God's Will
Doctrine #50: Fellowship
Doctrine #50
Doctrine #50 Read
Who really knows you deeply? So deeply, that they can speak on your behalf when you are not around? Do these people exist? The kind of people who give to you without expecting, give to you with a Right HOW/WHY, who desire to know you deeply and share deeply your lives together.
Is this possible?
Overview
The Bible spoke of "fellowship" which means "to give, to share". The Bible did not use the word "relationship" which means "to give and take...a state of being interrelated".
Discussion Question
Do you believe God wants to have a relationship with you, or have fellowship with you?
Scripture
42And they continued stedfastly in the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, in the breaking of bread and the prayers.
43And fear came upon every soul: and many wonders and signs were done through the apostles.
44And all that believed were together, and had all things common; 45and they sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all, according as any man had need.
46And day by day, continuing stedfastly with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread at home, they took their food with gladness and singleness of heart, 47praising God, and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to them day by day those that were saved.
42And they continued stedfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.
43And fear came upon every soul: and many wonders and signs were done by the apostles.
44And all that believed were together, and had all things common;
45And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need.
46And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart,
47Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.
Commentary
Swokowski Bible Commentary on this passage
Commentary · verses 1-47
Chapter 2 started the 6th (and current) Dispensation: Pentecost. God administrated this dispensation by grace to individuals by the Holy Spirit upon our hearts. Everything prior to this (excluding the Book of Genesis and including the four Gospels) documented the 5th Dispensation. So, the first book of the Bible covered the first four dispensations. The next forty-two books of the Bible covered the 5th Dispensation. This book was the first of twenty-three books that covered the current 6th Dispensation.
Commentary · verse 42
Doctrine: They continued steadfastly in the four causes of how church ought to be:
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Apostle's Teaching (Doctrine),
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Breaking of Bread,
They steadfastly did these things, "steadfastly" meaning: "intentionally and continually". Notice, these four causes were mental, emotional, spiritual, and physical. These four causes were done during the Last Supper by Jesus according to John's Gospel Account. (See comment after John 17:26.) The first New Testament Church service was at the Last Supper.
Commentary · verses 43-47
Verses 43-47: the effects the church will have when they do the causes from verse 42.
Commentary · verse 43
Respect for God and supernatural manifestations were the first effects that were mentioned: Spiritual.
Commentary · verse 45
Unity and Love were the second effects that were mentioned: Emotional.
Commentary · verse 46
Notice, both a temple and home were mentioned as places for "church." Teaching was done in the church and at home: Mental.
Commentary · verse 47
Praising God and having favor with all people were the third causes that were mentioned. These were the First Command (Love God) and Second Command (Love people). The fourth and final cause was the number of people who believed increased day by day: Physical. The church does not need to focus on adding to the church. The focus ought to be the four causes of church from verse 42 and an effect will be that "the Lord added to them day by day those that were saved."
2 Corinthians 6:14
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14Be not unequally yoked with unbelievers: for what fellowship have righteousness and iniquity? or what communion hath light with darkness?
14Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?
Commentary
People quote this verse for marriage because they see being "yoked" with someone as being married to someone. Actually, this applied to all forms of fellowship, not only marriage. People who get married ought to be in fellowship: emotionally sharing everything before they physically share. Think about that! Couples ought to learn how to share with each other from the four causes of Church. The Church ought to be profitable, and an effect of a body being profitable is that people would learn fellowship and bring it into their marriage. How many marriages consist of spouses finding out about their spouse after they get married? Does the church teach us how to be in fellowship with one another? Does your church have a definition for fellowship?
Swokowski Bible Commentary on this passage
Commentary · verses 13-14
Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers, do not let unbelievers hinder your progress/growth. This is an oft-quoted verse. However, this verse takes on a greater light when interpreted in the context of the list of thirty-eight attributes of which our ministry with the Holy Spirit consists. How would an unbeliever be able to bear these attributes? Paul stated the only reason believers ought to be able to do this was because we were grateful for what Jesus did for us and we looked forward to an eternity in paradise.
