Thoughts on Fellowship
W. Carl Ketcherside
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This is but one case among many where men have discovered that the real teaching of the Bible is in direct contradiction to the accepted view and common practice. We are glad when men like Dr. Lindemann find the solution to problems of mental stress and depression, so they can help the victims of emotional disturbance to have a happier existence. We believe that the Bible has also long held the answer to a problem which has plagued the disciple brotherhood. The problem is that of division, strife and factionalism, with all the kindred ills which attend it. It is everywhere manifest and is detrimental to the achievement of the purpose of restoration, the unity of all believers in the Christ. The answer is simple, but it is exactly opposite to the generally accepted position. That the present view is not achieving the proper purpose is evident in the fact that factions are multiplying and the possibility of unity recedes farther into the distance with each passing year.
The discovery we are going to mention can revolutionize our lives, revitalize the restoration movement, recharge our spiritual batteries and change our whole relationship to the religious world. It can make us apostles of world brotherhood in the van of a great movement to lead mankind to a closer walk with God and with each other. But it is so simple you may be inclined to underestimate it and overlook its power-packed vitality. You will need to think about it for a long time before the full potential dawns upon you. You will need to understand what a tremendous change it can work in your own life and practice by transforming your attitude and altering your perspective. The unlimited possibilities it will provide will be in direct contrast to the spiritually restricted life which has been yours. Through grasp of this great truth God will open up for you "a great door and
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Fellowship in Christ is not the result of our agreement upon matters of opinion and interpretation; but our agreement upon these things comes as a result of our fellowship.
Do you ask what is so great about that? First, it is the reverse of what most of us have been taught and have taught. It may, therefore, produce unity where our previous attitude has produced division and disunity.
Second, it begins with fellowship and ends with agreement; whereas we have been trying to start with agreement and work towards fellowship. But it has been impossible to agree because we have had an improper attitude toward each other. We have regarded each other as aliens, enemies and opponents. We have been fearful of each other. In this spirit the area of disagreement has widened and fellowship was thrust farther away. We thought we could not love each other as brethren. This produced an impasse with a new faction given birth almost every year.
Third, this places our fellowship in proper perspective. It makes it infinitely greater than any matter of interpretation or any difference of opinion. In the past even minor opinions have been deemed greater than fellowship. As a result fellowship has been sacrificed at every disagreement. In reality, there is room for differences and disagreements inside the circle of fellowship, provided the royal law of love is not forgotten or forsaken. Love is the spiritual law of gravity which draws us toward a common center. So long as it is operative, we may differ greatly on many things, and still remain in the domain of Christ, even as men may differ in the political world and still remain on earth.
Fourth, fellowship is attained at once through the grace of God, while agreement upon spiritual implications and interpretations may be the work of years, and achieved only through intensive study and mutual intercourse of thought. We are called into fellowship by God. We arrive at understanding through the exercise of our rational faculties. To recognize that fellowship is a state or relationship into which we are brought by divine power, and to conceive of every immersed believing penitent as being in that relationship, will allow our own spirits to expand and the love of God will then be shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit which has been given unto us.
Fifth, this concept, if understood and taught, will assure that not another division will ever occur among those who sincerely love Christ. Moreover, a number of breaches now existing will be healed. We recognize that "there must be factions among you in order that those who are genuine among you may be recognized" (1 Cor. 11:19). In the past, the genuine ones could not be recognized, because they joined up with one or the other of the factions. We take it that if two parties were created in the church, the genuine ones would not be recognized if they aligned themselves with either. The genuine ones are those who refuse to be factional. If a congregation is divided into parties over an interpretation of Revelation 20, and there is a pre-millennial and a post-millennial faction formed, the genuine ones, regardless of their views on the millennial question, would recognize all as brethren, and refuse to become partisans in the matter. Those who are genuine exalt Jesus above any opinion and refuse to divide those who are in Him; those who are factional exalt an opinion above Jesus and refuse to recognize those who differ as being in Him. Our misconception of the New Testament teaching has tended to make more of us factional than genuine!
Fellowship is not a fruit of agreement but agreement is the fruit of fellowship! Does the Bible teach that? Do we come to be in fellowship because we are of one mind, or do we come to be of one mind because we are in the fellowship? Much depends upon the answer you give. If we come into fellowship by agreement upon opinions, then how many things
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No such difficulty is encountered if we regard fellowship in the proper light. Allowance will be made for the ignorance on many points a century ago, and for the increase of knowledge a century in the future. Neither ignorance nor growth affect fellowship unless the first is wilful and the second disregards the law of love. There will be room for minds that are liberal and conservative to work together in love, the first lending fresh outlook and new vision, the latter exercising proper restraint to keep the progress within the pale of God's revelation. But is this concept scriptural. We assert that it is!
Every admonition in the New Testament to be of one mind, to agree among yourselves, or to speak the same thing, was given to those who were in fellowship. In no case were brethren told to achieve peace in order to be in fellowship, but, having been called into fellowship, they were to achieve peace. "And above all these put on love which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ dwell in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in the one body" (Col. 3:14-15). It was those who were in the one body who were to put on love, and to allow the peace of Christ to rule.
