“The Fellowship of the Saints” AUDIO

Read
Romans 15:22-24 – “This is the reason why I have so often been hindered from coming to you. But now, since I no longer have any room for work in these regions, and since I have longed for many years to come to you, I hope to see you in passing as I go to Spain, and to be helped on my journey there by you, once I have enjoyed your company for a while.”

15:29 – “I know that when I come to you I will come in the fullness of the blessing of Christ.”

15:32 – “…so that by God’s will I may come to you with joy and be refreshed in your company.”

Reflect
Last week we established Paul’s chief purpose and priority – to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ to those who have not heard. This should also be the first and foremost element in our understanding of living in the “fullness of the blessing of Christ” (v. 29). But as we read today’s passages, we see another common thread throughout the chapter. Paul desperately desires to see the Christians in Rome and to enjoy “fellowship” with them.

This should cause us to take note and ask the question, “What exactly is biblical fellowship?” Let us start to answer this question by first identifying what fellowship is not. Biblical fellowship is not simply spending time with other Christians. It is not a Bible study. It is not a church service. It is not a group-therapy session. It is not spending time participating in hobbies with other Christians. And, much to my disappointment, it is not a meal. (If you grew up in the same church culture as me, you invariably link fellowship with food. There is some Christian law written somewhere – that I can’t find yet – which declares it sinful to attempt a Christian gathering without food being present.) Now don’t misunderstand. All of these things that are listed can help to facilitate biblical fellowship, but none of them (by themselves) constitute a true expression of fellowship.

There are two Greek words that are used to identify biblical fellowship in the New Testament: ekklesia and koinonia.

Ekklesia simply means “a gathering”, and is the source of our word for “church”. The gathering of Christians known as the church (also called a “fellowship” of believers) finds its primary purpose in its identity. I John 1:3 says, “that which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ.” Our fellowship is first found in our identity in Christ. That is why unbelievers cannot experience true, biblical fellowship. It is a gift given only to those who trust in Christ for their salvation.

Consider this statement from Charles Colson’s book Being the Body:
“First, the church is not a building. The church is a people. Just looking at the original Greek text, ‘ekklesia’, the Greek word translated ‘church’ in the New Testament, never refers to a building or a structure. An ekklesia was a gathering of people. Second, the church is more than simply a collection of people; it is a new community. Many modern Christians see the Christian faith primarily as the gospel of ‘Jesus and me’. This is true, but it falls short of the whole. We are justified through our individual faith. But when we confess Christ, God’s response is to bring us into His church; we become part of His called-out people. When we become followers of Christ, we become members of His church, and our commitment to the church is indistinguishable from our commitment to Him. The church is no civic center, no social club or encounter group, no Sunday morning meeting place. It is a new society, created for the salvation of a lost world, pointing to the kingdom to come” (W Publishing, 2003).

The second word, koinonia, refers to the relational aspect of Christians gathering together. It speaks to who we are and what we do. In the book, Why Small Groups?, John Loftness defines biblical fellowship as ““participating together in the life and truth made possible by the Holy Spirit through our union with Christ. Fellowship is sharing something in common on the deepest possible level of human relationship – our experience in God Himself.” He goes on to say, “Fellowship with others begins with an honest, open, obedient relationship with God rooted in the truth of His word. How we share that relationship with others – how we wrestle with understanding truth and struggle to apply it to our lives – is the essence of fellowship.” (Sovereign Grace Media, 1996).

Here, we begin to see the difference between an Americanized version of “religious socializing” and true biblical fellowship. For a body of believers to truly be an ekklesia (a gathering) that enjoys koinonia (spiritual, relational, discipling intimacy) there must be opportunity for confession of sins, sharing of struggles, praying for one another, correcting one another, sharing our spiritual experiences, spiritual gifts to be used, and service to one another in practical ways. These things can happen in a Bible study, or over a meal, or at a prayer meeting, but these gatherings do not guarantee fellowship.

In fact, the sins of our carnal nature are in direct opposition to biblical fellowship. Our independent, self-sufficient mindset convinces us we don’t need anyone. Our self-centeredness tells us that others don’t really care. Our bitterness whispers that we can’t really trust anyone. All of these sins should be identified and confessed so that we can begin to walk in a biblical understanding of fellowship.

In conclusion, consider Ephesians 4:11-16. This is one of the most concise passages of scripture I have found which clearly shows us the elements and intentions of biblical fellowship. They are: equipping the saints (teaching), work of ministry (serving), building up of the Body (encouraging), unity of the faith (believing together), knowledge of the Son (the Gospel), maturity in manhood (discipleship), secure in sound doctrine (apologetics), speaking the truth in love (correction), and unity in function (serving together).

When we gather as the Body of Christ, whether that is in a Sunday morning church service, a small group meeting in someone’s home, or over a meal with another believer, we must know how scripture defines “fellowship”. Let us reject the superficial, polite chitchat that only dwells on the surface of the heart. Let the intimacy of the Spirit bring opportunity for confession, prayer and real ministry as we endeavor to enjoy true fellowship – biblically, passionately, and often.

