Devoted to the Propagation and Defense of New Testament Christianity
VOLUME 20
September 5, 1968
NUMBER 18, PAGE 9-11a

"Restoring Lines Of Fellowship"

Dudley R. Spears

Probably this afternoon, brother Hale will give some definitive identity to fellowship, as to what it means and how it may be applied. I would like to give just a bit of definitive identity to the word in its most common usage in the church today. We speak of fellowship in terms of endorsement, i.e., what we will indorse and whom we will indorse. But, I believe that in I John 1:1-7 we have a basis for real fellowship. In a sense we have no control over fellowship if we apply the guidelines of the writings of John to the basis of fellowship. In I John 1:1-7 you will notice the expression "fellowship with." I believe that the true basis of fellowship is Christ Jesus, our Lord and Saviour. true witness of the things he had personally heard, seen and touched is the basis of his fellowship with Christ.

Verse seven says that if we walk in the light as he is in the Light, we have fellowship one with another. Light is presented in several ways in the Bible. From the standpoint of origin, God is called "the Father of lights." (James 1:17). "God is light." (I John 1:5). Christ said, "I am the light of the world." (John 8:12). "That was the true light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world." (John 1:9). Light is presented to mankind in the word of God. "Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, a light unto my pathway." (Psa. 119:105). Paul talks about the light of the glorious gospel of Christ. (II Cor. 4:3-4). The gospel is the light from God to give us knowledge of Christ and His glory. (II Cor. 4:6). Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth and the life." (John 14:6).

I John 1:3 says, "that which we have seen and heard declare we unto you that ye may also have fellowship with us." I believe he is speaking of the apostles in the word "us." They held a thing in common, viz., being eyewitnesses of Christ's resurrection. He says that he wants all to hold this in common with them on the basis of the apostolic declaration. His inspired declaration was, "that" (NINA), which means, "to the end that" his readers might have fellowship with eyewitnesses of the raised and glorified Lord. The fellowship about which we are talking this afternoon consists of the things we can hold together in common. In verse 6 he says that saying we have fellowship and walking in darkness is equal to lying and it is also "not doing the truth." When fellowship with God is maintained, fellowship with all who are in God's fellowship will also be maintained. In this sense, we have no control over fellowship. If you are in God's fellowship and I am in God's fellowship, then we are in fellowship automatically with one another. We must hold common those things that make fellowship with God possible.

Amos asked, "Can two walk together except they be agreed?" (Amos 3:3). We can agree to walk together in error. Many years ago, there were unity meetings that were explored commonly called, "the Murch-Witty Unity Meetings." They were efforts that were criticized by brethren for bro. Witty's proneness to compromise with those who used instrumental music and were commonly identified with the Disciples of Christ or Christian Church. This cannot be a basis for fellowship. Truth is determined by what is written in the Word, either by direct command, approved apostolic example, or by necessary inference. However, inferential truths can never be the true basis for fellowship in Christ.

II.

Part two of my presentation has to do with restoring of fellowship. The restoring of fellowship goes much further and deeper than simply the breach that has arisen over our differences over congregational cooperation and the support of orphan homes and other such things. Several years ago in the Gospel Advocate, Feb. 6, 1941, L. L. Brigance wrote an article called "The Real Cause of Division," in which he took issue with Dr. A. T. DeGroot, pastor of the Christian Church in Kalamazoo, Mich. He made this statement in reference to the real cause of the division. "...so that the little end of the tap root of the division in the ranks of the Restoration Movement is not instruments of music and human societies, but a lack of respect for the authority of God's word...it is not whether we should have instruments of music in our worship or human societies for doing mission work, but it is a difference in attitude toward the word of God. I believe the Bible to be inspired of God, to be infallibly correct, and to be our supreme and sole authority in all spiritual matters. I believe that we may do those things only for which it gives us authority. I see that you do not so regard it."

