Devoted to the Propagation and Defense of New Testament Christianity
VOLUME 22
August 6, 1970
NUMBER 12, PAGE 34-36a

Limited Fellowship

Wm. E. Wallace

Introduction:

A. At this point in the "division" institutional issues should not affect us as Gnosticism did John when he met Cerinthus in the public bath.1 B. Segregation from projects but not isolation from brethren.

1. Some degree of fellowship - This is the crux of the subject.

2. The idea of partial fellowship is valid with regard to non-believers (I Cor. 10:20, 27) and

I believe the same principle makes it valid as to relationship with believers.

C. Limited fellowship is the sharing of some religious experiences with others while refusing to share other such experiences.

I. FELLOWSHIP - The KOINON Group of Words2 Derived From KOINOS = Common.

A. KOINONOS (10 times in N. T.) - one who shares something with someone, partner, partaker, companion. (Synkoinonos - 4 times in N. T.).

B. KOINONEO (8 times in N. T.).

1. To have a share in something with someone.

2. To give a share in something with someone.

C. KOINONIA (20 times in N. T.) - sharing or giving a share, fellowship.

D. KOINONIKOS (1 time in N. T.).

E. Synonyms

I. Metecho

2. Metoche

3. Metechos

4. Metal lambano

F. Withdrawal of Fellowship

1. Moral reasons. I Cor. 5:5.

2. Personal abuse. Mt. 18:15ff.

3. Doctrinal heresy. Rom. 16:17, Titus 3:10.

4. Disorderly conduct. II Thess. 3:6.

G. Judgments Involved in Withdrawal of Fellowship.

1. Rom. 16:18.

2. Philippians 3:18-19.

H. It is my understanding that, with regard to the institutional issues there is something we can rightfully share with the "liberals," a limited fellowship.

II. Fellowship Is Deliberate

A. Fellowship is a deliberate sharing or participation with another or others in religious and social experiences.

1. Comradeship

2. Partnership

3. Popular Usage: Recognition as worthy of social and religious intercourse with us.

B. Areas of religious and social fellowship.

1. Joint membership with others in a congregational relationship.

a. Worship b. Service

c. Study d. Religio-social association3

2. Joint identification with others in a brotherhood of churches of Christ.

a. Fellow partakers of grace. Ph. 1:7.

b. Joint partakers of gospel. 1 Cor. 9:23.

c. Fellow partakers of promises. Eph. 3:6.

d. Fellow partakers of glory. I Pet. 5:1.

e. Fellow partakers of body. I Cor. 10:16-17.

f. Joint fellowship with the Holy Spirit. Ph. 2:1, II Cor. 13:14.

g. Fellow partakers of divine nature. 2 Pet. 1:4.

h. Fellow partakers with Christ. I Cor. 1:9, Heb. 3:14.

(1) Vine and branches - John 15.

(2) Body - Rom. 12:5.

i. Horizontal fellowship between man and man is based on vertical fellowship those men have with God. I John 1:3-7.

(1) Verse 6 tells who is not in fellowship with God.

3. Joint participation in specific beliefs, and practices.

a. Fellow-prisoners - Rom. 16:7.

b. Fellow-servants - Col. 1:7; 4:7; Rev. 6:11.

c. Fellow-workers - Rom. 16:21; Col. 4:11.

d. Fellow-citizens - Eph. 2:19.

III. Areas Where Fellowship Is Withheld

A. Congregational

1. Refuse joint-membership to or with individuals in a congregation.

2. Refuse to recognize one worthy of joint-participation in worship.

3. Refuse participation in specific acts.

a. As in financial support of individuals. Ph. 4:14-17, II Cor. 8, 9.

b. As in financial support of institutions.

4. Refuse sharing or encouraging of specific beliefs.

B. Brotherhood

1. Quarantine of men, papers, institutions, projects, movements, schisms, parties, factions, heresies.

2. Two classifications in quarantine.

a. Sick with contagious, dangerous diseases.

b. Severed by spiritual death.

(1) Works of darkness - Eph. 5:11.

(2) Schismatic - Rom. 16:17-18.

(3) Heretic - II Jno. 9-11.

