Practical:-1
Expressions of Christian Fellowship
Biju Itty, Gujarat
By washing His disciples’ feet, Jesus demonstrated the practical aspect of Christian fellowship. Paul elaborates, “And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of God.” So now we have been brought into fellowship with God.
And John writes, “Truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ”. But Peter said to the Lord, “You shall never wash my feet!” And He answered him, “If I do not wash you, you have no part with Me”. Meaning, “you have no share in companionship with Me”, or “you can’t be My partner in what I am doing.”
Also, He commanded that “you should do as I have done to you.” But the sad reality today is that instead of our Lord’s example, we see the example of Pilate being followed. One wonders whether instead of washing one another’s feet, are we ‘washing our hands of’ our brethren? Splendid suggestions and expert opinions are dished out to those in difficulty. But if we refuse to be involved with them beyond this, or to take responsibility and bear each other’s burdens, we are failing in our partnership with our Lord Himself.
Our fellowship with the invisible God is reflected in our dealings with our brethren whom we see.
1. Fellowship implies walking together in agreement (Amos 3:3)
We have a common ground with our brethren to walk together. Salvation through faith in Christ is that solid common ground. May nothing else prevent our fellowship then. And whenever the need arises, let us willingly walk the extra mile to fulfill the law of Christ.
2. Fellowship involves devotion to each other (Acts. 2:42)
The early disciples continually devoted themselves to fellowship with each other. They spent their time for this, and shared their resources, and were like family. But trouble arose in the daily distribution, because the Hebrews neglected the Greek-speaking widows. And then it no longer felt like family. But “religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.” (Jas.1:27 [NIV])
3. Fellowship insists that we should walk in the light (1 John 1:6)
“He who says he is in the light, and hates his brother, is in darkness until now” (1 Jn. 2:9 [NKJV]). He is a liar and is deceiving himself that he is born again. He cannot be in true fellowship with Christ, and yet habitually hate or work against his brother. He is blinded by that hatred and doesn’t know where he is headed to. “Whoever has this world’s goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him?” (1 Jn.3:17)
4. Fellowship induces self-examination (1 Cor. 11:34)
We are warned about God’s judgment, if we eat and drink from the Lord’s Table without self-examination. Some in the Corinthian church were guilty of despising the church of God and shaming those who had nothing. What a pathetic scene it must have been when they came together to remember the Lord! If we expect our Lord to be present there, we have to be in agreement with each other. This fact should induce self-judgment.
5. Fellowship inhibits fellowship with demons (1 Cor.10:20)
We must realize that the Gentiles sacrifice to demons and not to God. “What fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness?” We are commanded to come out from among them and be separate as a holy and special people for God. He does not want us to have fellowship with demons. There is no scope for a dual partnership. Dare we provoke the Lord to jealousy? Or are we stronger than He? We are members of the body of Christ, and therefore our carelessness in this matter will affect our brethren too. Those who disregarded this, displeased God and their bodies were scattered in the wilderness.
Fellowship is, therefore, a deliberate effort that the Lord expects from each true believer. And we must express it towards our fellow-believers, for we have the communion and fellowship of the Holy Spirit to help us.
