Fellowship And Love
Fellowship of brethren is not synonymous with love among brethren. This appears to be the definition of fellowship which some would have. Love of brethren for one another is one of the essentials to fellowship with God and with one another. This is revealed over and over again in the first epistle of John. Note the sequence:
"That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you also, that ye also may have fellowship with us: yea, and our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ:
"But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanseth us from all sin....
"He that loveth his brother abideth in the light, and there is no occasion of stumbling in him. But he that hateth his brother is in the darkness, and walketh in the darkness." (1 John 1:3, 7; 2:10, 11)
That this requisite of fellowship or walking in the light is concluded to be practically synonymous with light or fellowship can be seen from the writings of such men as Carl Ketcherside. He speaks of light being a symbol of love, and darkness a symbol of hatred. In the passage from him which is given below he uses the word represent, but had earlier in the article used the word symbol in the same connection.
"Let us now examine this epistle to determine what states are represented by the terms 'light' and 'darkness.' When we find out what these represent, we will have the true foundation or basis of 'fellowship one with another.' In 2:9, we read, 'He that saith he is in the light, and hateth his brother, is in darkness even until now.' Thus I learn that darkness is a state of hatred for the brethren. If that be true, then, since love is the opposite of hate, as light is of darkness, to be in the light would be to love the brethren." (Mission Messenger, September, 1959, p. 8).
Love of brethren is not the essence of light and therefore represented by that term. It is one of the essentials to walking in the light and having fellowship one with an other. Neither is love the only essential to fellowship, as is argued by our brother. This I shall demonstrate as I continue the theme.
First: If love is represented by light, and if love of brethren means that I have fellowship with them; then when I am told to love my enemies it would mean that I am to have fellowship with them. I am to love my neighbor as myself, but that does not mean that I have fellowship with him in every case. I am to love an unbeliever, but I am further told to be separate from such. (2 Cor. 6:14, 17) Walking in the light and having fellowship involves more than love, though it does require that I love my brother.
Second: The first verse of scripture quoted in this essay declares that all of the things seen and heard by the apostles and then declared by them are in order to that fellowship. Then John continues to demonstrate this in his writings. In verse 9 of the same chapter he points out that confession of sins is essential to the same blessings which are attributed to walking in the light. Confession of sins is a part of walking in the light, just as love of brethren. To be in fellowship with God means to know him, an essential in all cases of fellowship, and this is conditioned upon keeping God's commandments. (I John 2:3) And the same condition is true of the fellowship extended on God's part, for it is the one who keeps his word who has the love of God perfected in him. (1 John 2:5) The man cannot love the world and have the fellowship of God, for if he does the love of the Father is not in him. (1 John 2:15). He must confess the Son- to have that fellowship, for it is he that confesses the Son who has the Father. (1 John 1:23) Even our love for one another is based upon our doing God's commandments. (1 John 5:2)
Third: Love of brethren will sometimes necessitate reproof, rebuke, chastening, discipline and refusal of company with them. In such cases love does not produce fellowship; it, at least temporarily, produces the breaking of fellowship. "For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth." (Heb. 12:6) Of the Jews Paul said, "They are beloved for the Father's sake." (Rom. 11:28) But of them he had earlier said, "For if the casting away of them is the reconciling of the world.... (Rom. 11:15) These were cut off, God severed fellowship with them; not because he ceased to love them, but in spite of his love for them. He did this because they were not walking in faith. This will be the subject of my next theme relative to fellowship.
Paul gives this benediction to the Thessalonian brethren: "And the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God." (2 Thess. 3:5) Then in the next sentence he commands the brethren "that ye withdraw yourselves from every brother that walketh disorderly, and not after the tradition which they received of us." And again in the same paragraph; "And if any man obeyeth not our word by this epistle, note that man, that ye have no company with him, to the end that he may be ashamed." (verse 14) Here, then, the love of God and the love of my brother, instead of drawing into closer fellowship, severs it. The reason for this is that fellowship is neither the primary element of, nor essential to, love; but fellowship is a result of keeping the commands of the Lord through his apostles in love. Love is essential to fellowship; but fellowship is not essential to love. Fellowship as a result of keeping the commands of God involves a "walk by faith," and this will be compared to a "walk in the light" in the next essay.