “I will dwell in them And walk among them. I will be their God, And they shall be My people.” 17 Therefore “Come out from among them And be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, And I will receive you.”

Thus:

Agreement in principle leading to joint or common action in spiritual work

II. The Direction of Fellowship

A. Fellowship is both vertical and horizontal.

1. Vertical fellowship - Man’s fellowship with God - 1 John 1:3–6

2. Horizontal fellowship - Man’s fellowship with another person - 1 John 1:7

B. Fellowship is first vertical, then horizontal.

1. Before we fellowship another person, we must first determine if they are in fellowship with God

Acts 9:26–28

1 John 1:7 (cf. 2 John 4; 3 John 3)

1 John 2:4 - Keep Commands

2. Any movement / effort to unite without regard to teaching & practice – misses 1 John

3. Question is not: how can I be united with brethren? – but are we both in fellowship with God?

III. The Basis of Biblical Fellowship

A. Truth is the basis for unity.

1. John 17:20–21 — Jesus prayed for unity.

But that unity is tied to truth:

Verse 6 — “kept Your word”

Verse 17 — “Your word is truth”

Verse 20 — “believe in Me through their word”

2. 1 Corinthians 1:10 — answer to division at Corinth.

They were to:

Speak the same thing.

Same mind (cf. 2:16 – revelation of Christ)

Same judgment (cf. Acts 20:3 “decided” = conclusion)

B. Truth is the basis for fellowship.

a. 1 John 1:1-7

Verses 1–5 — Revelation was delivered by faithful witnesses.

Verse 6 — Revelation is the basis of truth.

Verse 7 — Revelation is the basis for fellowship.

b. 1 John 2:3–6 — Commandments are necessary to have fellowship with God.

c. 1 John 2:7 — The commandment is the word.

d. 1 John 2:24, 28; 3:6, 24; 4:1–6; 2 John 9 — We must abide in truth.

C. Truth is the basis for rejecting.

1. Romans 16:17–18 - Those who act contrary to the doctrine are to be marked and avoided.

2. 2 Thessalonians 3:6, 14 - Those who do not follow the word received are to be withdrawn from.

Key statement:

Unity and fellowship are dear and precious, but they should not be maintained at the expense of truth.

IV. The Forbidden Fellowship

A. 2 John 9–11 teaches forbidden fellowship.

B. “Doctrine” = revealed truth.

2 John

1 The Elder, To the elect lady and her children, whom I love in truth, and not only I, but also all those who have known the truth,

2 because of the truth which abides in us and will be with us forever:

3 Grace, mercy, and peace will be with you from God the Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father, in truth and love.

4 I rejoiced greatly that I have found some of your children walking in truth, as we received commandment from the Father.

5 And now I plead with you, lady, not as though I wrote a new commandment to you, but that which we have had from the beginning: that we love one another.

6 This is love, that we walk according to His commandments. This is the commandment, that as you have heard from the beginning, you should walk in it.

7 For many deceivers have gone out into the world who do not confess Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist.

8 Look to yourselves, that we do not lose those things we worked for, but that we may receive a full reward.

9 Whoever transgresses and does not abide in the doctrine of Christ does not have God. He who abides in the doctrine of Christhas both the Father and the Son.

10 If anyone comes to you and does not bring this doctrine, do not receive him into your house nor greet him;

11 for he who greets him shares in his evil deeds.

12 Having many things to write to you, I did not wish to do so with paper and ink; but I hope to come to you and speak face to face, that our joy may be full.

