Fellowship & Unity Based On God’s Word
FELLOWSHIP AND UNITY BASED ON GOD'S WORD
Yeow Chin Kiong
"Fellowship" among individuals is essentially about companionship (sharing friendly company) built upon common purpose and belief. Among Christians, fellowship supplements devotion to the apostles' doctrine (or teaching), the Lord's Supper and prayers (Acts 2:42). It is called by God for Christians in relation to His Son as an encouragement to unity among brethren (1 Corinthians 1:9-10). Fellowship also requires a close relationship with the Holy Spirit, and by extension, His inspired word, all
being united in mind and love (Philippians 2:1-2).
Fellowship is shared between Christians and the Holy Spirit, (2 Corinthians 13:14) and certainly, the word He has revealed through inspìred persons. True fellowship covers and connects the Father, the Son and Christians (1 John 1:3, 6-7). From these scriptural contexts of fellowship, it is clear that true felllowship among Christians comprises shared affection between them, in relation to the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, necessarily based on a shared understanding and appreciation of God's word.
Any coming-together of individuals who differ in their understanding and appreciation of the contents and message of the holy scriptures is no "fellowship" in the Biblical sense. And any such "relationship of convenience",- sweeping aside doctrinal differences between the parties,- results, at best, in some kind of "union" among parties, NOT UNITY among them. Ultimately, one or more parties in that union are in error and not of "one mind" with God's word. They would otherwise, be in total agreement with each other AND with God's word, speaking the same thing (as commanded in 1 Corinthians 1:10), using God's oracles (1 Peter 4:11).
Divisions and breaking-up of fellowship and unity among Christians are very sad and definitely not intended by the Father, who desires His children to be united in fellowship with each other, Himself AND HIS WORD. How, then, does division come about among Christians? The scriptures themselves explain how, firstly, insisting that such divisions, tbough sad, are NECESSARY so that those who are approved (i.e. correct) may be identified and set aside from those in error (1 Corinthians 11:18-19).
Secondly, the scriptures explain that differences among brethren occur when one or more parties go "beyond the word of God." This is clearly spelt out in 1 Corinthians 4:6-7. The immediate context of this passage is that Christians are stewards of God and stewards are, above all, to be found faithful or obedient (1 Corinthians 4:1-2). Also, God is the Judge of all things (1 Corinthians 4:3-5) and by necessary implication His word is authoritative in any decision-making. Then comes Paul's main point, "6 Now these things, brethren, I have figuratively transferred to myself and Apollos for your sakes, that you may learn in us not to think beyond what is written, that none of you may be puffed up on behalf of one against the other. 7 For who makes you differ from another? And what do have that you did not receive? Now if you did indeed receive it, why do you boast as if you had not received it?"
When our minds about any matter are not guided by the guidelines and guardrails of scripture and we go beyond revealed scripture (or by necessary implication to less than what God's word has revealed), we create differences among ourselves, eventually being "puffed up" since we appear to have "discovered" something over and above the Revealed Word. Division among the brethren and denominationalism are the fruits and harvest of ignoring the warning of 1 Corinthians 4:6-11 (and Revelation 22:18-19).
It is no coincidence that Paul and Apollos were united and of one mind in issuing this warning
not to wander away from the commands and doctrines of scripture. BOTH men, now of one mind, at one time had doctrinal differences between them but these were resolved through a thorough study of God's word (Acts 18:24-28). No "agreeing to disagree" or sweeping doctrinal differences under the carpet could have resulted in the true and fruitful unity of both men.