It is my honest conviction that the same difference exists between those who indorse such projects as named and those who oppose. Luther Blackmon reported on a "unity meeting" in Winslow, Ariz. in the Gospel Advocate. He said, "It was insisted that the real cause of our division lies deeper than societies and instrumental music. They are but symptoms. The real difference lies in our different attitudes toward the Bible." (Gospel Advocate, April 30, 1942, page 427.) Those of us who oppose such efforts as are called "cooperative works" (Herald of Truth, Sponsoring Church type of cooperation) do so on the basis of the fact that we regard the Bible as a pattern by which we are to regulate our life; not that in the Bible are all the specific details, but that we must have Biblical authority for it — and that we cannot find.

Fellowship can only be based upon what is unquestionably scriptural and right. Alexander Campbell, in Millenial Harbinger, Vol. 3, No. 5 wrote, "On this theme much must yet be said before all the honest will understand it. One thing, however, is already sufficiently plain to all, that a union amongst christians can be obtained only upon scriptural grounds, and not upon any sectarian platform in existence." I do not believe that anyone in either party (and I think I can call both sides "parties") has any desire to have unity on any other basis. The Restoration movement began as a "unity movement" and in the Restoration movement there were those who set forth principles upon which people could be united and fellowship enjoyed. One of the great documents in Restoration history is the Declaration and Address. Proposition 6 reads: "That inferences and deductions from the Scriptures, however valuable, cannot be made binding upon the consciences of Christians." Proposition 7 reads: "That differences of opinion with regard to such inferences shall not be made tests of fellowship or communion." Proposition 12 says, "That all that is necessary to secure the highest state of purity and perfection in the church is to restore the original ordinances and constitution as exhibited in the New Testament." Proposition 13 says, "That any additions to the New Testament program which circumstances may seem to require, shall be regarded as human expedients and shall not be given a place of higher authority in the church than is permitted by the fallible character of their origin." I believe that things over which we are divided now have not been regarded in the light of the principles set forth in the Declaration and Address. I ask you, have not such projects as the Herald of Truth, sponsoring churches, orphanages in the budget of the church been defended along with other projects as "human expedients" in the face of honest and sincere opposition? Have we really applied the principle that is set forth in the Declaration and Address of not making things that are purely "human expedients" tests of fellowship and communion?

III.

The third part of my statement today is an affirmative solution; it is an honest appeal to you. The "Murch-Witty" proposals all came under fire because of the compromise involved. In the Gospel Advocate, 1942, brother B. C. Goodpasture wrote, "No one who loves the Lord and His word can have any justifiable objection to unity on a scriptural basis. To the extent that the 'Disciples of Christ' have become willing to discard the use of instrumental music, the missionary societies, and such like, has 'progress toward unity' been made... The introduction of these innovations instrumental music, societies, and the like — caused the division. There was unity before they came. Their removal will be necessary if unity is to be restored."

Now you may say, "that's too simple, that's too unrealistic." At least it is an honest appeal and an affirmative position that I take toward those things that I believe to be involved in our present division. I honestly feel that this must be applied to such things as Herald of Truth, sponsoring churches, orphanages supported from the church treasury and so on.

Fellowship is important. I have no desire to hinder the proclamation of the gospel or to see assistance to the needy hindered, but I cannot believe that the Herald of Truth or any orphan home or College or any other purely "human expedient" is as important as the fellowship in the body of Christ. I believe that fellowship is important because division is sinful. A lot of the things we may have questions about today are going to be vague. There is nothing vague about the sin of factionalism, heresy, division or schism. I believe fellowship in the body of Christ is important because we could be more convincing to the aliens who do not know Christ in the salvation of their souls in presenting to them a united front patterned solely after the New Testament on common ground that all admit to be scriptural and right.

In conclusion, rather than attaching guilt, blame or "settling who split the log," for the next few years, let us not let the spirit that now exists be embalmed in death. We should agitate this question and if we are not content with the present lack of fellowship, being not weary in well doing, we will reap — if we faint not. Let us not be discouraged by critics or cavilers from either party. Let us drop party barriers. pray fervently for right attitudes toward the Word and one another, for wisdom and God's help in restoring fellowship in the Lord's body. Let us not fulfill the prophecy, "This people draw near to me with their lips, but their heart is far from me."