Bible Fellowship — What Is It?
It seems to this scribe that many people, including some of the brethren have never learned what Bible fellowship consists of. Judging from some of the bulletins that we have read, some believe that everything from the Lord's supper to playing shuffle board, eating hamburgers and drinking soda pop is Bible fellowship. There is no sin in eating hamburgers and drinking soda pop, but for one to believe that such is Bible fellowship is far from the truth. Your writer has engaged in a number of gospel meetings in years past, and often at the close of some of these meetings, the sisters would prepare a basket lunch and we would engage it what was termed "dinner on the ground." I never thought of such as being a sin and still do not think so, but neither did I think of it as being a part of that which is required by the gospel of Christ. Keep in mind dear reader that the fellowship that the New Testament teaches us about is required, and MUST be engaged in if we walk pleasing to God. There is nothing wrong with clean recreation within itself, however it can be made wrong by paying for such out of the treasury of the church, and is made a drawing card for the gospel, and is palmed off as Christian fellowship. As we have already noted; Christian fellowship is required and a failure to engage in it is disobedience to Christ.
As a Christian I am to do all I can to teach sinners the truth, and erring brethren the error of their way. To this I think all will agree. However it seems that some of the brethren are under the impression that if you are friendly with a liberal brother, such as visiting with him and perhaps eating a meal with him that we are fellowshipping him in his error. Are we to conclude that all liberal brethren are dishonest?? That none of them are honestly mistaken??
The word "fellowship" as used by Paul in 2 Cor. 6:14 means to be yoked together in such manner as will result in sinful fellowship. He says: "Be not ye unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? And what communion hath light with darkness?" Our Lord did eat and drink with publicans and sinners, but surely no one is ready to say that he was having fellowship with them in their sins. He was not yoked together with them, but he had come to seek and to save them. I believe that there are thousands of liberal brethren that don't know what the score is with regard to liberalism. If we cut ourselves completely from them, for fear we will be having fellowship with them, then we ask — how will we ever have a chance to teach them that brotherhood elders benevolent boards, and homes for unwed mothers is contrary to the Scriptures?? There are liberal preachers that so far as the fundamentals of the gospel are concerned, preach them right down the line, and people are being baptized by them. Question: Does the Lord add these who are baptized to his church?? Of course they are not taught previously about liberalism and seldom if ever hear about it afterward, unless they come in contact with some conservative brother.
When your writer obeyed the gospel in 1929 he knew nothing about the Missionary Society being unscriptural, until he read some of the writings of C. R. Nichol, and others. I knew instrumental music was wrong because a preacher would seldom hold a meeting without preaching on the subject. I believe that if we have the proper understanding as to what Bible fellowship consists of; we will not be so quick to conclude that a brother that is friendly with a liberal is fellow-shipping him in his error. Of course if we offered comfort to his false position we would be having fellowship with him, but it would not be the kind of fellowship that the Bible requires, but rather the kind it condemns.
When we take all the passages of Scripture that deal with Christian fellowship and the related passages, then we know what fellowship is, and when we know what it is, then we know what it is not. If one will do this he will have learned that fellowship means joint responsibility. The felloes in a wagon wheel make a good illustration. There is the hub, the spokes and the felloes, and they each bear joint responsibility. When each individual Christian bears his share of the load they are having fellowship one with the other.
The word fellowship expresses partnership in the benefits of Christ's death. Paul says of the Lord's Supper: "The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ?" (1 Cor. 10:16) Second: The word fellowship expresses that Christians are partners in Christ's suffering. Hear Paul again: "That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his suffering, being made conformable unto his death." (Phi. 3:10) Third: It teaches sharing with another in preaching the gospel. "For your fellowship in the gospel, from the first day until now." Phil. 1:6 and 4:15, 16. When the Gentile churches sent help to the needy saint in Jerusalem, they were having fellowship with them. See Romans 15:26.
Let us now consider some expressions that are related to our fellowship with Christ. It makes us fellow citizens. "Now therefore ye are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God." (Eph. 5:19) Fellowship with Christ also makes us fellow soldiers. "I supposed it necessary to send unto you Epaphroditus my brother and companion in labour, and fellow soldier, but your messenger, and he that ministered to my wants." (Phil. 2: 25) Fellowship in Christ also requires that we be fellow helpers. "Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ." (Gal. 6:2) It makes us fellow helpers to the truth. John says: "Because that for his name's sake they went forth, taking nothing of the Gentiles. We therefore ought to receive such, that we might be fellow-helpers of the truth." (John 7:8)
Each child of God is duty bound to have fellowship in all things that the gospel requires, and to refrain from having fellowship with the works of darkness. Let no one he fearful however that as long as he teaches the truth against all error, that he is having fellowship with error. The Lord could use thousands more to engage in such good work.
Box 311, Marked Tree, Arkansas