Is It a Matter of Fellowship (Pack of 5)

Christians cannot fellowship everyone or no one (Amos 3:3; Acts 2:42; 4:32; 2 Corinthians 6:14; 3 John 1:8). Doctrine matters—we cannot simply fellowship everyone who believes in Jesus’ deity (2 John 1:9). Tolerance matters— we cannot write everyone off who differs from us (Romans 14:1; 15:1–3; Ephesians 4:2).

If some things are a matter of fellowship, but not everything is, how do we determine what is? The Bible’s teaching on fellowship (1 John 1:3, 7) could be stated as follows: • Christians should fellowship every person that God fellowships— not one less (Matthew 10:40; 2 Corinthians 2:6–8; 7:2–3; Galatians 2:9).

Christians should fellowship every person that God fellowships—not one more (1 Corinthians 5:9–11; 10:20–21; 2 Corinthians 6:14–18; Ephesians 5:7, 11; 2 Thessalonians 3:6, 14; 1 Timothy 6:5; 2 Timothy 3:5; 2 John 1:10–11).

Who is that, exactly? This is something Peter might say is “hard to understand” (cf. 2 Peter 3:16). The Queen of Sheba might add it to her hard questions (cf. 1 Kings 10:1). There is no short answer that settles the question once and for all. It is a doctrine one will consider and apply in different situations over a lifetime as he works out his salvation (Philippians 2:12).