Fellowship With Whom?

FELLOWSHIP WITH WHOM?

Psalm 133:1

Note: I have the Power Point to this message. If you write and ask for it, I will send it to you. My email is LarryJ713@aol.com

WHAT IS THE BASIS OF OUR ASSOCIATION WITH OTHERS?

BEHOLD, HOW good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity! Psalm 133:1

A. I am willing to admit that this is a question that I have wrestled with over the years and I can say that my attitude has changed much (hopefully as I gained some wisdom).

B. What should be our attitude about associating with other people?

C. I believe that there is a tremendous tendency to be an isolationist in any group.

D. WHAT SHOULD BE THE CRYTERIA BY WHICH WE ASSOICATE WITH OTHERS??

T/S I BELIEVE THERE ARE 3 PHASES OF FELLOWSHIP.

1. Fellowship in Adam.

2. Fellowship in the Family.

3. Fellowship in the Faith.

I. The first phases of fellowship is FELLOWSHIP IN ADAM?

A. We are fellow human beings. We should be able to fellowship in the fact that we live on the same planet. We breath the same air. We hold many of the same things in common.

Paul said, " And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation;" Act 17:26

B. We all probably have things we consider important that we differ about – but come on – Let’s work of the thousands of things that we hold in common as travelers on planet earth.

II. The second phases of fellowship is FELLOWSHIP IN THE FAMILY?

Now, I am not talking about our physical family. We should love and get along with Mom & Dad, Brother or Sister, Son or daughter. It is a sad, sad fact that many, many families do not get along with each other but we should.

A. What I am talking about the Family of God. "Love one another with brotherly affection [as members of one family], giving precedence and showing honor to one another." Rom. 12:10 {Amp.}

I just cannot come to the conclusion that God would have anyone have an attitude of "EITHER AGREE WITH ME OR GO TO HELL".

B. There are some boundaries that a person or organization can go that I will no longer want to be associated with them in any function other than a fellow member of the human race.

C. However, it must never be a limit set my ME. (Hear me carefully). It must be the limits set by the Word of God.

Gal 1:6-9 I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: 7. Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ.

8. But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. 9 As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.

D. Our association as one fellow Christian to another must be based on the gospel.

1. What is the gospel?

1 Cor 15:1 Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand;

2 By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.

3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;

4 And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:

E. You will say, Well that’s easy. It is just based on the gospel. Well, think about what Paul said was involved in the gospel.

1. The gospel declares the doctrine of the person of Christ. (It was The Christ who died)

1 John 4:1-4 Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confessed that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: And every spirit that confessed not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world. Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.