1 Corinthians 1:9
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9God is faithful, through whom ye were called into the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord.
9God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord.
Commentary
Our fellowship ought to begin with God and Jesus. God is the First Cause. He has the ability to know us more than any other individual alive, because He sees our hearts: where our decisions get planted. One of the reasons for the Deeper Why is for you to understand God's definitions for words so that you can be in fellowship with Him and understand the way He speaks. The effect of that would be that God would lead you into wisdom and truth, by grace! We ought to share everything with God which is the First Command: Love the Lord thy God...
Swokowski Bible Commentary on this passage
Commentary · verses 9-10
We are called into fellowship with Jesus Christ and as an effect we ought to be in fellowship with each other: perfectly joined, same mind, no divisions, agreement, etc.
6If we say that we have fellowship with him and walk in the darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: 7but 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.
6If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth:
7But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.
Commentary
If we share with God He will bring us to where He is: in the light, into Holiness. Remember, God created the darkness and the light, but in Him there is no darkness. For example, He cannot do "everything" because He doesn't have the causes within Him to lie. Fellowship with God leads to fellowship with others who are in fellowship with God, which is the Second Command: Love your neighbor...
Swokowski Bible Commentary on this passage
Commentary · verses 6-10
Verses 6-10: each "if"/then statements.
Commentary · verse 6
If we say that we have fellowship with him and walk in darkness (contradiction), we lie and do not the truth:
- "If we say that we have fellowship with him" was a declaration. Our actions will prove whether what we say is a lie or factual.
- Walking in darkness did not mean making a mistake. It meant intentionally making progress away from God.
- If we have said we are in fellowship with God but are intentionally moving away from God, we are liars and "do not the truth".
- Truth was the measurement of whether or not we were in fellowship with God. The measurement for truth was not lack of contradiction because we may not have all the facts. The measurement for lying (lack of truth) was contradiction.
Commentary · verse 7
Walking in the light was intentionally making progress towards God. If we have fellowship with God, as Jesus did, we would have fellowship with each other. The effect of having fellowship with God was that Jesus' Blood would cleanse us from all sin.
This verse was presented the way things ought to be. We need to keep "the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin" in context with the rest of this verse and not add to the context an outside source.
Philippians 2:1-4
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1If there is therefore any exhortation in Christ, if any consolation of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any tender mercies and compassions, 2make full my joy, that ye be of the same mind, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind; 3doing nothing through faction or through vainglory, but in lowliness of mind each counting other better than himself; 4not looking each of you to his own things, but each of you also to the things of others.
1If there be therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies,
2Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind.
3Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.
4Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.
Commentary
Jesus said that the most important commands were for individuals to love God and love others. If believers are in fellowship with the Holy Spirit, it results in being of the same mind, Love, and one accord like we saw with the New Testament Church. Notice, fellowship and love were mentioned together. Furthermore, it leads to humility: looking to others as better and not looking to your own physical possessions but to the things of others, which is loving your neighbor.
Swokowski Bible Commentary on this passage
Commentary · verse 1
Paul began this next section with four if's. The most critical one was "fellowship of the Spirit," which would lead to fellowship with each other (consolation of love, tender mercies, compassions, etc.). Paul stated that if the Philippians had any fellowship of the Spirit (and any fellowship with each other)...
Commentary · verse 2
...then they should do the following:
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Make Paul's joy full.
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Unity - same mind and same love.
The overarching theme of this letter was joy, so it was no surprise that believers' fellowship with God (First Command) and fellowship with each other (Second Command) would make Paul's joy full. What is interesting was Paul's additional focus on unity, which was a theme of Ephesians - "unity through uniqueness." During the commentary for the Book of Ephesians we presented a "1-2-3" model. Fellowship with the Holy Spirit is a "1" - the individual. Fellowship with others is a "2" - exchanging with other individuals. Everyone being of one accord is a "3" - the community as a whole. How did Paul think believers could have unity? How can people achieve "3"?
