 A BIBLE BASIS FOR FELLOWSHIP
(Some 32 years ago the author was invited to speak on a forum, which included preachers from Christian Churches. Disciples of Christ and Churches of Christ. The topic is of continuing interest. With slight revisions, this was his message then. It is his message today).
In the shadow of the cross Jesus prayed, "neither for these only do I pray, but for them also that believe on me through their words; that they may all be one;...that the world may believe that thou didst send me" (John 17:20-21).
WE CAN HAVE FELLOWSHIP TODAY IF
We build together upon Christ and his word. "Other foundation can no man lay than that which is laid, which is Christ Jesus" (I Cor. 3:11). Current trends in Protestantism call for fellowship on a common faith in Christ. This is deceptive. These voices ignore the teachings of Christ and make every man a law unto himself. This approach might bring "instant fellowship in a package," but it is not what Christ prayed for, nor what early Christians had. "They continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine, fellowship..." (Acts 2:42). They taught that if a man did not abide "in the teaching of Christ, he hath not God: he that abideth in the teaching, the same hath both the Father and the Son" (II John 9). For many, the passion for unity outweighs their passion for Biblical truth!
FIRST WE MUST AGREE ON AUTHORITY
To have fellowship, we must come to a common conclusion on the question of authority. The Father gave his Son all authority (Matt. 28:18). The words of Jesus will judge us, (John 12:48). Jesus told his apostles, "He that receiveth you receiveth me" (Matt. 10:40). Thus the apostles' doctrine is Christ's will for us. His word has been preserved for us in the New Covenant. No faithful disciple questions these principles.
It was respect for Christ and his New Testament that made the plea of the Restoration pioneers so attractive to the people. J. W. McGarvey wrote:
"It was this supreme devotion to the word of God that developed a movement having at first only a union of believers in view, into one having in view the complete restoration of primitive Christianity. For it was soon seen that the union for which Christ prayed and upon which the apostles insisted, could be brought about only in this way" (J. D. Murch, Christians Only, Standard Pub. Co. Cincinnati, 1962, p. 211).
WHO CAN I FELLOWSHIP?
Only God's Word can answer this question. Christ made both Jew and Gentile one in himself. "For we are all one man in Christ..." (Gal. 3:26-28). Being one in Christ simply means that we have fellowship with everyone who is in Christ. But how can we determine who is in Christ? Again, God's Word explains that we are baptized into Christ (Gal. 3:27). This limits our fellowship to those baptized into Christ. Can we fellowship the unimmersed?
The baptism of Christ is a burial with him in water (Rom. 6:4; Acts 10:48).
There being but one baptism (Eph. 4:5), and it immersion for remission of sins (Acts 2:38), we can have fellowship only with those thus baptized.
BOUNDARIES OF FELLOWSHIP SET BY GOD
Even of those properly immersed, the word of God limits our fellowship to those who conform to His rules of faith and conduct.
- "Now we command you brethren to withdraw yourselves from every brother that walketh disorderly, and not after the traditions which they received of us"
"...that ye have no company with him" (II Thess. 3:6, 14-15). - "...if any man that is name a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such a one no not to eat....put away the wicked man from among yourselves" (I Cor. 5:11-13).
- "A factious man after the first and second admonition refuse; knowing that such a one is perverted, and sinneth being self-condemned" (Tit. 3:10-11).
- "...mark them that are causing divisions and occasions of stumbling, contrary to the doctrine which ye learned and turn away from them" (Rom. 16:17-18).
- "Whosoever goeth onward and abideth not in the teaching of Christ, hath not God: he that abideth in the teaching, the same hath both the Father and the Son. If any one cometh unto you, and bringeth not his teaching, receive him not into your house, and give him no greeting; for the that giveth him greeting partaketh in his evil works" (II John 9-11).
The foregoing words compel me to withhold my fellowship from those who are immoral or disorderly in conduct; those of a factious nature; those who cause divisions and occasions of stumbling contrary to the Scripture and who abide not in the doctrine of Christ.
Those who expect perfect harmony between all who call on the name of Jesus are dreamers. Even from the beginning there were those who despised the fellowship of the saints. Some Jewish Christians shunned Gentile brethren. False brethren led away disciples after them and others who made shipwreck of their faith. There will always be many who say, Lord , Lord but who do not the will of the Father (Matt. 7:21). Jesus does not recognize them, nor can we.
LOVE AND OBEDIENCE ARE COROLLARIES OF FELLOWSHIP
Those who love God with all their heart, who seek first his kingdom, will love the brotherhood (I Pet. 2:17). This love for brethren is the identifying badge of discipleship. "Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another" (I John 4:11). Yet this very love for God insists that we keep His commandments (I John 5:3). We cannot escape the imperative of obedience to the will of Jesus, if there is ever to be meaningful fellowship. Some advocate fellowship without regard to doctrinal differences. They maintain that love and faith in Jesus is sufficient. Their approach is fallacious and anti-scriptural.
A MISCONCEPTION
It is a false delusion to think that the compromising approaches of those preachers and leaders of Churches of Christ who have appointed themselves to speak at the "Restoration Unity Forums"are expressing the thinking of the great body of the Churches of Christ who use no man-made instruments in worship. "...mere union in a federation of churches is not true Christian unity. Such a union would be merely something which the church would have in common with human societies...a mere federation in itself has nothing at all to do with real church union." "Unity movements will be futile if they eventuate in nothing more than "mutual tolerance, respect and co-operation" (Murch, p. 365).
HERE I STAND
We occupy safe ground. History vindicates the action of those who respected the silence of the Scripture on instrumental music and rejected the extra congregational organizations like missionary societies. Murch's history is an eloquent witness to this fact.
"...the Church of Christ has made a phenomenal growth. This is due to two things: (1) Its people have stood like a Rock of Gibraltar for ‘the faith which was once delivered unto the saints,' amid the doubt and confusion superinduced by liberalism. They have challenged the spirit of compromise and worldliness and dared to be a ‘peculiar' people teaching and practicing what they believe is the Bible way of life. (2) They have come to realize that the silences of the Scriptures must be respected as well as the commandments of Scripture, but that obedience to its silences permits freedom of judgment and action" (Christian Only, p. 313).
Those brethren who first introduced the instruments and societies never dreamed of the final destination to which they would lead. The Disciples of Christ have made a complete circle back into denominationalism, a situation which their forefathers struggled valiantly to escape. There is a great difference between those leaving Babylon in search of truth and the Lord's true church and those leaving New Testament Christianity for the Babylon of denominationalism.
The battle fought and the victory won was too costly for us to surrender it in compromise for a shallow token of unity. The author could never enter into fellowship where instruments of music or any other addition to the divine plan are used. Our problem today is essentially the same as it was a hundred years ago. The question of the hour is, "How will history record our attitude and action respecting the authority of God's Word?" Only in humble submission to that heavenly authority will unity be found!
JHW |