13 The children of your elect sister greet you. Amen.

C. Argument: “Doctrine of Christ” = about Christ

Argument: “Doctrine of Christ” = Doctrine about Christ, not doctrine he taught

* Thus – broader fellowship – Unity in diversity

Doctrine of the Pharisees — Matthew 16:12

Doctrine of Balaam — Revelation 2:14

Doctrine of the Nicolaitans — Revelation 2:15

Doctrine of the Lord — Acts 13:12

Doctrine of God — Titus 2:10

“Not the teaching concerning Christ, but the teaching of Christ Himself and of His apostles.” — M. R. Vincent

“Not the teaching about Christ, but that of Christ which is the standard of Christian teaching as the walk of Christ is the standard for the Christian’s walk.” — A. T. Robertson

D. Argument: Context (v. 7) limits the “doctrine”

1. Verse 7 gives a specific application.

a. Verse 7 – is one specific application

b. Verse 9 – states a general rule – parallel to “truth”

c. The error of v. 7 is not the only violation of the doctrine

“Probably the immediate allusion here is to those to whom John so frequently referred as ‘antichrist,’ who denied that Jesus had come in the flesh, ver. 7. At the same time, however, he makes the remark general, that if any one did not hold the true doctrine respecting the Saviour, he had no real knowledge of God.”

Albert Barnes, Notes on the New Testament: James to Jude, 365.

E. General principle and specific application

F. Those condemned in 2 John 9–11

One who practices sin or error — verse 9.

One who teaches error — verse 10.

One who receives the false teacher — verse 11.

G. Not receiving one who practices sin or teaches error does not mean:

We should not be longsuffering. - 1 Thessalonians 5:14; 1 Corinthians 13:4

We should not love the sinner. - 1 Thessalonians 3:12

We are not to be patient as people grow. - Hebrews 5:12–14; 1 Thessalonians 5:14

We will divide over every difference - Romans 14

V. The Commended Fellowship

A. Romans 14 - Be united in-spite-of your differences —“Agree to disagree”

Receive him — verse 1.

Do not dispute — verse 1.

Pursue things that make for peace — verse 19.

Do not bind your opinion on others — verse 22.

Key question: What is the nature of the issues?

B. The “weak” brother

1. Not weak in Faith in God/ Service

2. Not weak in spiritual strength

3. He is weak in conscience.

a. Romans 14:1 uses the idea of:

“Scruples” — ASV

“Opinion” — ESV, NASB, RSV

C. Two questions or issues in Romans 14

1. Eating meats

Jews– Still bothered by the OT restrictions on meat  (Clean & Unclean)

Gentiles – Still associated meat with sacrifice to idol

2. Observing days

Melvin Curry:

“Paul never tolerated the binding of Jewish holy days on Gentile Christians (Col. 2:16; Gal. 4:10-11); however, he permitted the observance of such practices by Jewish Christians so long as they did not bind them on others. Some Jewish Christians could not bring themselves to abandon the observance of Sabbaths and holy days after they were baptized into Christ; not to rest on the sabbath would have violated their consciences.”

D. Romans 14 deals with matters of liberty and indifference.

The Text:

God received him — verse 3.

He acts “to the Lord” — verse 6.

Do not judge or condemn him — verse 13.

The matter is not wrong within itself — verse 14.

Keep it to yourself — verse 22.

E. Morals and Doctrine Condemned Before and After Romans 14

1. Moral issues are condemned before Romans 14. — Romans 13:12–14

2. Doctrinal issues are condemned after Romans 14 —- Romans 16:17–18

3. Romans 14 How could this chapter approve fellowship?

F. Issues that fit Romans 14

Criteria:

A matter of indifference.

Romans 14:14

Yet a matter of conscience.

Romans 14:1, 23

Possible examples today:

Circumcision

Non-religious Christmas observance

Playing cards

Playing dice

Eating at a restaurant with a bar

No movies

Similar matters of personal conscience

G. Two Different Patterns

Romans 14 - “Receive Him” —— Matters of Indifference — God receives him — We should too

2 John 9-11 - “Do Not Receive Him” —- Matters of Faith / Doctrine—- God rejects him ——We should too

Final Summary

Does fellowship matter?

Yes, fellowship matters.

It matters because fellowship is spiritual association.

It matters because fellowship is based on truth.

It matters because fellowship includes participation.

It matters because we can share in the evil deeds of others.

It matters because God tells us both whom to receive and whom not to receive.