Commentary · verse 3
Paul first explained a "not 1" - not doing things for the immediate benefit of the individual. Then he followed up with a "2" - do all things in humility, thinking of others as more excellent than ourselves. The principle of uniqueness allows everyone to see everyone else as more excellent than themselves, because everyone can be the most excellent in what God made them to be, in their "1."
Commentary · verse 4
Again, Paul explained a "not 1" - not doing things for the immediate benefit of the individual. Then he followed up with a "2" - do things for others.
2 Corinthians 8:3-5
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3For according to their power, I bear witness, yea and beyond their power, they gave of their own accord, 4beseeching us with much entreaty in regard of this grace and the fellowship in the ministering to the saints: 5and this, not as we had hoped, but first they gave their own selves to the Lord, and to us through the will of God.
3For to their power, I bear record, yea, and beyond their power they were willing of themselves;
4Praying us with much intreaty that we would receive the gift, and take upon us the fellowship of the ministering to the saints.
5And this they did, not as we hoped, but first gave their own selves to the Lord, and unto us by the will of God.
Commentary
Paul said he wanted to be in fellowship with these people, but they knew in order to have that effect, they first had to have fellowship with God. Notice, grace was mentioned, which is fellowship with God. When you give without grace you are still due a reward by justice, but when God is directing your actions through grace, God will show you how to love His people.
Swokowski Bible Commentary on this passage
Commentary · verses 3-5
The believers in the churches of Macedonia were focused on the right cause: Love God. The effect of this was that they loved others. Paul wanted them to give themselves in fellowship to them. However, the church first had fellowship with God, then had fellowship with Paul's group.
Doctrine: We cannot be in fellowship (unveiled) with each other if we are not in fellowship (unveiled) with God.
1That which was from the beginning, that which we have heard, that which we have seen with our eyes, that which we beheld, and our hands handled, concerning the Word of life 2(and the life was manifested, and we have seen, and bear witness, and declare unto you the life, the eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us); 3that 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: 4and these things we write, that our joy may be made full.
1That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life;
2(For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and shew unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;)
3That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ.
4And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full.
Commentary
John began his letter by stating his objective: telling people about Jesus so others could have fellowship with God SO that John could have fellowship with these new believers. Our joy being made full was an effect of fellowship. Do you know people who give you more joy when you are around them? Why do church leaders burn out typically after five years? Is their joy growing because of the fellowship they have with their church members? Do not confuse what is the cause and what is the effect. God is always the First Cause, and He would be the first Person for us to know if we desire to know others.
Swokowski Bible Commentary on this passage
Commentary · verse 1
Doctrine: Jesus was from the beginning. Jesus is God in His Nature. John stated he had seen Him, looked upon Him, and handled Him. Jesus is the Word of Life. John began his Gospel account with the same Doctrine: "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." (John 1:1) John was the only New Testament writer to use "Word" (with capitalization) to refer to Jesus.
Commentary · verse 2
Life was manifested. They had seen and bore witness to life. John was going to show us eternal life which was with the Father and shown to them.
Commentary · verse 3
What they had seen and heard (Jesus, life), they declared to us - so that we may have fellowship with each other. The cause was fellowship with God and Jesus:
- The First Command, "Thou shalt love the Lord", was the cause,
- The Second Command, "Thou shalt love your neighbor", was the effect.
Commentary · verse 4
John gave the reason (WHY) he wrote these things: that our joy may be full.
Galatians 2:6-10
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6But from those who were reputed to be somewhat (whatsoever they were, it maketh no matter to me: God accepteth not man’s person)—they, I say, who were of repute imparted nothing to me: 7but contrariwise, when they saw that I had been intrusted with the gospel of the uncircumcision, even as Peter with the gospel of the circumcision 8(for he that wrought for Peter unto the apostleship of the circumcision wrought for me also unto the Gentiles); 9and when they perceived the grace that was given unto me, James and Cephas and John, they who were reputed to be pillars, gave to me and Barnabas the right hands of fellowship, that we should go unto the Gentiles, and they unto the circumcision; 10only they would that we should remember the poor; which very thing I was also zealous to do.
