Fellowship: Sins that Destroy It
The apostle John, writing by Divine Guidance, said the following concerning fellowship with God: “This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth” (1 Jn. 1:5-6).
Many profess to be in fellowship with God, yet because of their continual lifestyle of sin, that fellowship has been destroyed. Add to that, when fellowship with God is severed, then the fellowship that was once enjoyed with brethren is equally destroyed.
Indifference destroys fellowship with God and the brethren.
Exiled to the island of Patmos, God told John, “what thou seest, write in a book.” That book is what we call Revelation. He was then told to deliver that book to the Seven churches that were in Asia. To the church of Christ at Laodicea John wrote, “I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth” (Rev. 3:15-16).
Indifference is a sin that will cause many souls to be lost. It can be indifference to the faithful assembling of the saints (specific). Or, it can be indifference toward seeking the kingdom first (general).
Worldliness destroys fellowship with God and the brethren.
With gnosticism on the horizon, and an incipient form of gnosticism in full swing, John wrote, “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world” (1 Jn. 2:15-16).
It seems like that most anything the world is involved in, somewhere and at sometime Christians can be found engaged in the same activities—drinking, cursing, lying, dancing, mixed swimming, immodesty in general, etc.
Here’s the problem, God tells us that the church is to be different from the world (1 Pt. 1:16; Jas. 4:4; 1 Tm. 5:22). That’s what the word church means—the called out ones.
Denominationalism destroys fellowship with God and the brethren.
One slogan of the denominational world is this, “One church is just as good as another.” But they did not learn that from Christ. Jesus prayed for unity (Jn. 17:21). He died to purchase one church (Mt. 16:18). Paul begged brethren to be united (1 Cor. 1:10). He said that biblical unity can only come through faithful obedience to the Scripture (1 Cor. 1:12-13).
There is only one true church that belongs to Christ. It is the church that wears His name and keeps His precepts—the church of Christ. If I open my arms to those in the denominational world and accept them as a part of my “Christian family,” without their obedience to the Truth, then I am destroying my own fellowship with God.
Leaving your first love destroys fellowship with God and the brethren.
The first church of Asia mentioned in Revelation is the church of Christ at Ephesus. The Lord, through John the penman, said “Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love” (Rev. 2:4). The Ephesians were warned that unless they changed, the Lord would be withdrawing fellowship from them.
There is a lesson in this for us. If ever we leave our first love, there is hope for returning—provided we don’t wait too long. Here’s what the text tells us to do (Rev. 2:5):
1. Remember where we went wrong.
2. Repent and turn back to God.
3. Return to doing those things that are right.
Unwillingness to repent destroys fellowship with God and the brethren.
In my judgment, repentance is the most difficult of the Lord’s commands to keep. What does it mean to repent? Repentance is simply a change of mind that results in a change of action. It also requires that restitution be made as far as humanly possible.
What must we do when we are out of fellowship with God and our brethren. We must repent and pray. Luke said that unless we repent we’ll perish (Lk. 13:3). John wrote, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 Jn. 1:9).
May we all realize the joy of being in fellowship with the God of heaven and earth, and may we also appreciate the spiritual beauty of being united with our brethren in Christ. Let’s do what we must to maintain that fellowship. For, if we do not the consequences are eternal.
Many profess to be in fellowship with God, yet because of their continual lifestyle of sin, that fellowship has been destroyed. Add to that, when fellowship with God is severed, then the fellowship that was once enjoyed with brethren is equally destroyed.
Indifference destroys fellowship with God and the brethren.
Exiled to the island of Patmos, God told John, “what thou seest, write in a book.” That book is what we call Revelation. He was then told to deliver that book to the Seven churches that were in Asia. To the church of Christ at Laodicea John wrote, “I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth” (Rev. 3:15-16).
Indifference is a sin that will cause many souls to be lost. It can be indifference to the faithful assembling of the saints (specific). Or, it can be indifference toward seeking the kingdom first (general).
Worldliness destroys fellowship with God and the brethren.
With gnosticism on the horizon, and an incipient form of gnosticism in full swing, John wrote, “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world” (1 Jn. 2:15-16).
It seems like that most anything the world is involved in, somewhere and at sometime Christians can be found engaged in the same activities—drinking, cursing, lying, dancing, mixed swimming, immodesty in general, etc.
Here’s the problem, God tells us that the church is to be different from the world (1 Pt. 1:16; Jas. 4:4; 1 Tm. 5:22). That’s what the word church means—the called out ones.
Denominationalism destroys fellowship with God and the brethren.
One slogan of the denominational world is this, “One church is just as good as another.” But they did not learn that from Christ. Jesus prayed for unity (Jn. 17:21). He died to purchase one church (Mt. 16:18). Paul begged brethren to be united (1 Cor. 1:10). He said that biblical unity can only come through faithful obedience to the Scripture (1 Cor. 1:12-13).
There is only one true church that belongs to Christ. It is the church that wears His name and keeps His precepts—the church of Christ. If I open my arms to those in the denominational world and accept them as a part of my “Christian family,” without their obedience to the Truth, then I am destroying my own fellowship with God.
Leaving your first love destroys fellowship with God and the brethren.
The first church of Asia mentioned in Revelation is the church of Christ at Ephesus. The Lord, through John the penman, said “Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love” (Rev. 2:4). The Ephesians were warned that unless they changed, the Lord would be withdrawing fellowship from them.
There is a lesson in this for us. If ever we leave our first love, there is hope for returning—provided we don’t wait too long. Here’s what the text tells us to do (Rev. 2:5):
1. Remember where we went wrong.
2. Repent and turn back to God.
3. Return to doing those things that are right.
Unwillingness to repent destroys fellowship with God and the brethren.
In my judgment, repentance is the most difficult of the Lord’s commands to keep. What does it mean to repent? Repentance is simply a change of mind that results in a change of action. It also requires that restitution be made as far as humanly possible.
What must we do when we are out of fellowship with God and our brethren. We must repent and pray. Luke said that unless we repent we’ll perish (Lk. 13:3). John wrote, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 Jn. 1:9).
May we all realize the joy of being in fellowship with the God of heaven and earth, and may we also appreciate the spiritual beauty of being united with our brethren in Christ. Let’s do what we must to maintain that fellowship. For, if we do not the consequences are eternal.
posted by Neil Richey @ 12:03 PM
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