Fellowship vs. Personal Relationship series
I
want to note a solid thought before we go any deeper. This study will shake the
foundation of many on the idea of acceptance and comradery with those who are
imprisoned in sin. That being said, lets note the definition one more time.
Fellowship is a companionship, familiar interaction, sharing having or giving a
share in the Kingdom with the Godhead and the body as we are in a cooperate
partnership together in Christ Jesus that by our association together we have a
mutual aim and interest. So can we spiritually have such a thing with the unrighteous?
I want to note the closing statements of our last study on this fellowship
topic. The righteous would be us, Christians (Acts 11:26). He is righteous (1
John 2:1). We are made righteous by Christ in Christ (Rm. 5:19 & 6:18; 1
John 2:29 & 3:7). Those that are in
Him and obediently live in Him are righteous. This means that everything
outside of Him is unrighteous and all unrighteousness is a sin (1 John 5:17).
Now can two opposing forces be in fellowship? (1 Cor. 10:21-22)
Looking
Back
Although we are
not under the old covenant, the Old Testament still carries weight. Let’s begin
by looking at how God treated the coupling of the unrighteous with His people.
Numbers 16:26 brings a powerful thought. That verse is a statement from God to
be separated from those that would rise up against Moses and the Lord. This was
done so that the Lord could consume them (Num. 16:21, 31-35, 40). God was
serious about having obedient children. Anytime anyone did something different,
they were punished and separated. Should we be joining in with the unrighteous in
all their sins so that we may be consumed by God with them? If we were to
fellowship with them, that’s exactly what we would be doing.
Deuteronomy
7:2-4 is another example of the need to be separated from such sinning. The
purpose of destroying the other nations was so that they, the Israelites, would
not turn from God. Wait a minute, are you telling me that if we fellowship with
the unrighteous, sinners and denominations alike, that His children could be
won over to such things? Yes. Unless those Israelites were a different breed of
humans than you and more susceptible to things that you’re not. They were not.
Let’s look at a few more things before we explore that thought any deeper. Joshua,
in his farewell speech to the all of Israel and all their leadership, said that
they must hold fast to the Lord our God, and be very courageous to keep and do
all that is written in the Book of the Law of Moses. If they didn’t then God
would not continue to do as He had been, His anger would burn against them and
they would perish (Josh. 23). “Blessed is the man that does not walk in the
counsel of the ungodly, nor stand in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seats
of the scornful” (Psalm 1:1). Don’t enter the path of the wicked and don’t walk
in the way of the wicked (Prov. 4:14).
Looking at the old we see that God had no desire for us to be in union
with the unrighteous. “Oh, that’s the Old covenant, isn’t the new better? “It’s
all about love” you might say. Okay, then let’s look at it too.
The
Here and Now
Under
the new covenant some things are different (Heb. 7-8); God is not. Paul makes a
strong point that carries the old teaching to the new. In 1 Cor. 10:14-22 Paul
tells us not to have fellowship with demons. What? Yes. Hold on, what is Paul
saying? We are all one body in Christ. The bread and wine is the communion of
the body and blood of Christ. So as the gentiles offer sacrifices to idols and
worship them, they are partaking in communion with those idols. Those idols are
not God, they are demons as Paul says. So their fellowship is not with Christ
but with idols, demons. So if we do the same things then we are not in
fellowship with Christ but demons. We can’t be in fellowship with Christ and
demons at the same time. The unrighteous may not mean to worship and fellowship
with demons; but by that action of idol worship they are. We must be careful in
what we do. We may not “mean” to be unrighteous as we partake in a particular
action but we may be unrighteous if we do that very evil. That being said, God
is very clear that we have fellowship with what we worship, and with those that
worship the same thing. We are to flee such unrighteous things (1 Cor.
10:14). Don’t be deceived, evil company
corrupts good habits (1 Cor.15:33). Don’t be equally yoked with unbelievers.
For what fellowship does righteousness have with unrighteousness? What communion
has light with darkness? (2 Cor. 6:11-18). As we are in Christ we have no
equality except with those who are also in Christ. We have no fellowship with
any other. For there are no others that hold to the same common goal, share in
the same promise, and live for the same purpose. It’s hard to flee and not be
equally yoked with something that you are in fellowship with.
No Fellowship with the Unrighteous
We are to have no fellowship with
the unfruitful works of darkness (Eph. 5:11). We are even to withdraw from every
brother who walks disorderly and not according to the traditions we received
from the apostles (2 Thess. 3:6). We do this so that he may be ashamed and come
back to walking faithfully (2 Thess. 3:14). If we receive someone who brings a
different doctrine than the doctrine of Christ, we share in their evil deeds (2
John 9-11). They don’t have God. We are not even to imitate what is evil. For
those who do evil have not seen God (3 John 11). Unrighteousness is sin (1 John
5:17). If we love God we keep His commands (1 John 4:20-5:5). Those that keep
His commands are considered righteous (Luke 1:6). We are made righteous by
Christ and stay that way as we walk faithfully in Christ (Rm. 5:19, 6:18; 1
John 2:29 & 3:7). We can’t have the
fellowship as defined with unrighteous people. If we did then, what would make
the fellowship with God special? If we did then so could God, right? I mean God
is righteous and we are righteous by Him. If we can have that fellowship, so
can He. If God can have fellowship with the unrighteous, than what is the point
of Christ? We can’t have that fellowship and neither can God. Because to have that
fellowship with the unrighteous we too would have to be unrighteous. God sent Christ. By Christ we are anew (Rm.
6:1-4). By His blood we are purified and purchased (Rev 1:5: Acts 20:28).
That’s how we can have that fellowship with God. So, those that have not been
immersed into Christ can’t be cleansed (1 Pet. 3:21, Rm. 6:1-4). They are not
righteous. Therefore, they can’ have fellowship with us nor us with them. For
the very thing that separated us and God, separates God’s children from the
world. Only Christ can solve that issue.
What
It Means
“Oh, I know,” many would argue. But this means we can’t
have fellowship with any unrighteous people, including denominations. For they
are not in Christ as the word defines being in Christ. That is why we don’t
participate with them. We can’t. Who would answer the question “How can I be
saved?” from someone that is being reached out to by the church and a
denomination? There are many issues that ensue with allowing fellowship with
the unrighteous. The worst of it is, just like the Israelites, we would turn
from God. It cheapens the blessing of fellowship we have in Christ (Eph. 1:3).
This doesn’t mean you can’t befriend someone, have a working relationship or
friendship with them. Keep the boundaries as we see noted in the word. Your
goal with that person is not to “okay” them in life. Your goal is that they may
be like you, in Christ. That you can have fellowship with them, them with you,
and them with Christ. A personal relationship with Christ and others based on
love, as a feeling, alone does not accomplish this. Nor does it place
boundaries. In fact, at its bare minimum effect, a “personal relationship”
hinders us from keeping the commands to make disciples, baptize them and teach
them to observe Christ commands (Matt. 28:18-20).
Are
you in fellowship with unrighteousness?
What
needs to change?
"What Does Personal Relationship Leave Out?"
http://stevelynnjohnson.blogspot.com/2015/06/what-does-personal-relationship-leave.html
"What Does Personal Relationship Leave Out?"
http://stevelynnjohnson.blogspot.com/2015/06/what-does-personal-relationship-leave.html
Fellowship with the Righteous
Comments
Post a Comment