6But of these who seemed to be somewhat, (whatsoever they were, it maketh no matter to me: God accepteth no man’s person:) for they who seemed to be somewhat in conference added nothing to me:
7But contrariwise, when they saw that the gospel of the uncircumcision was committed unto me, as the gospel of the circumcision was unto Peter;
8(For he that wrought effectually in Peter to the apostleship of the circumcision, the same was mighty in me toward the Gentiles:)
9And when James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given unto me, they gave to me and Barnabas the right hands of fellowship; that we should go unto the heathen, and they unto the circumcision.
10Only they would that we should remember the poor; the same which I also was forward to do.
Commentary
Notice, when these believers recognized the grace (fellowship with God) that Paul had, they then extended fellowship to him.
Swokowski Bible Commentary on this passage
Commentary · verses 6-7
The Gospel of the uncircumcised (Gentiles) was given to Paul. The Gospel of the circumcised (Jews) was given to Peter.
Commentary · verses 8-10
James, Cephas (Peter), and John were pillars of the church. They perceived the grace that was given to Paul and sent Paul and Barnabas out to preach the Gospel to the Gentiles.
Philippians 1:1-7
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1Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus, to all the saints in Christ Jesus that are at Philippi, with the bishops and deacons: 2Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
3I thank my God upon all my remembrance of you, 4always in every supplication of mine on behalf of you all making my supplication with joy, 5for your fellowship in furtherance of the gospel from the first day until now; 6being confident of this very thing, that he who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Jesus Christ: 7even as it is right for me to be thus minded on behalf of you all, because I have you in my heart, inasmuch as, both in my bonds and in the defence and confirmation of the gospel, ye all are partakers with me of grace.
1Paul and Timotheus, the servants of Jesus Christ, to all the saints in Christ Jesus which are at Philippi, with the bishops and deacons:
2Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.
3I thank my God upon every remembrance of you,
4Always in every prayer of mine for you all making request with joy,
5For your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now;
6Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:
7Even as it is meet for me to think this of you all, because I have you in my heart; inasmuch as both in my bonds, and in the defence and confirmation of the gospel, ye all are partakers of my grace.
Commentary
Again, grace is a cause of fellowship with others and the result is joy. This is how you can look at this passage: Grace is the cause, the effect is fellowship, the effect of fellowship is joy. Are you growing in joy, or are you trying to be not unhappy?
Fellowship is a powerful Doctrine! Let's tie some Doctrine together...
If God's grace is flowing through you and also through me while we are sharing, we have music: one accord, being in harmony! Being contrastive and humble allows you to recognize that all of us are unique and are made by "The Potter" for a different purpose because we value things differently than one another. If we are in fellowship with God, we will automatically be in fellowship with each other. It won't take effort. This is HOW a body becomes profitable. If you love God, you are able to speak truth, have the ability to love, see everyone as unique, understand profitability, know the definition for grace, and do not use that for the benefit of the entire body, you are deceived. Satan knows all of the WHAT'S that we have learned, and if all these Doctrine only cause you to become more puffed up with knowledge, you have missed the entire purpose of The Deeper Why.
These definitions are "the chords" for fellowship with God and one another. If you and I shared the same definitions as God, imagine how much we could build. Imagine if an entire church was actively looking to find God's definitions for words so that we could grow, be pruned by God, and grow more!
We know that Jesus is the Way because He paid our debt to bring us towards salvation and has given us grace to direct our actions. We know that Jesus is Truth, and always and completely Right in the WHAT, WHY, and HOW in everything He has done, is doing, and will do.
What does it mean for Jesus to be "The Life"?
James 4 covered Fellowship in detail...
" Whence come wars and whence come fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your pleasures that war in your members? Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and covet, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war; ye have not, because ye ask not. Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may spend it in your pleasures."
James began by making people aware of the destructive effects that they had. James said that they didn't even ask right. These people didn't have the right causes, they were not asking, they were taking. They were not accepting the things that they got, because they used it to indulge their pleasures. These were all WHAT'S. Which causes (HOW/WHY) did they have?