Paul wrote to the saints in Christ Jesus at Philippi with their bishops and deacons and instructed them to "Complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love being in full accord and of one mind" (Phil. 2:2). His joy began when they entered the fellowship of Christ. As they grew closer to each other in that area and achieved unity of thought and purpose, his joy and theirs abounded. "I shall remain and continue with you all, for your progress and joy in the faith" (1:25). On what basis were they told to achieve the same mind, the same love, and full accord? The previous verse hinges its accomplishment upon "encouragement in Christ, the incentive of love, the participation (fellowship) in the Spirit." With such encouragement, incentive and fellowship they were to labor toward unity of thought. But while they were struggling the fellowship was not impaired!
The church of God at Corinth was composed of those who "were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord" (1 Cor. 1:9). It was because they were in fellowship, that the apostle said, "I appeal to you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree that there be no dissensions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and in the same judgment." They were rent into schismatic groups, yet they were in the fellowship. Paul pleads with all of them as brethren, regardless of the party names they wore. To them all he recommends love as the answer to their predicament, for "love is patient and kind; love is not jealous or boastful; it is not arrogant or rude. Love does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrong, but rejoices in the right. Love bears all things, believes all things, endures all things" (13:4-7). Paul rises above all partisanship in this letter. He takes sides with neither group, not even with those who said "We are of Paul." He addresses them all as brethren, and admonishes them "as my beloved children." He says, "Finally, brethren, farewell. Mend your ways, heed my appeal, agree with one another, live in peace and
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Let us again state this revolutionary principle. Fellowship in Christ is not contingent upon agreement upon matters of interpretation and opinion; but agreement in these is contingent upon fellowship. What practical changes will be made by recognition and application of this law?
Perhaps we can best illustrate by example. A group of brethren from another section of the country reared in a different traditional background, and in a congregation which is opposed to Bible classes, move to a northern city to find employment. They find a congregation of saints meeting there and attend with them to break bread. The procedure is different than that with which they have been accustomed to and some things are very difficult for them to see. Fortunately, all are sincerely motivated by a deep love for Christ.
They meet together in Christian love to discuss the problem. All agree that they are brethren. All recognize that they are in the fellowship, not because of personal agreement, but because of their relationship to God through the Holy Spirit. All resolve not to tear the fabric of fellowship because it is greater than any personal view relative to teaching the Word of the Lord, however dear that view might be to their hearts. They first decide to list and discuss those things in which they stand together, believing that emphasis upon these will lay a more solid foundation for discussion of differences. They find the area of agreement is much greater than the area of disagreement, and they concede that it would be foolish to give up this ground which has already been gained in their struggle to possess the small remainder in unity.
All are patient and kind. No one is jealous or boastful. No one is arrogant, rude, irritable or resentful. No one insists upon having his own way. (Read 1 Cor. 13:4, 5 again). The brethren who have moved to the city, agree to work with the congregation in every way possible and to allow each one's personal conviction to be the determining factor as to how far he can go in cooperating with the classes for Bible study. As several years pass, their love for each other is deepened through sharing in times of joy and sorrow, prosperity and adversity, health and sickness, and pain and death. Their children have married and they are bound together by ties of affection. The congregation grows so large it is deemed best to plant another.
The brethren who have opposed the grouping of students ask permission to form a new congregation in which they can conduct a teaching program more in conformity with their views. Consent is given and all labor together in planting the new unit. They continue to meet together once per week for mutual study of the word, they exchange physical labor upon the two meetinghouses, and also exchange talent for the purpose of edification. They recognize that because brethren meet in two different places and hold some varying views does not justify disfellowship, and frequent association will mean a closer unity as they come nearer to the ideal of Christ.
Would not such a course be better than the procedure generally followed? Would it not be more consistent with the tenor of the sacred revelation? Then, why have we not acted in this fashion? There is just one answer. "For you are still of the flesh. For while there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not of the flesh and behaving like ordinary men?" (1 Cor. 3:3). Christians are to be extraordinary men. They are not to be conformed to
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We are today exactly where our thinking has brought us. We will be tomorrow exactly where our thinking takes us. If we will change the tragic picture of divisions, desolation and spiritual destruction, we must alter our thinking. So long as we seek to achieve fellowship by agreement upon propositions we will divide every time someone learns a new truth. Unity will not be achieved by external documents and forms. It must come from within. We must feel that we are one in Him with every other person who has accepted Him as Lord. That feeling will do more to promote peace, and prove to be a surer bond of lasting union than all the pacts, concordats and comity agreements men have written. We are in fellowship! We are one in Christ! We have been raised up together and made to sit together in heavenly places! The Holy Spirit dwells within us as a seal of our fellowship with God and with each other. Under the benign influence of that Spirit, let us move closer to having one mind, the same love and full accord. God hasten the day! Peace must be waged, as others wage war and strife.