IV. Areas Where Fellowship Is Wrongly Extended, As Regards Institutionalism

A. Contributions

1. Church grants to institutions or sponsoring church.

2. Individual gifts to church supported institutions or sponsoring church.

B. Endorsements

1. Relegate these "issues" to realm of opinion.

2. Indifference to issues is tantamount to endorsement of pro positions.

3. Approval or assent to church support of institutions or sponsoring church.

C. Encouragement

1. Withhold criticism.

2. Contribute to church which grants funds to institutions.

3. Membership in "liberal" church when there are real alternatives such as the existence of a "conservative" church in the community or the opportunity to establish one.

V. Answering The Question Represented By Our Subject4

A. "I will not sever all relations with a brother who believes the church treasury should be used to support a benevolent institution."

B. "But I will not jointly participate with him in such error."

C. "I will not put my money into a treasury that is used for such, nor will I give encouragement to those who do."

D. "If he would not seek to force 'joint participation' upon me by putting such institutions in the budget, where my money would be used to support... or by making such public avowal and association of the congregation with these institutions, that my very presence indicated approval and encouragement of the error — then we could worship together."

F. CONCLUSION: The institutional issues should cause its to sever some, not all, relationship with some, not all "liberal- brethren.

1. Guide lines to "disfellowshipping"

a. As to troublemakers - Rom. 16:17, II Thess. 3:6.

b. As to schismatic's - Titus 3:10.

c. As to heretics - II John 9-10, Jude 3-4.

2. Guide lines for fellowship:

a. We can participate in religio-social relationships5 with "liberals" when in so doing we do not endorse their error.

b. We can participate in religio-social relationships with them when in so doing we do not encourage their error.

c. We can participate in religio-social relationships with them when in so doing we do not become a partner in their error.

d. We can participate in religio-social relationships with them when in so doing we do not compromise with error.

e. We can participate in religio-social relationships with them when in so doing we do not adversely affect the sound cause or aid and abet institutionalism.

3. Areas of acceptable fellowship.

a. Joint worship in song, prayer, communion.

b. Debate, dialogue, discussion.

c. Joint-battles against common enemies.

d. Recognition of liberals as our brethren.

e. Religio-social affairs

4. Contingencies

a. It should be noted that the situation varies in different areas — and what is expedient in one locality may not be wise in another.

b. The historical and traditional factors involved in the heritage of the Restoration Movement puts the main issues between churches of Christ and Christian Churches in a different category than that involved in institutional issues among us at this time.

(1) Christian Church went out from us and we insisted on separate identity in U. S. census of 1906.

(2) We do not generally require confession or rebaptism of liberals as we do in case of those who come from "digressives."

c. The question as to how other issues should affect fellowship in the body of Christ today should be considered with regard to the circumstances peculiar to those issues.

Conclusion:

A. Purpose of my approach: It is my contention that the situation developing in "liberal" ranks today offers a setting conducive to useful and fruitful communication (fellowship) with them.

B. Important factor promoting my approach: I do not believe that we can rightfully stereotype all "liberals" as being the same.

C. End in view: Now is the time to reverse trends, correct inaccurate images, and repair the breaches in the temple of God where possible. The future may offer dramatic and pleasing surprises to conservative brethren as regards the attitude of liberals toward things we oppose.

D. "We need the virility of such intellectual confrontation which can be carried on in good taste and without loss of friendship . . . tough with ideas while tender with persons." 6

Notes

1 Irenaeus, "Against Heresies" Book In, Chapter III. John is represented as saying "Let us fly, lest even the bath house fall down, because Cerinthus, the enemy of truth is within."

2 A Theological Word Book of The Bible, MacMillan, New York, pg. 81-83 (Much of the material appearing under I & II in the outline is taken from this source.

3 By religio-social, I refer to pleasurable associations in which Christians are experiencing fellowship springing from their acquaintance in the church relationship.

4 Quotations from Robert Turner, "Plain Talk," Vol. 6, No. 7, Sept. 1969.

5 My use of "liberal" in this outline refers to those who embrace church support of institutions.

6 D. Elton Trueblood, Forword, in "Its A Playboy World," Wm. S. Banowsky, Fleming H. Revell, Co., pg. 12.