" Ye adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? Whosoever therefore would be a friend of the world maketh himself an enemy of God."
James blatantly stated these people had friendship (fellowship) with the world...and that made them an enemy of God. This was WHY they were unable to have fellowship with God.
" Or think ye that the scripture speaketh in vain? Doth the spirit which he made to dwell in us long unto envying? But he giveth more grace. Wherefore the scripture saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace to the humble."
James said that having this friendship with the world made us proud and unable to have grace! The proud are unable to have fellowship with God; the proud see themselves as equal or higher than God. The humble can have fellowship with God, because they are looking to prove God Right.
" Be subject therefore unto God; but resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye doubleminded."
James said that having fellowship with God (being in agreement with God) would cause the devil to flee from you. In Doctrine #49: Hate, we learned that you cannot serve two masters. Thinking that you are having fellowship with God when you actually were having fellowship with the world is contradictory, which James called "doubleminded". See James 1:7-8
" Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall exalt you."
James stated we ought to humble ourselves and show our emotions and God will move through you. This was fellowship with God, because the person was being intimate with God by sharing his deepest emotional pain. We know what that results in, don't we?
" Speak not one against another, brethren. He that speaketh against a brother, or judgeth his brother, speaketh against the law, and judgeth the law: but if thou judgest the law, thou art not a doer of the law, but a judge. One only is the lawgiver and judge, even he who is able to save and to destroy: but who art thou that judgest thy neighbor?"
It results in fellowship with other believers. Judging others is not being humble, and it is proof that you aren't in fellowship with God because you aren't humble. God is the Judge! He establishes laws and principles that benefit His people.
" Come now, ye that say, To-day or to-morrow we will go into this city, and spend a year there, and trade, and get gain: whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. What is your life? For ye are a vapor, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away."
James gave another example of being in pride: of thinking you know more than you actually do. Remember, Jesus said that God knows WHAT we need, what He wants to see is our HOW/WHY. Plus, what does it say about someone's heart if they are looking to build treasure where moth and rust corrupts?
" For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall both live, and do this or that. But now ye glory in your vauntings: all such glorying is evil. To him therefore that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin."
James said that it was sin for those who know to do good (who have a Right SAY) and don't do good (have a Wrong DO). We know this is hypocrisy, and that hypocrites don't go to heaven. If you glorify yourself, and boast about yourself you destroy (evil) yourself long term, in order for you to gain reward in the short term from the praises of men.
Swokowski Bible Commentary on this passage
Commentary · verse 1
Timothy was with Paul during the writing of this letter. Paul and Timothy were writing to the saints (believers) and bishops and deacons (church leaders) at Philippi. A deacon was a minister/servant, they directly helped the members of the church. A bishop was an overseer, they directly helped the deacons. See 1 Timothy 3 for a detailed explanation about bishops and deacons.
Commentary · verses 2-5
When Paul thought about the Philippians it caused him to thank God. He was joyful in his supplication for them because their fellowship had been furthering the Gospel.
Commentary · verse 6
The theme of this first chapter was confidence. Paul was confident in the Philippians to the point his fellowship with them brought him joy. Paul was confident in God to finish the good work He was doing through the Philippians via the Holy Spirit: grace. Paul even referenced the Meaning of Life when he set the timetable for this perfection as "until the day of Jesus Christ": our Groom.
Commentary · verse 7
Paul stated that he felt confident the Philippians were partakers with him of grace in his ministry.
There are four causes for the New Testament Church: apostles' teaching (Doctrine), fellowship, breaking of bread, and prayer. In these 60 Doctrines we are covering Doctrine. We will cover prayer in a future Doctrine. This current Doctrine covers fellowship. Notice, Doctrine is mental, breaking of bread is physical, prayers are spiritual and fellowship is emotional. One of the definitions for fellowship is "social intercourse". Fellowship is intimate sharing. It is emotional. Notice the effects of these four causes: all things in common, parted resources to everyone as they had need, gladness and singleness of heart. These effects sounded like love: giving! Does the modern church focus on these four causes of Church, or do they focus on getting people excited about the effects?