For His Glory,
Pastor Scott

Speaker: Scott Crook

“The Fellowship of the Saints” AUDIO

Read
Romans 15:22-24 – “This is the reason why I have so often been hindered from coming to you. But now, since I no longer have any room for work in these regions, and since I have longed for many years to come to you, I hope to see you in passing as I go to Spain, and to be helped on my journey there by you, once I have enjoyed your company for a while.”

15:29 – “I know that when I come to you I will come in the fullness of the blessing of Christ.”

15:32 – “…so that by God’s will I may come to you with joy and be refreshed in your company.”

Reflect
Last week we established Paul’s chief purpose and priority – to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ to those who have not heard. This should also be the first and foremost element in our understanding of living in the “fullness of the blessing of Christ” (v. 29). But as we read today’s passages, we see another common thread throughout the chapter. Paul desperately desires to see the Christians in Rome and to enjoy “fellowship” with them.

This should cause us to take note and ask the question, “What exactly is biblical fellowship?” Let us start to answer this question by first identifying what fellowship is not. Biblical fellowship is not simply spending time with other Christians. It is not a Bible study. It is not a church service. It is not a group-therapy session. It is not spending time participating in hobbies with other Christians. And, much to my disappointment, it is not a meal. (If you grew up in the same church culture as me, you invariably link fellowship with food. There is some Christian law written somewhere – that I can’t find yet – which declares it sinful to attempt a Christian gathering without food being present.) Now don’t misunderstand. All of these things that are listed can help to facilitate biblical fellowship, but none of them (by themselves) constitute a true expression of fellowship.

There are two Greek words that are used to identify biblical fellowship in the New Testament: ekklesia and koinonia.

Ekklesia simply means “a gathering”, and is the source of our word for “church”. The gathering of Christians known as the church (also called a “fellowship” of believers) finds its primary purpose in its identity. I John 1:3 says, “that which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ.” Our fellowship is first found in our identity in Christ. That is why unbelievers cannot experience true, biblical fellowship. It is a gift given only to those who trust in Christ for their salvation.

Consider this statement from Charles Colson’s book Being the Body:
“First, the church is not a building. The church is a people. Just looking at the original Greek text, ‘ekklesia’, the Greek word translated ‘church’ in the New Testament, never refers to a building or a structure. An ekklesia was a gathering of people. Second, the church is more than simply a collection of people; it is a new community. Many modern Christians see the Christian faith primarily as the gospel of ‘Jesus and me’. This is true, but it falls short of the whole. We are justified through our individual faith. But when we confess Christ, God’s response is to bring us into His church; we become part of His called-out people. When we become followers of Christ, we become members of His church, and our commitment to the church is indistinguishable from our commitment to Him. The church is no civic center, no social club or encounter group, no Sunday morning meeting place. It is a new society, created for the salvation of a lost world, pointing to the kingdom to come” (W Publishing, 2003).

The second word, koinonia, refers to the relational aspect of Christians gathering together. It speaks to who we are and what we do. In the book, Why Small Groups?, John Loftness defines biblical fellowship as ““participating together in the life and truth made possible by the Holy Spirit through our union with Christ. Fellowship is sharing something in common on the deepest possible level of human relationship – our experience in God Himself.” He goes on to say, “Fellowship with others begins with an honest, open, obedient relationship with God rooted in the truth of His word. How we share that relationship with others – how we wrestle with understanding truth and struggle to apply it to our lives – is the essence of fellowship.” (Sovereign Grace Media, 1996).

Here, we begin to see the difference between an Americanized version of “religious socializing” and true biblical fellowship. For a body of believers to truly be an ekklesia (a gathering) that enjoys koinonia (spiritual, relational, discipling intimacy) there must be opportunity for confession of sins, sharing of struggles, praying for one another, correcting one another, sharing our spiritual experiences, spiritual gifts to be used, and service to one another in practical ways. These things can happen in a Bible study, or over a meal, or at a prayer meeting, but these gatherings do not guarantee fellowship.

In fact, the sins of our carnal nature are in direct opposition to biblical fellowship. Our independent, self-sufficient mindset convinces us we don’t need anyone. Our self-centeredness tells us that others don’t really care. Our bitterness whispers that we can’t really trust anyone. All of these sins should be identified and confessed so that we can begin to walk in a biblical understanding of fellowship.

In conclusion, consider Ephesians 4:11-16. This is one of the most concise passages of scripture I have found which clearly shows us the elements and intentions of biblical fellowship. They are: equipping the saints (teaching), work of ministry (serving), building up of the Body (encouraging), unity of the faith (believing together), knowledge of the Son (the Gospel), maturity in manhood (discipleship), secure in sound doctrine (apologetics), speaking the truth in love (correction), and unity in function (serving together).

When we gather as the Body of Christ, whether that is in a Sunday morning church service, a small group meeting in someone’s home, or over a meal with another believer, we must know how scripture defines “fellowship”. Let us reject the superficial, polite chitchat that only dwells on the surface of the heart. Let the intimacy of the Spirit bring opportunity for confession, prayer and real ministry as we endeavor to enjoy true fellowship – biblically, passionately, and often.

For His Glory,
Pastor Scott